Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: This traditional prophetic formula emphasizes the authority of the prophecy (see Ezek 30.2).

Behold renders the emphatic Hebrew word hinneh (see Ezek 30.9). Here it highlights what follows.

I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt: I am against … is a common expression in Ezekiel when God is about to punish somebody (see 5.8). Good News Translation renders this clause well with “I am the enemy of the king of Egypt” (similarly Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation).

In the rest of this subsection the tense of the main verbs changes to future to show that these events will occur soon.

And will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken means God will completely destroy the Egyptian king’s power. Since one of his arms was already broken, it is not logical to say that God will now break both arms. But it is a very forceful and vivid threat, and translators should try to retain it, despite its being illogical. However, if it is distracting, they may make clear the real meaning, namely, that the king will end up with two broken arms. The strong arm is the one that was not broken (compare “the good arm” [New International Version, New Living Translation], “his healthy arm” [New International Reader’s Version], and “the sound one” [Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh]); it does not refer to the arm being powerful or well-muscled. Translators need to find the appropriate word in their language to describe an arm that is uninjured.

And I will make the sword fall from his hand: Because both arms of the king will be broken, he will not be able to hold his sword, so he will not be able to fight. He will lose all his power and military strength.

Models for this verse are:

• Look, I am the enemy of the king of Egypt. Soon I will break both his arms, the good arm as well the other one that is already broken. Then he will not be able to hold his sword. Yes, I will make him drop it.

• I am the enemy of the king of Egypt. Soon I will break his good arm as I already broke the other one. Then both his arms will be broken, and he will not be able to hold his sword. Yes, I will make him drop it.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .