Ezekiel 30:21
in Ezekiel 30“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. See, it has not been bound up for healing, or splinted for strength to hold the sword.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it hath not been bound up, to apply healing medicines, to put a bandage to bind it, that it be strong to hold the sword.
KJV
Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.
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This verse in Ezekiel 30
Commentary
7 notes on this verse(Verse 20 and following) And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month (Vulgate adds 'of the month'), in the seventh month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and behold it is not bound up, to be healed, that it may be tied with bandages, and clothed with strips (or to receive a healing plaster): and having taken hold of strength, he might hold the sword.
This site's exposition
In the eleventh year
on Ezekiel 30:20-22
A new date opens a fresh oracle, and the image shifts to a single body. The arm already broken is declared beyond healing, while the sound arm is broken too. Gill reads the double image as Egypt's military failure stated as a diagnosis before it is stated as a sentence.
This site's exposition
I have broken the arm of Pharaoh
The arm is the Hebrew picture of strength in battle. At the exodus the LORD redeemed Israel with an outstretched arm and mighty acts of judgment in Exodus 6:6. Pharaoh's broken arm stands against that arm.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It was soon after the king of Egypt slew good king Josiah, and in the same reign, that its arm was thus broken, and it received that fatal blow which it never recovered. Before Egypt's heart and neck were broken its arm was. God's judgments come upon a people by steps, that they may meet him repenting.
Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt,....
19 Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that I am the L ORD . The prophecy of the destruction of Egypt is here very full and particular, as well as, in the general, very frightful. What can protect a provoking people when the righteous God comes forth to contend with them?
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
I have broken the arm of Pharaoh - Perhaps this may refer to his defeat by Nebuchadnezzar, when he was coming with the Egyptian army to succor Jerusalem.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בֶּן־ | ben- | O son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אָדָ֕ם | ʾadam | humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| זְר֛וֹעַ | zeroa' | [the] arm of | H2220 → | 91 times |
| פַּרְעֹ֥ה | paroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| מִצְרַ֖יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| שָׁבָ֑רְתִּי | shavareti | I have broken | H7665 → | 147 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֣ה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| חֻ֠בְּשָׁה | chubeshah | it has been bound up | H2280 → | 33 times |
| לָתֵ֨ת | latet | to give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| רְפֻא֜וֹת | refuot | healing<s> | H7499 → | |
| לָשׂ֥וּם | lasum | to put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| חִתּ֛וּל | chitul | a bandage | H2848 → | |
| לְחָבְשָׁ֥הּ | lechaveshah | to bind up it | H2280 → | 33 times |
| לְחָזְקָ֖הּ | lechazekah | to be strong it | H2388 → | 291 times |
| לִתְפֹּ֥שׂ | litpos | to wield | H8610 → | 65 times |
| בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ ס | becharev | <on> the sword | H2719 → | 413 times |
בֶּן־O son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
אָדָ֕םhumankind
ʾadamH120 →551 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
זְר֛וֹעַ[the] arm of
zeroa'H2220 →91 times
פַּרְעֹ֥הPharaoh
parohH6547 →274 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
מִצְרַ֖יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
שָׁבָ֑רְתִּיI have broken
shavaretiH7665 →147 times
וְהִנֵּ֣הand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
חֻ֠בְּשָׁהit has been bound up
chubeshahH2280 →33 times
לָתֵ֨תto give
latetH5414 →2011 times
רְפֻא֜וֹתhealing<s>
refuotH7499 →
לָשׂ֥וּםto put
lasumH7760 →584 times
חִתּ֛וּלa bandage
chitulH2848 →
לְחָבְשָׁ֥הּto bind up it
lechaveshahH2280 →33 times
לְחָזְקָ֖הּto be strong it
lechazekahH2388 →291 times
לִתְפֹּ֥שׂto wield
litposH8610 →65 times
בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ ס<on> the sword
becharevH2719 →413 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 37:17For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Psalms 63:8
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
- Psalms 145:14
The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
- Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
- Psalms 37:24
Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.
- Isaiah 41:10
Through
Jeremiah 46:11Go up to Gilead for balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt! In vain you try many remedies, but for you there is no healing.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 8:22
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 8:22
Through
Psalms 10:15Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found.
it leads to
- Job 38:15
Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken.
- Psalms 37:17
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
- Job 38:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, Ezekiel and the Book of His Prophecy.