Ezekiel 29:16, commentary and pictures

The word came through Ezekiel about six hundred years before Christ, when Egypt was struggling against Babylon for supremacy in world empire, and in that day Egypt was still great, rivaling Babylon in antiquity. It belongs to the prophecies of Egypt's certain fate for Pharaoh and his host in chapters 29 to 32, standing in a chapter predicting judgment on Egypt among the prophecies of Ammon, Moab, Tyre, and Egypt in chapters 25 to 31.

Egypt shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, for backslidden Israel looked to Egypt as its only hope and salvation against the oncoming Babylonians, even fleeing there, and their looking after Egypt brings their iniquity to remembrance. God pronounced Egypt's doom because of Pharaoh's overweening pride in his river as his own creation. Egypt would become the basest of the kingdoms, diminished and subjugated so that it would never again lift itself up above the nations and never again rule over the nations, becoming a dwindling monarchy ruled by strangers.

The breaking of Egypt includes its foundations broken down, those upholding it fallen, the pride of its power brought down, its land made desolate in the midst of desolate countries and its cities among wasted cities, and its rivers dried up. It includes its idols destroyed and its images caused to cease from Memphis, no more a prince from its land, fire set in Zoan, and judgments executed upon No. The blow was struck by Nebuchadnezzar, whose army served a great service against Tyre and was given the spoils of Egypt for prey. These predictions of Egypt's fate have been literally fulfilled and their fulfilment is evident today, for Egypt has never lifted itself up but stands still enfeebled and humbled, a witness written twice in prophecy and fulfillment to the truthfulness of God's word.