יחזקאל, פרק ל׳, פסוק י״ג

The downfall of an empire often begins when its foundational pillars of security collapse. For Egypt, this collapse targets its two greatest sources of confidence: its religious devotion to idols and its powerful political leadership. When these twin supports are removed, the nation is left completely vulnerable and consumed by fear.

The dismantling of Egypt's spiritual security involves the removal of its false gods. This points either to the physical smashing of the statues the Egyptians trusted to save them from their enemies, or to the wiping out of the worshippers themselves [רד״ק]. Another perspective suggests that the people will simply abandon their idol worship altogether [מצודת דוד]. The devastation centers heavily on the city of Noph. This location is highlighted either because it served as the very heart and headquarters of Egyptian idolatry [מלבי״ם], or because the city's name is used as a symbol to represent the entire nation of Egypt [אברבנאל].

Beyond the spiritual ruin, the nation will suffer a devastating political blow. Egypt will be stripped of its native rulers. Commentators broadly agree that the removal of a leader refers to the loss of the Egyptian king. This blow is especially crushing because the people viewed their ruler not just as a king, but as the supreme head of their gods [מלבי״ם].

A question arises regarding how long this loss of sovereignty will last. The primary approach among commentators is that the removal of leadership is not strictly permanent. Instead, it refers to a long, specific period of forty years of ruin that was prophesied earlier. In contrast, another view takes the decree literally, asserting that the loss is permanent and Egypt will never again rise to power and rule as it did in the past [רד״ק].

Stripped of their king and having lost all faith in their idols and their own masses, the Egyptians will be overwhelmed by terror. God will place a deep fear throughout the land. This will take the form of constant dread and trembling in the face of other nations [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל], combined with a profound anxiety over the striking hand of God that is raised against them [מלבי״ם].