**The Judgment of Pharaoh: A Prophecy Against Egypt**
In the tenth year of the exile, on the twelfth day of the tenth month, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, the priest turned prophet, in the land of the Babylonians. The Spirit of the Lord stirred within him, and his heart burned with divine revelation. He stood in the midst of the captives by the Kebar River, his face set like flint, his voice unwavering as he prepared to deliver a solemn proclamation against Egypt and its proud ruler, Pharaoh.
### **The Great Dragon of the Nile**
The Lord spoke to Ezekiel, saying:
*”Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. Speak and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great dragon that lies in the midst of his rivers, who has said, “My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.”*
Pharaoh, the mighty ruler, sat enthroned in splendor, his crown gleaming with gold, his armies vast as the sands of the desert. He looked upon the Nile—the lifeblood of Egypt—and in his arrogance, he boasted, *”This river is mine! I have made it prosper!”* He took for himself the glory that belonged to God alone, trusting in the waters that sustained his kingdom rather than the One who had created them.
But the Lord, who sees the hearts of kings and the pride of nations, would not let such defiance go unanswered.
### **The Hooks of Judgment**
The voice of the Lord thundered through Ezekiel’s lips:
*”But I will put hooks in your jaws and cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales. I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, and all the fish of your rivers will stick to your scales. I will leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers; you shall fall on the open field and not be brought together or gathered. To the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the heavens I give you as food.”*
Like a monstrous crocodile dragged from the safety of the Nile, Pharaoh would be pulled from his throne. No longer would he bask in the luxury of his palace, surrounded by the wealth of his kingdom. Instead, he would be cast into the wilderness, abandoned to the scavengers of the earth. His armies, once invincible, would be scattered like chaff before the wind. His people, who had relied on his strength, would find no deliverance in him.
### **The Forty-Year Desolation**
The Lord continued, His words heavy with divine decree:
*”Because you have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel—when they grasped you with the hand, you splintered and tore open their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their loins to shake—therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you and cut off from you man and beast, and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste.”*
Egypt had promised protection to Israel, but like a splintering reed, it had failed them. When Judah sought refuge from Babylon, Egypt’s aid proved hollow—its armies withdrew, its promises crumbled. Now, the same sword that had fallen upon Jerusalem would turn upon Egypt. The land of pyramids and temples would become a wasteland, its cities ruined, its fields barren.
For forty years, Egypt would lie desolate—no pharaoh would reign, no armies would march, no merchants would sail the Nile in splendor. The Lord would scatter the Egyptians among the nations, dispersing them like seeds blown by the wind.
### **The Humiliation of a Fallen Kingdom**
Yet the Lord, in His justice, would not leave Egypt in ruin forever. After four decades, He would gather the scattered people and restore them—but never again to their former glory.
*”At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered, and I will restore their fortunes. But it shall be the lowliest of kingdoms, and it shall never again exalt itself above the nations. And I will make them so small that they will never again rule over the nations.”*
No longer would Egypt boast of its power. No longer would it deceive nations with false promises. It would remain weak, a shadow of its former self, a testament to the folly of pride and the sovereignty of the Almighty.
### **A Lesson for Israel**
The Lord then turned Ezekiel’s words toward His own people:
*”And it shall never again be the reliance of the house of Israel, recalling their iniquity when they turned to them for help. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.”*
Israel had sinned by trusting in Egypt rather than in the Lord. Now, they would see that Egypt was no savior—only God could deliver. The fall of Pharaoh would serve as a warning to all who put their faith in mortal kings instead of the King of Kings.
### **The Divine Decree Fulfilled**
As Ezekiel’s prophecy echoed across the exiles, the weight of God’s judgment settled upon them. Babylon, the instrument of the Lord’s wrath, would soon march against Egypt, fulfilling every word spoken. Pharaoh’s pride would crumble, his armies would falter, and his land would lie in ruins.
And when all came to pass, the nations would know—beyond doubt—that the Lord God reigns supreme.
For He alone raises up kings, and He alone brings them low.
**Thus declares the Lord.**
