Ezekiel 29:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For the service he performed for Me against Egypt, I have granted him this land.' On that day, the strength of the house of Israel will be exalted, and I will enable your voice among them, and they shall recognize that I am the Lord.

It raises the question of why, after the tenth year detailed previously, we immediately see the twenty-seventh year. Following it, the tenth and twelfth years are mentioned again, culminating with the twenty-fifth year at the conclusion of the temple's description. However, the explanation is straightforward. Since both the prophetic word concerning Egypt and the one currently given are interconnected, despite being delivered at different times, they are linked as pertaining to one nation. This pattern is found often in Jeremiah, where events are described in reverse order; for example, the actions of Zedekiah are presented before those of Jehoiakim. In the Psalms, no chronological arrangement can be discerned, as they are lyrical and poetic in nature.

Let us first interpret this in its literal sense. When Nebuchadnezzar attacked Tyre, he could not deploy battering rams, carts, and siege engines due to the city being surrounded by water. Instead, he commanded a vast army to gather stones and construct embankments to connect the mainland with the island city. As the Tyrians sensed their impending defeat and saw the foundations of their walls quaking from the battering of demolition equipment, they loaded ships with their valuables—gold, silver, garments, and various items—so that when Nebuchadnezzar captured the city, he would find nothing of worth. Because he followed God's will in this endeavor, several years after the conquest of Tyre, Egypt was given to him. However, Tyre was more ruthless than Egypt; although Egypt attacked Jerusalem, Tyre offered empty assistance. This distinction illustrates that deceiving the weak with false hope is not the same as waging war against God's people. Thus, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre, he unwittingly carried out My will; his troops suffered greatly—their heads blistered and their shoulders sore from the burdens of earth and stones. Yet, they found nothing of value in Tyre. Because he acted on My behalf and fulfilled My purpose against Tyre, I will grant him Egypt as his reward. Some assert this was realized under Nebuchadnezzar, while others believe it occurred under Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, who ravaged Egypt as far as Ethiopia, slaying its inhabitants and demolishing their idols. It is said that he descended into madness after a fall and ultimately succumbed to his own sword. Herodotus recounts this tale extensively, detailing Egypt with its districts, fortifications, villages, the origin of the Nile, and the lineage of its people, alongside measures of the land extending to the Ethiopian desert, the Great Sea, and the borders of Libya and Arabia.

The source of God's anger against Egypt is their deceit of God's people, leading them to rely on false hopes and provoking His wrath. It is declared that on the day Egypt is taken, the strength of the house of Israel will rise, pointing to the royal lineage. Some interpret this as a reference to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, from the line of David; others predict it alludes to a later time with the coming of Elijah. Yet we, identifying Christ with the strength of the Lord, follow the unfolding of events in history. He states that once this comes to pass, the prophet's voice will be given the authority to speak not based on uncertain promises but will be confirmed in action, ensuring that all who listen may recognize that I am the Lord, whose word is synonymous with fulfillment.

This reflects the literal or true meaning of prophecy. The fact that Nebuchadnezzar is rewarded for his good actions indicates that even gentiles who perform righteous deeds are not overlooked by God’s judgment. Thus, Jeremiah refers to Nebuchadnezzar as the Lord's instrument, stating that He will send Nebuchadnezzar, My servant. Therefore, it becomes evident that we are judged by our actions, especially in light of the gentiles who adhere to the natural law that we may disregard, as elaborated by the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans.

As we consider the application to the spiritual sense, one may wonder where the number twenty-seven appears in the scriptures. In Genesis, it is recorded that during Noah's six hundredth year, in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day, the waters of the flood prevailed upon the earth, and later, on the twenty-seventh day of the seventh month, the floodwaters receded, and Noah's ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat, signifying Armenia. This repetition of the twenty-seventh day reveals a significant duality, marking both the onset of God's wrath through the flood and the manifestation of His mercy when the waters abated. Given that the Jewish calendar aligns with the lunar cycle, the term for month derives from the Greek for moon; thus, the twenty-seventh day represents a glimmer of light, signifying that God's wrath carries an element of mercy. When the lunar cycle is complete, Passover and the principal feasts are fulfilled. In summary, this numerical detail underscores both the positive outcome for Nebuchadnezzar, who receives the reward for his labor, and the adverse fate awaiting the Egyptians, who are prophesied to face desolation.

As it is written, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care" (Matthew 10:29). No incident escapes His attention; He governs some affairs directly while permitting others, occasionally allowing human choice to prevail or permitting the punishment of the wicked. Thus, to demonstrate that Nebuchadnezzar's rise to such authority was by His consent, God vows to reward him for the siege of Tyre by granting him dominion over Egypt.