Ezekiel 29 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

The tenth year — Of Jeconiah's captivity.

The great dragon — The crocodile; our prophet, as well as Isaiah, compares the Egyptian king to that devouring serpent, or dragon. That lieth — Not only at rest, but waiting for prey. My river — My kingdom, power, riches, and forces, all the strength and glory of Egypt.

Put hooks — The Allegory is continued. The fish — The people of Egypt. To stick — To adhere to their king.

Leave thee — When thus brought out, I will leave thee. The wilderness — The deserts of Libya and Syene. All the fish — The whole army of the Egyptians. The open fields — There was this king and his army ruined. Gathered — These were not buried, but left in the wilderness, a prey to wild beasts, and birds.

Rent — Didst them much mischief instead of benefiting them, as thou hast promised, Jeremiah 37:7.

Syene — Boundary between Ethiopia and Egypt; that is, all Egypt from north — east to south — west.

Forty years — These forty years began about the thirtieth year of Jeconiah's captivity, and end with the seventieth year of the captivity, which was the first of Cyrus.

Pathros — The southern part of Egypt, in which was the famous city Thebae, known for its hundred gates. Their habitation — The ancient habitation of their fathers. A base — A low, tributary, dependent kingdom.

No more rule — Though in the times of the Ptolemeys, it was considerable, yet then, even then it did not rule the nations about her.

Which — Which sinful reliance on the arm of flesh provoked God to call to mind their other iniquities. When — When they forgot God, and respected Egypt. They — The house of Israel.

In the seven and twentieth year — Of Jeconiah's captivity, the year after the conquest of Tyre.

Caused — The army, and commanders were weary of the siege, but the immovable resolution of the king kept them on. A great service — It was service to the justice of God. It was great service both for hardness of work, heaviness of burdens, and length of the siege, thirteen years together. Made bald — Through age, or sicknesses, or continued wearing of helmets. Peeled — Galled with carrying burdens. No wages — For though Tyre was very rich, when first besieged, much wealth was carried away during the siege, much spent and wasted in the siege, and what was left, preserved by articles of surrender.

Her multitude — Common people, who shall be made captives, and servants or slaves. Her prey — What she had before taken from others. The wages — God will be behind — hand with none, who do any service for him; one way or other he will recompence them. None shall kindle a fire at his altar for nought.

They — The Babylonians. For me — God's work was doing by them, tho' they thought nothing less.

The horn — Jehoiakim, who was then advanced by Evil — Merodach. The opening of the mouth — Thou shalt have liberty, to open thy mouth in comforting the good among them, and to give praise to God.