I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man. – Ezekiel 30:24

Today's Scripture Reading (August 13, 2023): Ezekiel 30

As the Russo-Ukrainian conflict continues, I keep wondering if the time will arise when the other shoe will drop, and the Russian military will step up their attacks against the Ukrainians. The Ukrainians have done much better than anyone believed they would at the beginning of the conflict, but I struggle with the question of what happened to the vaunted Russian military. Maybe the biggest surprise of the war is that beyond their nuclear capability, which no one questions, and which still possesses the power to hold their enemies at bay, the Russian military just isn't as good as we thought it would be. Or maybe it is just that the war is personal for the Ukrainians, while the average Russian soldier can't figure out why they are in Ukraine in the first place.

But maybe one of Russia's mistakes is its apparent dependence on foreign mercenaries. It is hard for any country to be strong when they don't have the loyalty of the army. It is a question that Ukraine has never had to ask; the soldiers, even the foreign fighters, fighting for Ukraine believe in the nation's sovereignty. For some Russian fighters, it is just a job they do for a paycheck or some other reward.

Egypt had a problem. It depended on foreign mercenaries. The Pharaoh in question in this passage was Hophra or Apries, different names for the same Pharaoh, who reigned in Egypt from 589 until 570 B.C.E. Apries was essentially a builder. Militarily, he had few successes. His forces were rebuffed when he tried to help Jerusalem in their fight with Babylon. He was able to instill fear in the coastal cities, but only for a short time before he was defeated again by Nebuchadnezzar's forces. When Apries tried to help defend Libya against Greek invaders, his efforts failed, and the Greeks mauled his army. And when Apries got home, he walked into a civil war between the indigenous troops and the foreign mercenaries. The indigenous troops rallied behind Amasis II, and the indigenous forces, people fighting for their homes, won the war. Amasis II became Pharaoh, ruling over Egypt for the next forty-four years. Amasis II was the last Great Pharaoh before the Persians defeated Egypt and took over the rule of the country.

Babylon mortally wounded Apries, and the Persians defeated Amasis II. The arms of the Pharaohs had indeed been broken. And the would-be Pharaohs groaned, wondering if there was any other way that Egypt could have moved forward.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 31