Ezekiel 30:6
Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.
The verse belongs to the prophecies against Egypt in Ezekiel 29-32, announcing the certain fate to come upon Pharaoh and his host. It stands with the prophecies against Ammon, Moab, Tyre and Egypt in Ezekiel 25-31. Its fulfilment remains evident today.
It was given through Ezekiel during twenty-two years of pleading with Israel to turn to God, using the kingdoms on every side of Israel to illustrate how God deals with nations and brings down pride. Egypt in the verse is the former oppressor of God's people and the symbol of black infidelity. Its pride of power was to be brought down, brought low and abased never to rise again among the nations.
The verse declares that those who uphold or support Egypt shall fall with it by the sword. That fall comes through invasion, conquest and subjection by foreign powers. The pride of Egypt's power, its military and political pride, shall be brought down. Death by sword and by fire extends from the tower of Syene onward throughout the land to Ethiopia.
The judgment turned Egypt, which at that time was one of the greatest kingdoms and at one time the greatest empire on earth, from glory and wealth to dishonor and poverty because of devotion to idols. It is grouped with predictions that its rivers would dry up, its idols would be abolished, and it would become the very basest of the kingdoms and lose its power among the nations. This was literally fulfilled by conquest. The conquest is identified with Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Egypt and Egypt's later history under successive foreign rulers, and with England taking complete control of Egypt.