Ezekiel 30 14

Ezekiel 30:14 kjv

And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No.

Ezekiel 30:14 nkjv

I will make Pathros desolate, Set fire to Zoan, And execute judgments in No.

Ezekiel 30:14 niv

I will lay waste Upper Egypt, set fire to Zoan and inflict punishment on Thebes.

Ezekiel 30:14 esv

I will make Pathros a desolation and will set fire to Zoan and will execute judgments on Thebes.

Ezekiel 30:14 nlt

I will destroy southern Egypt,
set fire to Zoan,
and bring judgment against Thebes.

Ezekiel 30 verses

Ezekiel 30 14 meaning

Ezekiel 30:14 pronounces divine judgment on specific, strategically significant cities within Egypt: Pathros, Zoan, and Thebes. God declares His direct involvement in their destruction, signifying the comprehensive desolation of the entire nation from its southern regions (Pathros, Thebes) to its northern delta (Zoan). This verse underscores God's sovereignty over even mighty world powers, affirming His power to humble the proud and execute justice upon nations hostile to His purposes.

Ezekiel 30 14 Context

Ezekiel 30:14 is part of a larger prophecy (Ezekiel 29-32) primarily dedicated to God's judgment against Egypt, one of the most powerful and significant nations of the ancient world. Chapter 30 specifically outlines the "Day of the LORD" against Egypt, depicting a widespread, devastating invasion and utter desolation, primarily at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. This judgment is not only for Egypt's pride and its false gods but also for its historical role as an unreliable ally and source of temptation for Israel (often drawing Israel away from trusting in Yahweh). The specific cities mentioned in verse 14—Pathros (Upper Egypt), Zoan (Tanis, a key city in the Delta, royal capital), and Thebes (No-amon, capital of Upper Egypt and center of Amun worship)—highlight the comprehensive nature of the destruction, spanning the entire breadth of Egypt, from north to south, covering both political and religious centers. The detailed enumeration of cities emphasizes the divine precision and inevitability of the prophecy.

Ezekiel 30 14 Word analysis

• וְשַׁמּוֹתִ֛י (və·sham·mō·w·ṯî): "I will make desolate."
  • Meaning: From the root שָׁמַם (shamam), meaning to be desolated, laid waste, utterly destroyed. It implies emptiness, ruin, and cessation of habitation.
  • Significance: This is a prophetic perfect, indicating the certainty of the action, as if already accomplished. The first-person singular "I will" directly attributes the desolation to God, highlighting His active role and sovereignty. It emphasizes total, irreversible destruction.
• פַּתְר֔וֹס (paṯ·rō·ws): "Pathros"
  • Meaning: Geographical name for Upper (Southern) Egypt, from Egyptian "Pa-To-Resy" meaning "Land of the South."
  • Significance: Pathros was a significant region culturally and geographically. Its inclusion indicates the judgment reaches deep into the heartland of ancient Egyptian civilization, signifying widespread destruction beyond just border areas.
• וְהִצַּתִּי־אֵ֥שׁ (və·hiṣ·ṣat·tî-’êš): "and I will set fire" or "and kindle fire"
  • Meaning: From the root יָצַת (yatsat), to kindle, burn. "אֵשׁ" (esh) means fire.
  • Significance: Fire is a common biblical metaphor for destructive divine judgment, purification, or war. This specific type of judgment for Zoan suggests total consumption and annihilation, often associated with divine wrath. Again, the "I will" affirms God's agency.
• בְּצֹ֖עַן (bə·ṣō·‘an): "to Zoan" or "in Zoan"
  • Meaning: Zoan (Greek Tanis) was a prominent city in the Nile Delta (Lower Egypt), often serving as a royal capital.
  • Significance: Zoan was ancient and renowned (Num 13:22), associated with royal power and prestige. Its destruction by fire represents the obliteration of a central symbol of Egyptian authority and history, complementing the judgment on southern Egypt.
• וְעָשִׂיתִ֥י שְׁפָטִ֖ים (wə·‘ā·śî·ṯî šə·p̄ā·ṭîm): "and execute judgments" or "perform judgments"
  • Meaning: From the root עָשָׂה ('asah), to make, do, perform, and שְׁפָטִים (shefatim), meaning judgments, legal decisions, punishments.
  • Significance: This phrase emphasizes the righteousness and justice of God's actions. It implies not arbitrary destruction but measured, deserved punishment. It’s a formal execution of justice, signaling divine deliberation. The "I will" highlights God as the supreme judge.
• בְּנֹֽא (bə·nōʼ): "on Thebes" or "in No"
  • Meaning: No, also known as No-amon (נֹא אָמוֹן), the great capital of Upper Egypt (Waset in Egyptian, Greek Thebes). It was the cult center of the god Amun-Re.
  • Significance: Thebes was the religious and administrative heart of Egypt, and a symbol of its immense wealth and power. Judgment against it, particularly its associated deity Amun, is a direct polemic against the supposed power of Egyptian gods, demonstrating their impotence before Yahweh (cf. Nah 3:8-10). Its downfall underscores God's complete victory over Egypt's religious and political foundations.
• Words-Group Analysis:
  • "I will make Pathros desolate, set fire to Zoan, and execute judgments on Thebes.": This tripartite structure of divine judgment—desolation, fire, and executed judgments—emphasizes the comprehensive, varied, and absolute nature of the destruction. Each phrase uses "I will," asserting God's personal and active role as the orchestrator of these events. The geographical span from Pathros (south) to Zoan and Thebes (north/central) denotes a total collapse of Egypt's entire nation, not just specific areas. The choice of specific judgments (desolation for Pathros, fire for Zoan, formal judgments for Thebes) might hint at fitting punishments or simply be a stylistic variation to portray total ruin.

Ezekiel 30 14 Bonus section

The three distinct verbs used for judgment ("make desolate," "set fire," "execute judgments") for the three respective cities of Pathros, Zoan, and Thebes are not merely stylistic variation but might subtly point to the nature or reputation of each city, though the overall intent is comprehensive ruin. Pathros, representing the ancient bedrock of Egyptian culture, is "made desolate"—perhaps suggesting its very identity and foundations are obliterated. Zoan, often associated with royal decrees and strategic power in the Delta, faces "fire"—a swift, consuming destruction typical of war. Thebes (No-amon), with its grand temples and worship of Amun, has "judgments executed" upon it, directly challenging the authority of its pagan deities and declaring divine condemnation from the true God, Yahweh. This strategic selection underscores the divine intentionality behind each act of judgment, revealing God's precision and sovereignty over every aspect of human power and idolatry.

Ezekiel 30 14 Commentary

Ezekiel 30:14 vividly portrays the complete and inescapable divine judgment on Egypt. By specifically naming Pathros (Upper Egypt), Zoan (Lower Egypt's Delta capital), and Thebes (No-amon, religious and administrative heart of Upper Egypt), the prophet demonstrates that God's wrath would encompass the entire nation, leaving no region or major city untouched. The varied terminology for judgment—"desolate," "set fire," "execute judgments"—underscores the thoroughness and different facets of this destruction. "Desolation" implies emptiness and ruin, "fire" suggests complete annihilation often linked to divine anger, and "executing judgments" highlights the righteousness and justice of God's action. This passage is a clear statement of God's sovereign power over even the mightiest worldly kingdoms, revealing the futility of national pride and reliance on false gods, and affirming that His purposes for His people and for world history will be fulfilled.