21 Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and behold, it has not been bound up, to apply (healing) medicines, to put a bandage to bind it, that it be strong to hold the sword.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
I have broken - Especially by the defeat at Carchemish.
A roller - Or, a bandage.
I have broken the arm of Pharaoh - Perhaps this may refer to his defeat by Nebuchadnezzar, when he was coming with the Egyptian army to succor Jerusalem.
Son of man, (f) I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a bandage to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.
(f) For Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Pharaoh Nebo at Carchemish, (Jeremiah 46:26).
Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt,.... Not Pharaohnecho, king of Egypt, whose army was overthrown at Carchemish by the king of Babylon, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim; when the latter took from the former all that belonged to him between the river of Egypt and the river Euphrates; by which he was so weakened and dispirited, that he could not stir any more out of his own land, Jeremiah 46:2 and of him Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; but Pharaohhophra, or Apries, who was defeated by the Cyreneans, and saved himself by flight; See Gill on Ezekiel 29:4,
and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it; a metaphor taken from chirurgeons, who, having set broken bones, put on a bandage or rollers of linen, or such like stuff, to keep them tight; but nothing of this kind should be done; hereby suggesting that Egypt should receive such a blow or wound as would be incurable; see Jeremiah 46:11,
to make it strong to hold the sword; which it should not be able to do, or to make war any more, at least with success, or to defend itself.
broken . . . arm of Pharaoh-- (Psalm 37:17; Jeremiah 48:25). Referring to the defeat which Pharaoh-hophra sustained from the Chaldeans, when trying to raise the siege of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 37:5, Jeremiah 37:7); and previous to the deprivation of Pharaoh-necho of all his conquests from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates (2-Kings 24:7; Jeremiah 46:2); also to the Egyptian disaster in Cyrene.
Have broken - Partly by the victory of the Chaldeans over Pharaoh - necho, partly by the victory of the Cyreneans over Pharaoh - hophra. The sword - None can heal the wounds that God gives but himself. They whom he disables, cannot again hold the sword.
*More commentary available at chapter level.