Ezekiel 30:7
New International Version
“’They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

New Living Translation
Egypt will be desolate, surrounded by desolate nations, and its cities will be in ruins, surrounded by other ruined cities.

English Standard Version
And they shall be desolated in the midst of desolated countries, and their cities shall be in the midst of cities that are laid waste.

Berean Standard Bible
They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

King James Bible
And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.

New King James Version
“They shall be desolate in the midst of the desolate countries, And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are laid waste.

New American Standard Bible
“They will be desolate In the midst of the desolated lands; And her cities will be In the midst of the devastated cities.

NASB 1995
“They will be desolate In the midst of the desolated lands; And her cities will be In the midst of the devastated cities.

NASB 1977
“And they will be desolate In the midst of the desolated lands; And her cities will be In the midst of the devastated cities.

Legacy Standard Bible
“They will be desolate In the midst of the desolated lands; And her cities will be In the midst of the cities laid waste.

Amplified Bible
“And they will be desolate In the midst of countries that are desolated; And her cities will be Among cities that are devastated [by plunder and slavery].

Christian Standard Bible
They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

American Standard Version
And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.

Contemporary English Version
Your nation of Egypt will be the most deserted place on earth, and its cities will lie in complete ruin.

English Revised Version
And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
" 'Egypt will become the most desolate country in the world, and Egypt's cities will lie in ruins. They will be ruined more than other cities.

Good News Translation
The land will be the most desolate in the world, and its cities will be left totally in ruins.

International Standard Version
They'll remain desolate among desolate lands, their cities will be named among those that are ruined.

Majority Standard Bible
They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

NET Bible
They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will be among ruined cities.

New Heart English Bible
'They shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.

World English Bible
“They will be desolate in the middle of the countries that are desolate. Her cities will be among the cities that are wasted.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they have been desolated in the midst of desolate lands, "" And its cities are in the midst of cities [that are] laid waste.

Young's Literal Translation
And they have been desolated in the midst of desolate lands, And its cities are in the midst of wasted cities.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they were desolate in the midst of the lands being desolated, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities being laid waste.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they shall be desolate in the midst of the lands that are desolate, and the cities thereof shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they will be scattered into the midst of desolate lands, and its cities will be in the midst of cities that have been deserted.

New American Bible
It shall be the most desolate among desolate lands, Its cities the most ruined among ruined cities.

New Revised Standard Version
They shall be desolated among other desolated countries, and their cities shall lie among cities laid waste.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that lie waste.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they shall be desolate among the lands that are desolate, and their cities shall be desolate among the cities
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it shall be made desolate in the midst of desolate countries, and their cities shall be desolate in the midst of desolate cities:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Lament for Egypt
6For this is what the LORD says: The allies of Egypt will fall, and her proud strength will collapse. From Migdol to Syene they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Lord GOD. 7They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities. 8Then they will know that I am the LORD when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are shattered.…

Cross References
Isaiah 19:1-15
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them. / “So I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian; brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. / Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists. ...

Jeremiah 46:19
Pack your bags for exile, O daughter dwelling in Egypt! For Memphis will be laid waste, destroyed and uninhabited.

Jeremiah 25:19
Pharaoh king of Egypt, his officials, his leaders, and all his people;

Nahum 3:8-10
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water? / Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were her allies. / Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.

Isaiah 20:3-5
Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush, / so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame. / Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed.

Jeremiah 43:10-13
Then tell them that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his throne over these stones that I have embedded, and he will spread his royal pavilion over them. / He will come and strike down the land of Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword. / I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar will burn those temples and take their gods as captives. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment, and he will depart from there unscathed. ...

Isaiah 30:2-3
They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. / But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace.

Jeremiah 46:25-26
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh. / I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.

Isaiah 31:1-3
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD. / Yet He too is wise and brings disaster; He does not call back His words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against the allies of evildoers. / But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish together.

Zechariah 10:11
They will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves of the sea; all the depths of the Nile will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.

Isaiah 19:16-17
In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble with fear beneath the uplifted hand of the LORD of Hosts, when He brandishes it against them. / The land of Judah will bring terror to Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble over what the LORD of Hosts has planned against it.

Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you; they will come over in chains and bow down to you. They will confess to you: ‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other; there is no other God.’”

Revelation 11:8
Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified.

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

Revelation 18:17-19
For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance / and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim. / Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”


Treasury of Scripture

And they shall be desolate in the middle of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the middle of the cities that are wasted.

Ezekiel 29:12
And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.

Ezekiel 32:18-32
Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit…

Jeremiah 25:18-26
To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day; …

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Cities Countries Desolate Desolated Devastated Lands Midst Ruined Towns Unpeopled Waste Wasted
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Cities Countries Desolate Desolated Devastated Lands Midst Ruined Towns Unpeopled Waste Wasted
Ezekiel 30
1. The desolation of Egypt and her helpers
20. The arm of Babylon shall be strengthened to break the arm of Egypt.














They will be desolate among desolate lands
This phrase speaks to the complete devastation that will befall Egypt and its allies. The term "desolate" indicates a state of utter ruin and abandonment, often used in the Old Testament to describe divine judgment. In the context of Ezekiel, this prophecy is directed against Egypt, a nation that had been a significant power in the ancient Near East. The desolation is not just physical but also symbolic of the loss of power and influence. Historically, Egypt had been a land of wealth and prosperity, but this prophecy foretells a reversal of fortune. The phrase "among desolate lands" suggests that Egypt's fate will be similar to other nations judged by God, such as Assyria and Babylon, which also faced destruction due to their pride and idolatry.

and their cities will lie among ruined cities
The mention of "cities" highlights the urban centers of Egypt, which were the heart of its civilization and culture. Cities like Memphis and Thebes were known for their grandeur and were central to Egyptian identity. The prophecy that these cities will "lie among ruined cities" underscores the totality of the destruction. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of God's judgment against nations that oppose His will. The imagery of ruined cities serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God. In a broader biblical context, this can be seen as a type of the final judgment, where all earthly powers are brought low before the sovereignty of God. The desolation of these cities also prefigures the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom, where earthly powers are replaced by the eternal city of God, as seen in Revelation.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel was called by God to deliver messages of judgment and hope to the Israelites and surrounding nations.

2. Egypt
The nation being addressed in this prophecy. Egypt was a powerful and influential nation, often seen as a symbol of worldly strength and opposition to God's people.

3. Desolate Lands
Refers to the lands that will be left barren and uninhabited as a result of God's judgment.

4. Ruined Cities
Symbolizes the complete destruction and desolation that will come upon Egypt and its cities due to their sins and opposition to God.

5. Judgment
The event of divine retribution that God pronounces upon Egypt for its pride and idolatry.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Nations
God is in control of all nations and their destinies. No power is beyond His reach or judgment.

The Consequences of Pride and Idolatry
Egypt's downfall serves as a warning against pride and reliance on worldly power instead of God.

The Reality of Divine Judgment
God's judgment is real and serves as a call to repentance and humility before Him.

Hope Amidst Desolation
Even in judgment, there is hope for restoration and redemption for those who turn back to God.

The Call to Trust in God Alone
Believers are reminded to place their trust in God rather than in human strength or alliances.(7) Shall be desolate.--This verse is almost an exact repetition of Ezekiel 29:12.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They will be desolate
וְנָשַׁ֕מּוּ (wə·nā·šam·mū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8074: To stun, devastate, stupefy

among
בְּת֖וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

desolate
נְשַׁמּ֑וֹת (nə·šam·mō·wṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 8074: To stun, devastate, stupefy

lands,
אֲרָצ֣וֹת (’ă·rā·ṣō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and their cities
וְעָרָ֕יו (wə·‘ā·rāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

will lie
תִּֽהְיֶֽינָה׃ (tih·ye·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

among
בְּתוֹךְ־ (bə·ṯō·wḵ-)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

ruined
נַחֲרָב֖וֹת (na·ḥă·rā·ḇō·wṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 2717: To parch, to desolate, destroy, kill

cities.
עָרִ֥ים (‘ā·rîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 30:7 They shall be desolate in the midst (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 30:6
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