Ezekiel 28:25-29:21

This week’s haftorah opens by Ezekiel recalling the exiles being led from Egypt and the subsequent decimation of the Pharaoh Meanwhile, over at this week’s Parshah, it’s raining plagues as Moses lobbies for his people’s freedom.
“When I gather in the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they have been scattered.. then they shall dwell on their land…and dwell upon it securely.”

Flash forward a few centuries, and Egypt is again about to receive some godly punishment—this time a forthcoming flood of conquering Babylonians. Why is Egypt in trouble this time? Ezekiel says their first sin was to renege on their promise to aid Israel when they were being attached by the Babylonians, and secondly, they’ve been arrogant—attributing their success to the Nile and not to G-d. But “the river is mine and I have made it,” and as such, an angered G-d is going to reward Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian [Read more…]