יחזקאל, פרק ל״ב, פסוק ו׳

The downfall of Egypt is depicted through a harsh and vivid image, transforming its greatest source of life into a scene of devastation. The life-giving waters of the Nile are replaced by a massive flood of blood. The primary approach among commentators is that this targets the flat landscape of Egypt, a region naturally watered by the seasonal overflowing of the river. [רד"ק] shares an interesting parallel in the name of his father: just as the Land of Israel is known as a land flowing with milk and honey because of the abundance that flows upon it, Egypt is characterized as an overflowing land because the Nile regularly floods its fields. Another perspective views this simply as a general description of a rich and fertile country [תרגום יונתן, מובא ברד"ק].

The impending punishment completely reverses the natural order of this fertile land. Instead of being nourished by the gentle waters of the river, the ground will be drenched with the blood of the slain. This blood will multiply and flood the earth, rising so high that it reaches the tall mountains. [רד"ק] notes that describing blood reaching the mountain peaks is an intentional exaggeration, meant to illustrate an unimaginable and immense amount of bloodshed. Adding another layer to this imagery, [מלבי"ם] explains that this points to the initial downfall of the Egyptian ruler, who was defeated outside his own borders and cast out into the open desert.

The destruction ultimately extends into the water sources themselves. The strong, rushing streams and riverbeds will be completely overtaken by the casualties of war. These channels will either be filled with the blood of the dead until the water itself turns into a rushing river of blood [מצודת דוד, מלבי"ם], or they will be physically choked by the corpses of the fallen, blocking the natural flow of the water entirely [רד"ק].