Ezekiel 30:20-26 - Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

The Breaking of Pharaoh's Arms

This prophecy appears to have been occasioned by some reverse sustained by Pharaoh shortly before the fall of Jerusalem. Probably the reference is to the failure of his attempt to raise the siege (Jeremiah 37:5-11). The disaster is metaphorically described as the breaking of one of Pharaoh's arms. Ezekiel predicts that God will break the other arm also, so that Pharaoh will drop his sword. The king of Babylon's arms will be strengthened. God's sword will be put into his hand, that it may be stretched over Egypt. The Egyptians will be scattered in other lands.

Ezekiel 30:20-26

20 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

21 Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.

22 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.

23 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.

24 And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.

25 But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

26 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they shall know that I am the LORD.