that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people, fhall be aftonished at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never Jhalt thou be any more. XII. THE PROPHECIES CONCERNING EGYPT. 'GYPT is one of the first and most famous coun EGY tries that we read of in history. In the Hebrew fcriptures it is called Mizraim and the land of Ham, having been first inhabited after the deluge by Noah's youngest fon Ham or Hammon, and by his fon Mizraim. The name of Egypt is of more uncertain derivation. It appears that the river was fo called in (1) Homer's time; and from thence, as Hefychius imagins, the name might be derived to the country. Others more probably conceive that the meaning of the name (2) Egyptus is a Cuphti, the land of Cuphti, as it was formerly called by the Egyptians themselves and their neighbours the Arabians. All agree in this, that the kingdom of Egypt was very ancient; but fome have carried this antiquity to an extravagant and fabulous hight, their dynasties being utterly irreconcileable to reafon and hiftory both, and no ways to be folved or credited but by fuppofing that they extend beyond the deluge, and that they contain the catalogues of several (1) Hom. Odyf. XIV. 257, 258. Πεμπλαοι δ' Αιγυπίον εϋῤῥειλην ἱκόμεσθα Στησα δ' εν Αιγυπίῳ ποταμῳ νεας αμφιελίσσας. Quinto die autem ad Ægyptum pulchrè fluentem venimus: Statui vero in Ægypto fluvio naves ....remis utrinque-agitatas. Hefychius : Αιγυπτος, ὁ Νείλος ὁ ποταμος αφ' ἑ και χώρα απο σων νεωτερων Αιγυπτος εκληθεί Ægyptus, Nilus fuvius ; a quo ipfa regio recentioribus appellata eft gyptus. (2) Mede's Works, B. 1. Difc. 50. p. 281. Hoffmanni Lexicon, &c. contem contemporary, as well as of fome fucceffive kings and kingdoms. It is certain that in the days of Jofeph, if not before thofe in the days of Abraham, it was a great and florifhing kingdom. There are monuments of its greatnefs yet remaining to the furprise and aftonishment of all pofterity, of which as we know not the time of their erection, fo in all probability we shall never know the time of their deftruction. This country was alfo celebrated for its wisdom, no lefs than for its antiquity. It was, as I may call it, the great academy of the earlier ages. Hither the wits and fages of Greece and other countries repaired, and imbibed their learning at this fountain. It is mentioned to the commendation of Mofes (Acts VII. 22.) that he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians: and the highest character given of Solomon's wifdom (1 Kings IV. 30.) is that it excelled the wisdom of all the children of the caft country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. But with this wifdom, and this greatnefs, it was early corrupted; and was as much the parent of fuperstition, as it was the miftrefs of learning; and the one as well as the other were from thence propagated and diffused over other countries. It was indeed the grand corrupter of the world, the fource of polytheifm and idolatry to feveral of the eastern, and to moft of the more western nations; and degenerated at laft to fuch monftrous and beaftly worship, that we fhall fcarcely find a parallel in all hiftory. However this was the country, where the children of Ifrael were in a manner born and bred; and it must be faid they were much perverted by their education, and retained a fondness for the idols of Egypt ever afterwards. Several of Mofes's laws and inftitutions were plainly calculated to wean them from, and to guard them against the manners and cuftoms of the Egyptians. But ftill in their hearts and affections they were much inclined to return into Egypt. Even Solomon married his wife from thence. And upon all occafions they courted the friendship and alliance of Egypt rather than of any of the neighbouring powers. Which prejudice of theirs was the more extraordinary, as the Egyptians generally generally treated them very injuriously. They oppreffed them with most cruel fervitude in Egypt. They gave them leave to depart, and then purfued them as fugitives. Shifhak king of Egypt came up againft Jerufalem, (1 Kings XIV. 25, 26.) and plundered it. And in all their leagues and alliances Egypt was to them as a broken reed (If. XXXVI. 6) whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it. Upon all these accounts we might reafonably expect that Egypt would be the fubject of feveral prophecies, and we shall not be deceived in our expectation. It is remarkable, that the prophecies uttered against any city or country, often carry the infcription of the burden of that city or country. The prophecies against Nineveh, Babylon, and Tyre were infcribed (Nahum I. 1.) the burden of Nineveh, (If. XIII. 1.) the burden of Babylon, and (If. XXIII. 1.) the burden of Tyre: and fo here likewife (If. XIX. 1.) the prophecies against Egypt have the title of the burden of Egypt. And by burden is commonly understood a threatning burdenfome prophecy, big with ruin and deftruction, which like a dead weight is hung upon a city or country, to fink it. But the word in the original is of more general import and fignification. Sometimes it fignifies a prophecy at large: as the prophecies of Habakuk and Malachi are entitled the burden which Habakuk the prophet did fee, and the burden of the word of the Lord to Ifrael by Malachi: and it is rendered a vifion or prophecy in the Septuagint and other ancient verfions. Sometimes it fignifies a prophecy of good as well as of evil: as it was faid of the falfe prophets who prophefied peace when there was no peace, (Lament. II. 14.) Thy prophets have feen vain and foolish things for thee, they have feen for thee falfe burdens; and Zechariah's prophecy of the restoration and triumphs of the Jews in the latter days is entitled (Zech. XII. 1.) the burden of the word of the Lord for Ifrael. Sometimes it is tranflated a prophecy, where there is no prophecy, but only fome grave moral fayings or fentences, as (Prov. XXXI. 1.) the words of Agur the fon of Jakeh, even the prophecy; and again (Prov. XXXI. 1.) the words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. We may farther observe that the word is used of the author of the prophecy, as well as of the fubject of it: and there is the burden of the Lord, and the burden of the word of the Lord, as well as the burden of Babylon, and the burden of Egypt. We may be certain too, that this title was affixed to the prophecies by the prophets themselves, and not by the fcribes who collected their writings afterwards, because it appears from Jeremiah (XXIII. 33, &c.) that the scoffers and infidels of his time made a jeft and derision of it; and therefore they are forbidden to mention it any more as being a term of ambiguous fignification; and instead of inquiring what is the burden of the Lord, they are commanded to fay what hath the Lord anfwered? and what hath the Lord spoken? The (3) word in the original is derived from a verb that fignifies to take up, to lift up, to bring forth, and the like; and the proper meaning of it is any weighty important matter or fentence, which ought not to lie neglected, but is worthy of being carried in the memory, and deferves to be lifted up and uttered with emphafis. Such, eminently fuch are all these prophecies, and thofe relating to Egypt as well as the reft. For they comprise the principal revolutions of that kingdom from the times of the prophets to this day. I. The firft great revolution, that we shall mention, was the conqueft of this kingdom by Nebuchadnezzar, which was particularly foretold by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. These two prophets have both employed feveral fections or chapters upon this occafion. Jeremiah was carried into Egypt, and there foretold (Chap. XLIII.) the conqueft of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: and fome of his prophecies are entitled (XLVI. 13.) The word that the Lord Spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon fhould come and fmite the land of Egypt. Ezekiel alfo declares, (XXX. 10, 11.) Thus faith the Lord God, I will alfo make the multitude of Egypt to ceafe by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations fhall be brought to deftroy the land; and they shall draw their fwords against Egypt, and fill the land with the flain : (3) NWD a xw Tulit, Attulit, Protulit, &c. Buxtorf. and and the conqueft of this kingdom was promifed to Nebuchadnezzar as a reward for his fervices against Tyre, which after a long fiege he took and deftroyed, but was disappointed of the fpoil, as was obferved in the foregoing differtation; (Ezek. XXIX. 18, 19.) Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caufed his army to ferve a great fervice against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every fhoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army for Tyrus, for the fervice that he had ferved against it. Therefore thus faith the Lord God, Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey, and it shall be the wages for his army. Now for this early tranfaction we have the (4) teftimonies of Megafthenes and Berofus, two heathen hiftorians, who lived about 300 years before Chrift, one of whom affirms exprefly that Nebuchadnezzar conquered the greatest part of Africa, and the other affirms it in effect, in faying that when Nebuchadnezzar heard of the death of his father, having fettled his affairs in Egypt, and committed the captives whom he took in Egypt to the care of fome of his friends to bring them after him, he hafted directly to Babylon. If neither Herodotus nor Diodorus Siculus have recorded this tranfaction, what (5) Scaliger faid of one of them may be very juftly applied to both, that thofe Egyptian priefts, who informed them of the Egyptian affairs, taught them only thofe things which made for the honour of their nation; other particulars of their idleness, fervitude, and the tribute which they paid to the Chaldæans, they concealed. Jofephus, we may prefume, (4) κατατρεψασθαι γαρ avlov Ono Ailung Thy woλn. eum enim vaftaffe dicit magnam Libya partem. Megafthenes apud Jofeph. Antiq. Lib. 10. Cap. 11. Sect. 1. Edit. Hudfon. αισθομενα δε μετ' 8 πολυν Xcover the to walp TEλEUTHY NaΕυχοδονόσορ, και καλαςησας Ta καλα την Αιγυπίου πραγματα. x. 7. λ. Nebuchodonoforus vero, non multo poft patris morte cognita, rebufque in Ægypto ordinatis, &c, Berofus ibid. Vid. etiam Eufebii. Præp. Evangel. (5) Quod perfpicuè indicatur Jeremiæ, id Herodotus ignoravit: quia facerdotes illi Ægyptii, qui ei seiscitanti de rebus Egyptiacis refpondebant, ea, quæ ad laudem gentis faciebant, tantum docuerunt; cætera quæ ad illorum ignaviam, fervitutem et tributa, quæ Chaldæis pendebant, tacuerunt. Scalig. in Fragm. p. 11. had |