Ezekiel 30:9
In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh. In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh.
Ezekiel 30:9 is part of the prophecies against Egypt in Ezekiel 29-32, which belong to the wider prophecies against other nations in Ezekiel 25-31 in which Ammon, Moab, Tyre and Egypt pass before the prophet. It belongs to Ezekiel's twenty-two-year pleading for Israel to turn to God, using the kingdoms on every side of Israel as illustrations of how God deals with them and brings down their pride. At the time Egypt was struggling with Babylon for world supremacy, having been one of the greatest kingdoms and at one time the greatest empire on earth. In the prophecy Egypt is the former oppressor of God's people and the symbol of black infidelity.
The verse teaches that God's judgment on Egypt would also bring great pain upon Ethiopia. Egypt's punishment would come through fire and sword following its devotion to idols and idol temples, and would include drying up its rivers, abolishing its idols, and making it the basest of the kingdoms. The prophecy foretells that Egypt would be invaded and conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and come under foreign rule, bringing the certain fate to come upon Pharaoh and his host.
It foretells Egypt's fall and loss of power among the nations, by which Egypt would be brought low and abased from its former greatness to become the basest of the kingdoms and never rise again among the nations. The prediction of Egypt's downfall was literally fulfilled, and its fulfilment is evident today. The prophecy about Egypt was expected to be fulfilled through England taking complete control of Egypt while Turkey's nominal sovereignty over the country passed away.