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every hand clapped at them, and when they rested upon you, you were broken, and you broke their every loin. To Tyre, then, and the foreigners, concerning whom we have spoken above, He threatened to bring calamities, as they had rejoiced over what had befallen Israel; but He does not find this fault with Egypt, but entirely the opposite, because by preparing the people to be confident in its help, it stripped them of divine providence, and did not benefit them at all through its own assistance. For this He declared through the reed staff, shattered through weakness, and crushed. Thus also Sennacherib in Isaiah called the help of the Egyptians: "For he trusts," he says, "in the reed staff, the crushed one, upon Egypt; as if a man should lean on it, it will enter into his hand; so is the king of Egypt, and all who trust in him." This He also said here: "They took hold of you with their hand, you were crushed, and every hand clapped at them." They became ridiculous, he says, and an object of gloating for the enemies, as you were crushed and defeated like a reed staff. 8, 9. Therefore thus says the Lord Adonai: Behold, I am bringing a sword upon you, and I will destroy men from you, and cattle. And Egypt shall be for destruction and desolation, and they shall know that I am the Lord. Since, thinking great things and promising to help others, you will learn by experience that you will not even be able to defend your own land, when I bring punishment upon you; and my people will recognize my power. Then again, recalling their words of arrogance, "For you said," it says, "that The rivers are mine, and I made them;" it threatens desolation for Egypt, not all of it, but from Migdol and Syene, to the borders of the Ethiopians, and not even for these cities a perpetual desolation, but for a certain time. 81.1108 10-12. Therefore, behold, I am against you, and against all your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt into a desert, and a sword, and a destruction, from Migdol and Syene, and to the borders of the Ethiopians. The foot of man, he says, shall not pass through it, and the foot of beast shall not pass through it, and they will not be inhabited for forty years. And I will give its land to destruction in the midst of a desolate land, and its cities in the midst of desolate cities will be unseen for forty years; and I will scatter Egypt among the nations, and I will winnow them in the countries. Unspeakable is the love of God for mankind, inflicting punishments with a certain measure and weight, but again healing what is afflicted; for His is the voice: "I will kill and I will make to live, I will strike, and I will heal." And here, therefore, He threatens the Egyptians with captivity, and dispersion, and desolation, but He limits the desolation to a short time. For forty, he says, years it will be impassable, and not all of Egypt, but from Migdol and Syene, to the borders of the Ethiopians, and immediately He promises the restoration. 13, 14. For after forty, he says, years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations, where they were scattered there. And I will turn back the captivity of the Egyptians, and I will settle them in the land of Pathros, in the land from which they were taken. Thus, having promised release from captivity, He also foretells the future smallness of that kingdom. 15. For it shall be, he says, a humble rule there, beyond all rules, and it shall be most humble, so that it will no longer be exalted over the nations, and I will make them few in number, so that they will not be more numerous among the nations. Events bear witness to the truth of the prophecy. For the kingdom of the Egyptians, having been overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar, blossomed again under Cyrus the Persian, but it did not regain its former power. For not much time having passed, Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, overthrowing it again, made it subject, and forced it to pay tribute; and later it also received Macedonian kings, with the Egyptian kings having ceased completely. 10. And they will no longer be for the house of Israel a hope that calls to mind iniquity in the

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ἐπεκρότησεν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς πᾶσα χεὶρ, καὶ ὅτε ἐπανεπαύσαντο ἐπὶ σὲ, συνετρίβης, καὶ συνέκλασας αὐτῶν πᾶσαν ὀσφύν. Τῇ μὲν οὖν Τύρῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοφύ λοις, περὶ ὧν ἄνω προειρήκαμεν, ἠπείλησεν ἐπάξειν τὰς συμφορὰς, ὡς ἡσθεῖσιν ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβεβηκόσι τῷ Ἰσραήλ· τῇ δὲ Αἰγύπτῳ οὐ τοῦτο μέμφεται, ἀλλὰ πᾶν τοὐναντίον, ὅτι τῇ παρ' αὐτῆς βοηθείᾳ θαῤῥῆσαι τὸν λαὸν παρασκευάσασα, τῆς μὲν θείας αὐτὸν προνοίας ἀπεγύμνωσεν, οὐδὲν δὲ τοῦτον διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ὤνησεν ἐπικουρίας. Τοῦτο γὰρ διὰ τῆς καλαμίνης παρεδήλωσε ῥάβδου, συντριβείσης δι' ἀσθένειαν, καὶ συνθλασθείσης. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Σεννα χηρεὶμ παρὰ τῷ Ἡσαΐᾳ τὴν Αἰγυπτίων βοήθειαν προσηγόρευσε· "Πέποιθε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τὴν ῥά βδον τὴν καλαμίνην, τὴν τεθλασμένην, ἐπ' Αἴγυπτον· ὡς ἐὰν ἐπιστηριχθῇ ἀνὴρ ἐπ' αὐτὴν, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ· οὕτως ἐστὶ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ πάντες οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπ' αὐτῷ." Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἔφη· "Ἐπελάβοντό σου τῇ χειρὶ αὑτῶν, ἐθλάσθης, καὶ ἐπεκρότησεν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς πᾶσα ἡ χείρ." Καταγέλαστοι, φησὶ, καὶ ἐπίχαρτοι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐγένοντο, σοῦ δίκην καλαμίνης ῥάβδου συνθλασθείσης καὶ ἡττηθείσης. ηʹ, θʹ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει Ἀδωναῒ Κύριος· Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπάγω ἐπὶ σὲ ῥομφαίαν, καὶ ἀπολῶ ἀνθρώπους ἀπὸ σοῦ, καὶ κτήνη. Καὶ ἔσται ἡ Αἴγυπτος εἰς ἀπώλειαν καὶ ἐρήμωσιν, καὶ γνώ σονται, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μέγα φρονῶν, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὑπισχνοῦ βοηθεῖν, μαθήσῃ τῇ πείρᾳ, ὡς οὐδὲ τῆς οἰκείας γῆς ὑπερμαχῆσαι δυνήσῃ, ἐμοῦ σοι τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐπάγοντος· ἐπιγνώ σεται δὲ ὁ ἐμὸς λαὸς τὴν ἐμὴν δυναστείαν. Εἶτα πάλιν τῶν τῆς ἀλαζονείας αὐτῶν ἀναμνήσας ῥη μάτων, "Ἔλεγες γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι Ἐμοί εἰσιν οἱ ποταμοὶ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἐποίησα αὐτούς·" ἐρημίαν ἀπειλεῖ τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, οὐ πάσῃ, ἀλλ' ἢ ἀπὸ Μαγδωλοῦ καὶ Συήνης, ἕως τῶν ὁρίων Αἰθιόπων, καὶ οὐδὲ ταύταις ταῖς πόλεσι διηνεκῆ τὴν ἐρημίαν, ἀλλὰ χρόνον τινά. 81.1108 ιʹ-ιβʹ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ ἐπὶ πάν τας τοὺς ποταμούς σου, καὶ δώσω γῆν Αἰγύπτου εἰς ἔρημον, καὶ ῥομφαίαν, καὶ ἀπώλειαν, ἀπὸ Μαγδωλοῦ καὶ Συήνης, καὶ ἕως ὁρίων Αἰθιό πων. Οὐ μὴ διέλθῃ αὐτὴν, φησὶ, ποὺς ἀν θρώπου, καὶ ποὺς κτήνους οὐ μὴ διέλθῃ ἐπ' αὐτὴν, καὶ οὐ κατοικηθήσονται τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη. Καὶ δώσω τὴν γῆν αὐτῆς, εἰς ἀπώλειαν ἐν μέσῳ γῆς ἠρημωμένης, καὶ αἱ πόλεις αὐτῆς ἐν μέσῳ πόλεων ἠρημωμένων ἔσονται ἀφανεῖς τεσ σαράκοντα ἔτεσι· καὶ διασπερῶ Αἴγυπτον ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καὶ λικμήσω αὐτοὺς ἐν ταῖς χώ ραις. Ἄῤῥητος ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπία, μέτρῳ μέν τινι καὶ σταθμῷ τὰς τιμωρίας ἐπάγουσα, πάλιν δὲ τὰ πληττόμενα θεραπεύουσα· αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ φωνή· "Ἐγὼ ἀποκτενῶ καὶ ζῇν ποιήσω, πατάξω, κἀγὼ ἰάσομαι." Κἀνταῦθα τοίνυν ἀπειλεῖ τοῖς Αἰ γυπτίοις αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ διασπορὰν, καὶ ἐρημίαν, ἀλλ' ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ περιορίζει τὴν ἐρημίαν. Τεσσα ράκοντα, φησὶν, ἔτη ἄβατος ἔσται, καὶ οὐ πᾶσα ἡ Αἴγυπτος, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ Μαγδωλοῦ καὶ Συήνης, ἕως τῶν ὁρίων Αἰθιόπων, καὶ εὐθὺς ὑπισχνεῖται τὴν ἀνά κλησιν. ιγʹ, ιδʹ. Μετὰ τεσσαράκοντα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔτη συνάξω τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν, οὗ διεσκορπίσθησαν ἐκεῖ. Καὶ ἀποστρέψω τὴν αἰ χμαλωσίαν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, καὶ κατοικιῶ αὐτοὺς ἐν γῇ Παθούρης, ἐν τῇ γῇ ὅθεν ἐλήφθησαν. Οὕ τως ὑποσχόμενος τὴν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἀπαλλαγὴν, προλέγει καὶ τὴν ἐσομένην τῆς βασιλείας ἐκείνης σμικρότητα. ιεʹ. Καὶ ἔσται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀρχὴ ταπεινὴ ἐκεῖ, παρὰ πάσας τὰς ἀρχὰς, καὶ ἔσται ταπεινοτάτη, τοῦ μὴ ὑψωθῆναι ἔτι ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ ὀλιγο στοὺς αὐτοὺς ποιήσω, τοῦ μὴ εἶναι αὐτοὺς πλείονας ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι. Μαρτυρεῖ τῇ προφητείᾳ τὰ πράγματα τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Καταλυθεῖσα γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἡ βασιλεία ἀν ήνθησε πάλιν ἐπὶ Κύρου τοῦ Πέρσου, ἀλλὰ τὴν προτέραν οὐκ ἀπέλαβε δυναστείαν. Οὐ πολλοῦ γὰρ χρόνου διελθόντος, Καμβύσης ὁ Κύρου ταύτην πάλιν καταλύσας, ὑπήκοον ἐποιήσατο, καὶ δασμὸν φέρειν ἠνάγκασεν· ὕστερον δὲ καὶ Μακεδόνας ἐδέξατο βασιλέας, παντελῶς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων παυσαμένων βασιλέων. ιʹ. Καὶ οὐκ ἔσονται ἔτι τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰσραὴλ εἰς ἐλπίδα ἀναμιμνήσκουσαν ἀνομίαν ἐν τῷ