Westminster Annotations, Ezekiel · Chapter 30 – Chapter 31
CHAP. XXX.
Vers. 2. HOwlye] Namely, ye Egyptians and other nations, which are subject to, and confederate with you.
no worth the day] To wit, the day of the ruine of Egypt, whereof he speaketh hereafter.
V. 3. a cloudy day] Of horrible and strange calamities: as rainy dayes are very rare in Egypt.
heathen] In which the profane nations, Egyptians, Chus…ites, and others shall be visited, and punished.
V. 4. pain] Or, fear.
Ethiopia] Heb. Chush. A neighbouring and confederate nation with Egypt.
V. 5. Ethiopia] Heb. Chush. A people of Arabia. See Gen. 10. 6. 13.
Libya, and Lydia] Heb. Phut, and Lud… are meant, the one a people living in Africa; the other in Asia.
mingled people] See Jer. 25. 20. 24.
Chub] The name of some part of Africk, not mentioned elsewhere.
men of the land] Heb. children.
that is in league] It might be some land that was confederate with Egypt: or some countrey of divers nations, which governed themselves in Commonalties, which were confederate one with another. Unlesse the word of League, or Covenant be taken for the proper name of a citie in Arabia called Beritos: for the common or mixt people also which were spoken of before, were of Arabia.
V. 6. They also that uphold] Namely, those armies, o… nations which shall take their parts, or relieve them.
Syene] Which was a strong citie of Egypt, Chap. 29. 10.
V. 7. And they shall be desolate] Chap. 29. 12.
V. 8. destroyed] Heb. broken.
V. 9. from me] Namely, from Egypt, where I will shew my selfe present by the execution of my judgements. For God is said to be present there where he operates.
in ships] Upon the Red sea, Isa. 18. 2.
as in the day of Egypt] As formerly all neighbouring nations were astonished at the report of the Egyptians discomfiture in the Red sea, Exod. 15. 14.
it cometh] To wit, the foresaid calamitie.
V. 11. the terrible] Chap. 28. 7.
V. 12. And I] Isa. 19. 5.
will make the rivers dry] Heb. drought. That which is most fruitfull by reason of the abundance of waters which are in it, shall become barren, and desolate, as if it were scorched up with the Sunne. Or I will make the waters thereof to be no safeguard for it. See Jer. 50. 38.
all that is therein] Heb. the fulnesse thereof.
V. 13. destroy the idols] Zech. 13. 2. Jer. 43. 12. & 46. 25.
N…ph] Called afterward by the ancients, Memphis. See Isa. 19. 13.
land of Egypt] Heb. out of the land. That is, no native or Egyptian shall rule them, but strangers.
V. 14. Pathros] The name of a Countrey in Egypt. See Chap. 29. 14.
Zoan] Which is Tanis one of the chief cities of Egypt. See Num. 13. 22.
No] Jer. 46. 25. Nahum 3. 8. Which is Alexandria.
V. 15. Sin] Which is Pelusium, a strong frontier citie of Egypt.
V. 17. Aven] Or, On. Which is the Citie Heliopolis.
Phi-beseth] Call…d by Authours Pubastum.
these cities shall go into captivitie] To wit, the multitude of people which is in them.
V. 18. Tehaphnches] This is the citie of Daphne, which was as it were the gate of Egypt; at which the Chaldeans came in, Jer. 43. 7, 8, 9.
darkened] Or, restrained. An extreme calamitie, desolation, and confusion shall overtake them.
a cloud shall cover her] As if one should say, a sudden storme of evils, vers. 3.
daughters shall go into captivitie] That is, the cities which are subject to the citie royall, Chap. 26. 6.
V. 20. eleventh yeer] Of the captivitie of Jeconiah, or Zedekiahs reign.
V. 21. broken the arm] This hath relation to the first overthrow of the Egyptians under Neco at Carchemish, Jer. 46. 2. by which they lost a great part which they possessed out of Egypt; which is the broken arm: and there remained nothing to them but Egypt alone; which was the whole or sound arm. And after this losse they could never recover, nor defend themselves against the Chaldeans. See Chap. 29. 14, 15.
it shall not be bound up] Jer. 46. 11.
V. 22. break his arms] His forces and powers.
V. 24. sword in his hand] To execute my judgements.
V. 25. when I shall put my sword] Whereby we see that Tyrants have no power of themselves, neither can do any more harme then God appointeth, and when he will they must cease.
CHAP. XXXI.
Vers. 1. IN the eleventh yeer] Of Zedekiahs reign, or Jeconiahs captivitie, Chap 1. 2.
V. 2. like in thy greatnesse] Meaning that he was not like in strength to the King of the Assyrians, whom the Babylonians overcame. See Isa. 23. 13.
V. 3. cedar in Lebanon] See Chap. 17. 3. 22. 23. Dan. 4. 10.
with fair branches] Heb. fair of branches.
V. 4. waters] He was grown great through abundance of all prosperitie.
made him great] Or, nourished.
set him up] Or, brought him up.
with her rivers] The great sea of his happinesse did seeme to runne round, as it doth at the coming in of great rivers, at the the foot of this tree: and he out of his grace, and plenty, seemed to send forth some some small streames out of it to other Kingdomes; alluding to the waters of Nilus, Chap. 29. 3.
little rivers] Or, conduits.
V. 5. when he shot forth] Or, when it sent them forth.
V. 6. fowls of heaven] Dan. 4. 12. The greatest part of mankind tired under his dominion and protection.
V. 8. garden of God could] Gen. 2. Signifying that there was no greater power in the world then his was.
V. 10. thou hast lifted up thy self] Namely, thou Assyrian Empire.
V. 11. mightie one of the heathen] That is, of Nebuchadnezzar, who subdued Assyria, overthrew the Empire of it, and after was the Monarch and onelyonly ruler of the world.
he shall surely deal with him] Heb. in doing he shall do unto him.
V. 12. strangers] Hereby is signified the destruction of the power of the Assyrians by the Babylonians.
the terrible of the nations] Chap. 28. 7. & 30. 11.
V. 13. shall] Or, did.
fowls of the heaven] The nations which were subject to the Assyrians, after the overthrow of the Empire, did prey upon them with contempt.
shall] Or, did.
V. 14. To the end that] I have set forth this spectacle of my judgements upon Ashur, for to teach all Princes that are grown great through my blessings, not to raise themselves against me through pride: for they are all mortall by nature, and I can bring down their estates, as I have raised them.
stand up in their height] Or, stand upon themselves for their height.
for they are all delivered] Psal. 82. 7.
V. 15. I caused a mourning] By this fall of Assyria, I raised a generall horrour, and terrour in them all: seeing him on a sudden deprived of my help and blessing, by the means of which he had prospered so well.
to mourn for him] Heb. to be black.
V. 16. shall be] Or, were.
comforted in the nether parts of the earth] To cause this destruction of the King of Assyria to seeme more horrible, he setteth forth other Kings and Princes, which are dead, as though they rejoyced at the fall of such a Tyrant: A figurative and poeticall representation: as Isa. 14. 8, 9, 10. Ezek. 32. 31. Heb. 2. 17.
V. 17. his arm that dwelt under his shadow] That is, all his power and dominion.
V. 18. To whom art thou] He applieth the foresaid things by comparison to Pharaoh, as if he should say, Compare thy self to whom thou wilt, thou canst not avoid ruine.
uncircumcised] Chap. 28. 10.
this is Pharaoh] All this allegoricall speech hath relation t… Pharaoh.