And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
The Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships. The accomplishment of this prediction took place under Titus, when, according to Josephus, multitudes of Jews were transported in ships to the land of the Nile, and sold as slaves. Those above 17 years of age were despatched to various parts of the Roman empire, to be employed in the public works, or doomed to fight with wild beasts in the amphitheaters. Those under 17 were exposed as slaves in such numbers and such abject circumstances that the market was glutted with them. Thirty were offered for a trifle, and it was often difficult to find a purchaser.
Modern critics, however, prefer to consider Egypt-used here as a type of future bondage and misery-a personification of all the foes of Israel (Hengstenberg, 'Pentateuch,' 1:, p. 123; Delitzsch, p. 27). These curses have been dreadfully fulfilled on apostate Israel, and of this every Jew of every subsequent age has been a living memorial. 'Here, then, are instances of prophecies delivered above 3,000 years ago; and yet, as we see, being fulfilled in the world at this very time; and what stronger proofs can we desire of the divine legation of Moses? How these instances may affect others I know not; but, for myself, I must acknowledge, they not only convince, but amaze and astonish me beyond expression: they are truly, as Moses foretold (Deuteronomy 28:45-46) they would be, a sign and a wonder forever' (Dr. Newton).