βThe burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.β
Egypt. Many refer this to the coming of Christ, (Calmet) at whose presence the idols fell down, and many saints adorned the country. (Worthington) β But the prophet may also literally refer to the wars of the Assyrians against Egypt. Sabacon having retired, after reigning fifty years, Anysis, and afterwards the priest of Sethon, succeeded to the throne. The latter was attacked by Sennacherib. After his death, twelve kingdoms were formed, but Psammitichus reunited them, and had Nechao for his successor. (Herodotus ii. 141, 158.) β Behold. The prophet speaks fourteen years before the attack of Sennacherib. β Cloud. Psalm xvii. 11. Some Fathers explain it of the blessed Virgin [Mary]. (Calmet) β Moved. Plundered by the Assyrians. (Menochius)
βAnd I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. set: Heb. mingleβ
Kingdom. Under the twelve kings. (Calmet)
βAnd the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. fail: Heb. be emptied destroy: Heb. swallow upβ
Egypt. Septuagint, βof the Egyptians shall be troubled within them.β (Haydock) β Soothsayers. Feeble but too common resource of superstitious people!
βAnd the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts. give: or, shut upβ
Masters. Twelve kings. Psammitichus, one of them, shall gain the ascendancy.
βAnd the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.β
Dry. The lakes and the Nile shall not afford sufficient moisture. (Calmet) β If the Nile rose less than twelve or more than sixteen cubits famine ensued. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xviii. 18.)
βThe paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. and be: Heb. and shall not beβ
Fountain. The Nile rises in Ethiopia. But the canals alone were left dry. (Calmet) β Septuagint, βthe achi, every green herb along the river, and every,β &c. (Haydock)
βThe fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.β
Fishers. The lake MΕris produced a talent every day for the revenue, and so great was the abundance of fish, that they could hardly be salted. The Nile was also well supplied with fish.
βMoreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded. networks: or, white worksβ
Linen. Greek, βsilk.β Ezechiel xvi. 10. (Calmet)
βAnd they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish. purposes: Heb. foundations for fish: Heb. of living thingsβ
All they. Septuagint, βand all who make strong drink (secer) shall be in sorrow, and shall afflict their souls.β (Haydock) β This version is perhaps the best, as the Egyptians used much ale or wine distilled from barley. (Calmet)
βSurely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?β
Tanis. Or of the twelve kings, ver. 1. They are disconcerted at the approach of Psammitichus, (Calmet) or at the want of water. (Haydock)
βThe princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. they that: or, governors: Heb. cornersβ
Memphis. The seat of many kings, and a very ancient city. Hebrew, βNoph.β β Stay. Literally, βangle,β denoting the chiefs, or all the land, Judges xx. 2.
βNeither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.β
Back. King and subject are equally confused, chap. ix. 14. (Calmet)
βAnd the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.β
Terror. Hebrew also, βa rejoicing,β (St. Jerome) on account of Sennacheribβs defeat there, chap. xviii. 7.
βIn that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. the language: Heb. the lip of destruction: or, of Heres, or, of the sunβ
Chanaan. Hebrew. The Israelites had a connection with Egypt, which the prophets often blame, chap. xxx. 2. Ezechias trusted in their aid, when he refused to pay tribute to the Assyrians. Many at that time, or afterwards, retired thither, and served God unmolested, chap. xi. 2., and Jeremias xlii. More established themselves in the country under Alexander [the Great] and the Ptolemies. (3 Machabees viii.) But this prediction was more fully accomplished by the propagation of the Christian religion. Grace no where shone forth more brightly than in this country, once the seat of superstition. β Sun. Hebrew, βof desolation.β But the copies have varied. It is supposed to denote the city On, Genesis xli. 45. (Calmet) β Prideaux (p. 2. b. 4.) accuses the Jews of willfully corrupting this text in the Septuagint. (Kennicott)
βIn that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.β
Altar. If the Jews were forbidden to have any other than the one at Jerusalem, how can the prophet announce this as a blessing? Onias being excluded from the high priesthood, retired into Egypt, and obtained leave to build the temple Onion, in the Nome, though not in the city of Helipolis, above Bubaste, on the Nile, alleging that Isaias had foretold this event, and that one was already built at Leontopolis. (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities xii. 15., and xiii. 6.) β But we must allow with the fathers and Jews in the days of St. Jerome, that this prediction regarded the Messias, when altars might be lawfully erected in every nation. See Misna, tr. Moneuth, xiii. 10. β Monument. The cross is set up wherever Christ is adored. (Calmet) β The Egyptians shall embrace Christianity, and St. Anthony of Thebes, &c., shall live a holy (Worthington) and austere life. (Haydock)
βAnd it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.β
Them. The Jews were miraculously rescued from the hands of Philopater, (Josephus, contra Apion ii.) or rather Christians are delivered from sin and Satan.
βAnd the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.β
Egypt. The kings often caused sacrifices to be offered for them; but they were not acceptable, as long as they continued idolaters. The country was converted to Christianity, (Calmet) and the Anchorets performed their vows and penitential exercises, to the admiration of all. (Haydock)
βAnd the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.β
Scourge. By means of Sennacherib, Cambyses, and Ochus. Afterwards the country was quietly subject to the kings of Persia, Alexander the Great, the Ptolemies, and the Romans. (Calmet)
βIn that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:β
Land. The apostles, who were true Israelites, (Haydock) procured the blessing of faith for these nations, (Calmet) to serve God with concord. (Haydock)