follow upon severe outward affliction, inasmuch as one always imputes
to the other the cause of matters going on so badly. And what is said
of the drying up of the Nile, we shall thus likewise be obliged to
consider as a consequence of the hostile oppression. Waters are, in
Scripture, the ordinary image of prosperity; compare remarks on Rev.
xvii. 1, 8, 40; xvi. 4. Here the Nile specially is chosen as the symbol
of prosperity, inasmuch as upon it the woe and weal of Egypt chiefly
depended. In consequence of the hostile invasion which consumes all the
strength of the land, the Nile of its prosperity dries up; "its very
foundations are destroyed, all who carry on craft are afflicted."

The scope of the prophecy is this: The Lord comes to judgment upon
Egypt (through Asshur and those who follow in his tracks), ver. 1.
Instead of uniting all the strength against the common enemy, there
arises, by the curse of God, discord and dissolution, ver. 2. Egypt
falls into a helpless state of distress, ver. 3. "And I give over Egypt
into the hand of hard rule, and a fierce king (_Jonathan_: _potens_,
sc. Nebuchadnezzar) shall rule over them, saith the Lord, Jehovah of
hosts," ver. 4. The fierce king is the king of Asshur, the Asiatic
kingdom; compare the mention of Asshur in ver. 23-25; LXX. [Greek:
basileis skleroi]. For, the fact that the unity is merely an _ideal_
one, is most distinctly and intentionally pointed at by the [Hebrew:
adniM] preceding. The prosperity of the land is destroyed, ver. 5-10.
The much boasted Egyptian wisdom can as little avert the ruin of the
country as it did formerly, in ancient times; its bearers stand
confounded and ashamed; nothing will thrive and prosper, vers. 11-15.
But the misery produces salutary fruits; it brings about the conversion
of Egypt to the God of Israel, and, with this conversion, a full
participation in all the privileges and blessings of the Kingdom of God
shall be connected, ver. 16, and especially vers. 18-25. This close of
the prophecy, which for our purpose is of special consequence, we must
still submit to a closer examination.

[Pg 143]

Ver. 18. "_In that day shall be five cities in the land of Egypt which
speak the language of Canaan and swear to the Lord of hosts; city of
destruction the one shall be called._"

_Five_, as usual, here comes into consideration as the half of _ten_,
which number represents the whole; "_five_ cities," therefore, is
equivalent to: a goodly