יחזקאל, פרק ל׳, פסוק י״ב

The downfall of Egypt is portrayed as a devastating strike against its very lifeblood, followed by a total surrender to brutal foreign powers. The primary target of this ruin is the Nile and its vast network of irrigation canals. Commentators offer different perspectives on how these waters dry up. Some view it as a physical reality, where the conquering rulers simply neglect the maintenance of the ancient canals, leaving them to turn to dust [מלבי״ם]. Others see this as a powerful metaphor. Because the river is the ultimate source of Egypt's wealth and prosperity, its drying up represents the complete removal of all blessing and good from the country [רד״ק]. A different approach suggests that the waters themselves remain untouched, but the Egyptian people are forced into exile. Separated from their homeland, they can no longer enjoy the river, making it as though the waters had vanished entirely [מצודת דוד]. Alternatively, the mention of the rivers might simply serve as a title for the entire nation, which was widely known as the land of rivers [רש״י].

Beyond the loss of their natural resources, the nation is handed over to harsh enemies. This is not a literal financial sale, but a complete surrender of the country to the Chaldeans, a fiercely cruel and wicked people [מצודת דוד]. These foreign invaders proceed to turn the once-thriving nation into an absolute wasteland. The devastation sweeps through the physical land and also consumes its fullness, referring directly to the inhabitants who populate it [מצודת דוד]. Even regions that manage to hold onto some form of settlement will eventually face this sweeping ruin [מלבי״ם].

Ultimately, this total collapse is cemented by a divine declaration. The destruction is an absolute decree from God, serving as a reminder that He possesses both the supreme authority to declare such an end and the absolute power to carry His word out to its fullest extent [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].