God’s Ledgers
Israel is precious to Yahweh.
I am Yahweh your Elohim, Qedosh Yisrael, your Savior.
Egypt is the ransom I exchanged for you.
Sudan and Seba are the price I paid for you.
Since you are precious to me, you are honored and I love you.
I will exchange others for you.
Nations will be the price I pay for your life. – Isaiah 43:3-4, Names of God Version
Through Isaiah, Yahweh promises that Israel that even though he’ll send them into captivity because of their rebellion, he’ll ransom them and bring them home. I’m writing a whole series on this, so I won’t go into all the verses here. But what’s this about Egypt, Sudan and Seba being a ransom for Israel?
In Isaiah 44, the next chapter, Yahweh calls Cyrus.
who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,”
and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.”’ Isaiah 44:28, Names of God Version
Remember, the Book of Isaiah was completed before 686 BC. When did Cyrus conquer Babylon? 150 years later! And what did he do? He let the Jews go home and rebuild the Temple. And what did Yahweh do in return?
I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness:
I will make all his ways straight.
He will rebuild my city
and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,
says the Lord Almighty.”This is what the Lord says:
“The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,
and those tall Sabeans—
they will come over to you
and will be yours;
they will trudge behind you,
coming over to you in chains.
They will bow down before you
and plead with you, saying,
‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other;
there is no other god.’” – Isaiah 45:13-14, Names of God Version
God promised Cyrus the upper Nile region of Egypt in return for taking care of his people. He keeps short accounts. Take a look at the picture above. I imagine Yahweh stopping by Heaven’s Accounting Office and saying, “Make a note. Cyrus is going to get the Upper Nile Region in return for financing my people’s trip home. Thanks!”
“Hmmm. That sounds sketchy. And wait a minute, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt.”
Let’s take a look at what Ezekiel has to say.
Now in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre; every head had a bald spot and every shoulder was rubbed raw. But he and his army acquired no wages from Tyre for the labor that he had performed against it.” Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am going to give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. And he will carry off her wealth and capture her spoils and seize her plunder; and it will be wages for his army. I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor which he performed, because they acted for Me,” declares the Lord GOD. – Ezekiel 29:17-20
God used the Babylonian Army to humble Tyre. The siege took thirteen years and cost Nebuchadnezzar dearly. So, in 568 BC, God gave Nebuchadnezzar Egypt – the lower Nile portion.
I imagine God poking his head into the accounting office. “Nebby took a beating in Tyre. Make sure he gets Egypt. Thanks!” I love how God keeps short accounts!
This map, from Blue Letter Bible, shows the Babylonian empire ca. 550 BC. Nebuchadnezzar conquered the northern portion of Egypt.
This map, from Blue Letter Bible, shows the Persian Empire in Ezra’s day. Notice how much further south the empire stretches.
Don’t you love it when history confirms the Bible?
