THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Behold, I stand against you, O Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the mighty serpent, who rests amidst your rivers, declaring, “My river is my own, and I have created myself.” I will place a bridle upon your jaws and attach the fish of the rivers to your scales, drawing you out from your waters, where all your fish will cling to your body. I will throw you and all your fish out of the river into the wilderness; you shall fall upon the land itself. You shall not be cleansed or made tidy; I will deliver you to be consumed by the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air. All the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the Lord, since you were a staff to the house of Israel, breaking their shoulders when they depended on you, and shattering their loins when they leaned upon you.
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This message speaks against Pharaoh—symbolizing the great powers to which Egypt submitted itself in governance. Yet, it became haughty against its Creator, asserting dominion over the earth and yielding to the idolatry of the Egyptians. He declares, in accordance with the state of the land, that he relies on the floods of the Nile, desiring not the rains from heaven, and mistakenly glorifies himself and the arms of the Nile as his creation. No angel will I send, O great serpent; I can deliver my judgment personally. For you have dared to proclaim, “My river is the Nile, and I have forged it to bring life to all Egypt.” When I arrive, I will place a bridle on your jaws, silencing your arrogant words; I will bind your associates—those you call fish—to your scales, so when you are dragged from the river, you too shall be thrown down.
Your arrogance in the wilderness has been excessive, and you shall tumble upon the open plain because Egypt is a flat land. Your body shall not be buried or made clean; instead, I will give you to the birds and beasts to devour, that the people of Egypt may witness the fulfillment of my judgments upon you and recognize that I am the Lord. This judgment befalls you because you have deceived my people, Israel, leading them to trust in you rather than in their Creator. You became for them a frail reed, as noted in Isaiah, a useless staff upon which they mistakenly relied. When they leaned on you, you splintered their shoulders; their hollowness resulted in wounds rather than strength. The metaphor directed at the king of Egypt reveals that while the land itself harbored no enmity towards Israel, it seduced them away from God’s support.
The term dragon metaphorically embodies a malevolent force, as frequently noted. Pharaoh is also referred to as a divider—because he leads away from God, and Egypt, meaning oppression, enslaves others to himself. This dragon reflects the adversary described in Job’s narratives, as well as in the Psalms which declare, “Thou hast crushed the head of the dragon,” offering its remains to Ethiopia. It is termed great, in contrast to lesser evildoers, as the Psalmist reflects, “Thou hast slain the heads of the dragons in the waters.” The sea is vast, filled with creatures innumerable, from small to great, with ships traversing it, including the dragon made to scold them. Another passage notes, “He is king over all that inhabit the waters and the beginning of the creation of the Lord, created to confront His angels.” This dragon rests among numerous rivers, symbolizing various heresies that have seeped into the worldly Egypt and led astray souls with earthly rains that do not descend from heaven, marked as muddy waters, which Jeremiah cautions against.
To comprehend these rivers of the Egyptian dragon, we can look to the respective examples from the Lord: “Whoever believes in Me, rivers of living water will flow from his belly” and, to the Samaritan woman, “Whoever drinks of the water I give shall never thirst again.” These represent heavenly rivers flowing as John expresses in his Gospel, while David sings of the river that gladdens the city of God, undoubtedly indicating the Church.
The punishment of the dragon is reflected in the metaphor of a bridle. Job similarly states, “You shall take the dragon with a hook and place a bridle upon its nostrils.” The Lord binds the dragon’s jaws and restricts its mouth through the members of the Church, who, instructed by the Holy Scriptures, render false doctrines powerless. The “fish” represent followers of these heresies, aspiring to heights alongside the dragon, uniting in shared punishment or in error. As it is written, “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” The serpent of Egypt does not have one river; it has many that irrigate a flat land, devoid of mountains, flowing with muddy water instead of the clear waters of Siloam.
Thus, the Lord will draw it out from its rivers, so it shall not reside or rest there, with all the fish attached to its body. I will cast you into the wilderness so that you will have none to deceive, or I shall bring you down from your lofty pride. Just as the apostle asserts, “The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet,” the dragon shall also be cast down, and so too shall its fish into the depths of sin that it once believed itself to command.
You shall fall upon the land from which you were cast down, no longer able to gather in the assembly of heretics or to be entombed among those who once followed you. Instead, you will be given to the beasts and birds for consumption, as the Scripture states, “You shall not deliver a soul confessing unto You to the beasts.” The birds represent those who consume the seed that is sown on the path—symbolizing corrupt spirits. Not only the chief of evil but also those who follow are called devils, just as Judas was called a devil himself as he was chosen among many.
These corrupt beings promise lofty aspirations but, when the dragon and its fish are brought low and given to the beasts of the earth, will everyone on earth know that He is Lord. The root cause of this punishment lies in the false promises made to Israel—serving them as an empty and brittle staff, incapable of providing true substance, unlike the Spirit of the Lord. As it is commanded, “Let none appear before the Lord empty.” The scriptures further admonish against seeking aid from Egypt: “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help.”
This hollow staff is what Rapsacus rebukes King Hezekiah for, claiming, “You rely on this broken reed against Egypt; if a man leans on it, it will pierce his hand—so too shall Pharaoh and all who trust in him.” This observation condemns the prideful king, who intoxicated many with the allure of Babylon, leading them away from the true God. Thus Pharaoh is chastised for being a fragile staff to the house of Israel, painting a dismal picture of false security.
To counter the frail staff of Egypt, we recognize the rods of the Lord, which bring comfort and strength. Aaron’s rod devoured the serpents of Egypt, and Moses lifted his rod towards heaven, bringing forth plagues upon the land. This rod blossomed, as noted in Numbers, and served as a sign of divine authority. The apostle likened it to his own authority, addressing the churches. While the Passover entails preparation and girding oneself for deliverance, Pharaoh’s rod is but a broken reed, leading to wounds for those who lean upon it, rendering them unable to stand firm. The true power lies in reliance upon God, who tests the hearts of His people.