Introduction
E. Judgment on Egypt chs. 29-32
Ezekiel concluded his oracles against foreign nations with seven messages the Lord gave him concerning the fate of Egypt, one of Israel’s most ancient and powerful enemies (cf. Isaiah 31:1; Jeremiah 9:25-26; Jeremiah 25:17; Jeremiah 25:19; Jeremiah 46:1-26). The seven oracles against Egypt are equal in length to the preceding six oracles against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and Sidon. Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel showed great interest in Egypt, because of Egypt’s significant role in Judean affairs at this time. God controls everything, even the fate of Israel’s most notorious antagonist. One of these messages is out of chronological order (29:17-21) and another one appears to be (30:1-19). Since the Lord gave these oracles to Ezekiel over several years, it may be helpful to chart them in relation to other important events in Egypt’s history.
| Ezekiel’s Oracles against Egypt in the Context ofEgypt’s Chronological History |
| Event | Date | Reference |
| Egypt’s domination of Israel | 605-609 | |
| Babylonia’s defeat of Egypt at Carchemish | 605 | |
| Egypt’s offers of assistance to Israel against Babylonia | 605-586 | |
| The beginning of Nebuchadnezzar’s second siege of Jerusalem | 588 | 2 Kings 25:1;Ezekiel 24:1-2 |
| Pharaoh Hophra’s interruption of the siege of Jerusalem | 588 | Jeremiah 37:5-11 |
| EZEKIEL’S FIRST INTRODUCTORY PROPHECY AGAINST EGYPT | 587 | Ezekiel 29:1-16 |
| EZEKIEL’S SECOND PROPHECY DESCRIBING PHARAOH HOPHRA’S INITIAL DEFEAT AND EGYPT’S ULTIMATE DESOLATION | 587 | Ezekiel 30:20-26 |
| EZEKIEL’S THIRD PROPHECY COMPARING EGYPT’S FALL TO ASSYRIA’S COLLAPSE | 587 | Ezekiel 31 |
| The continuing siege of Jerusalem | 587 | Jeremiah 32:1-5 |
| The fall of Jerusalem and King Zedekiah’s capture | 586 | 2 Kings 25:5-7 |
| The exiles’ reception of the news of Jerusalem’s fall | 585 | Ezekiel 33:21 |
| EZEKIEL’S FOURTH PROPHECY IN THE FORM OF A FUNERAL DIRGE | 585 | Ezekiel 32:1-16 |
| EZEKIEL’S FIFTH PROPHECY-A SUMMARY LAMENT | 585 | Ezekiel 32:17-32 |
| EZEKIEL’S SIXTH PROPHECY DESCRIBING EGYPT AS NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S SPOIL FOR DEFEATING TYRE | 571 | Ezekiel 29:17-21 |
| EZEKIEL’S SEVENTH PROPHECY ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF EGYPT AND HER ALLIES | 571 | Ezekiel 30:1-19 |
"The fact of so many prophecies on the same subject should be a reminder to the modern communicator that the truth of a message is conveyed only when the audience actually pays attention to it. Since audiences often change gradually and/or constantly, and people don’t always pay attention the first time-or the next time-the communicator may have to repeat the message many times before some people really hear it." [Note: Stuart, pp. 298-99.]
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