THEOSISJerome of Stridon
In the tenth year, specifically in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month, the Lord delivered a message to me, saying, "Son of man, direct your gaze toward Pharaoh, the king of Egypt; prophesy against him and all of Egypt, proclaiming what the Lord God says." In light of Sidon, which is located along the Phoenician coastline, during the tenth year of King Jehoiakim's captivity, a divine word was given to the prophet on this same day. He was commanded to focus on Pharaoh and declare prophecies concerning him and the entirety of Egypt, as it lies adjacent to Judah on that same coast. The prophet was to reveal the fate that awaits him.
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Reflecting on the significance of numbers: we might ask, what does a single day mean among ten? This could explain why Genesis does not state "There was evening and there was morning, the first day" but rather says “one" (Gen. 1:5), indicating the perpetual cycle of each day. The sequence of the ten decades implies that ten multiplies to a hundred and beyond, as the Lamb destined for sacrifice is taken on the fourteenth day. Hence, this numeric order extends to a thousand and further into the hundreds of thousands. The twelfth month follows the tenth year, symbolizing the complete number represented by the twelve apostles and prophets, all of whom are encapsulated in a single scripture.
Moreover, it’s noteworthy that the LXX refers to the tenth month as Tebeth in Hebrew, τυβι' in Egyptian, and January in Roman terminology, marking it as a time of year that heralds the winter's chill after the heat has diminished. While there is much to say about numbers, it is paramount to explore whether the Pharaoh referenced is the same in Exodus, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other scriptures, including the Song of Songs, which states, "My horses in Pharaoh's chariots are like unto you, my neighbor" (Song 1:8), or if these refer to different Pharaohs. It appears that the title designates not a singular ruler but rather a term denoting royal authority, akin to how the Romans refer to their leaders as Caesar and Augustus, after Julius Caesar and the adopted Octavian, who came to be known as Augustus.
Likewise, Assyrian kings were called Antiochus, Persian leaders were identified as Arsacids, and Philistine rulers as Abimelechus. Following Alexander's conquest, the title of Pharaoh continued until the time of Cleopatra, after whose victory at Actium, Egypt became a province of Rome. Thus, the word of God is directed against every king of Egypt, signifying a destroyer and tormentor, one who kills and divides through means of violence. In its deeper connotation, this pertains to the dominion that Egypt exercised. It is inconceivable for anyone to proclaim, "My rivers are my creation," nor to liken oneself to a great dragon dwelling amidst waters.
In Hebrew, Egypt is termed Mesraim, which can be rendered as that which oppresses and subjugates, hindering those beneath it from looking up to heaven. This reflects the Gospel's account of the woman afflicted by the devil for eighteen years, who continually had her gaze cast downward (Luke 13). Hence, we must consider the nature of the threat posed to Pharaoh and all of Egypt.