Egypt Will Fall By The Sword – The Announcement of the Day of Yahweh on Egypt (30:1-5) Content-wise, chapter 30 contains relatively little di erence from chapter 29. Again, there are two oracles, the former with four sections and the latter as an appendix-like summary. The rst oracle is undated, but it may be some time in connection with Hophra’s campaign to aid Jerusalem or when Nebuchadnezzar abandoned his attempt to capture Tyre and turned his attention to Egypt. The “Day of Yahweh” is a threat against Israel (7:7), here transferred to Egypt and its neighbors. The term also occurs in Is 9:4 and Amos 5:18-20, carrying eschatological overtones and not necessarily optimistic ones. See the battle with Gog in Ezek 38-39 for a destructive character to the “day.” In the NT, “the day” is both judgment against sinners but vindication for the faithful based on the imputed righteousness of Jesus (1 Cor 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3:10). The “Day” as with the “Time” is according to celestial time, a momentous, decisive period. All the language of “sword” (Yahweh’s agent of war) and “panic” (think of Gideon in Judges 7) indicate this is divine judgment. Even the foundations are dug up, the most thorough destruction. Egypt’s Allies Will Also Be Judged (30:6-9) – Pride is the root of the problem, and the end result will be recognition of Yahweh’s agency. Even the Nubia will be reached despite supposing it safe because of its remoteness and relative inaccessibility. Yahweh will send sturdy men of war from His heavenly court upstream. Babylon is Yahweh’s Agent (30:10-12) – Now Yahweh’s agent of war is named, but note Nebuchadnezzar’s passivity (v. 11). Drying up the water supplies will make the land desolate, a common threat in ancient literature. Yahweh accomplishes His terrible actions through His instrument Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar. The Comprehensive Scope of Egypt’s Judgment (30:13-19) – As in the Exodus, the destruction of Egypt would be coincidental with the destruction of its gods, both the fecal deities and the non-gods (a term common to Isaiah and Lev 19:4; 26:1). Like the kings of Judah, Pharaoh is diminished as a “prince” and removed. Deprived of sources of authority, both deity and ruler, “fear” will engulf the land. Its sense here is of dread anarchic chaos. Memphis was situated just south of modern Cairo or some fteen miles south of…