Ezekiel 30:16
And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.
Original Language Analysis
וְנָתַ֤תִּי
And I will set
H5414
וְנָתַ֤תִּי
And I will set
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
1 of 12
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
תָּחיּל֙
pain
H2342
תָּחיּל֙
pain
Strong's:
H2342
Word #:
4 of 12
properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e., (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear; fi
תָּחיּל֙
pain
H2342
תָּחיּל֙
pain
Strong's:
H2342
Word #:
5 of 12
properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e., (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear; fi
סִ֔ין
Sin
H5512
סִ֔ין
Sin
Strong's:
H5512
Word #:
6 of 12
sin the name of an egyptian town and (probably) desert adjoining
תִּהְיֶ֣ה
H1961
תִּהְיֶ֣ה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
8 of 12
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
לְהִבָּקֵ֑עַ
shall be rent asunder
H1234
לְהִבָּקֵ֑עַ
shall be rent asunder
Strong's:
H1234
Word #:
9 of 12
to cleave; generally, to rend, break, rip or open
Historical Context
Egypt's decline wasn't a single catastrophic event but prolonged suffering: Babylonian invasion (568/567 BC), Persian conquest (525 BC), Greek conquest (332 BC), Roman absorption (30 BC). The 'daily distresses' proved prophetically accurate—Egypt faced continuous foreign domination and never recovered her former glory. The prophecy's emphasis on both immediate destruction and ongoing suffering matched historical reality.
Questions for Reflection
- What is significant about judgment described as both catastrophic and ongoing?
- How does 'daily distresses' differ from single judgment events?
- What does prolonged suffering accomplish that immediate destruction cannot?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain—נָתַתִּי אֵשׁ (nātattî ʾēsh, 'I will set fire') repeats from verse 14. חִיל תָּחִיל (ḥîl tāḥîl, 'writhe in pain'), using doubled root for emphasis—agonizing suffering.
And No shall be rent asunder—לְהִבָּקֵעַ (lĕhibbāqēaʿ, 'to be split/breached'). The verb בָּקַע (bāqaʿ) describes violently splitting or tearing, used of earthquake destruction and breached city walls. And Noph shall have distresses daily—Memphis (נֹף, Nōph) faces צָרֵי יוֹמָם (ṣārê yômām, 'adversaries/distresses by day'), meaning constant, ongoing trouble. Where verse 14's judgment was described as single events ('will set fire'), verse 16 emphasizes duration and intensity: ongoing pain, violent destruction, daily distress. Egypt's suffering would be both immediate and prolonged.