Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 29:17-21

"And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first [month], in the first [day] of the month, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was worn; yet had he no wages, nor his army, from Tyre, for the service that he had served against it. Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army. I have given him the land of Egypt as his recompense for which he served, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord Jehovah. In that day will I cause a horn to bud forth unto the house of Israel, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am Jehovah." — Ezekiel 29:17-21 (ASV)

The prophet places this prediction out of chronological order, that he may point out what had not been stated in the previous prophecy, namely, that the agent who should strike the first blow on Egypt should be the Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 29:18).

Yet had he no wages — It is not improbable that the Tyrians, before they surrendered their island-citadel, managed to remove much of their treasure; but others explain the verse: that the siege and capture of Tyre is to be regarded as the “work” appointed, and the possession of Egypt as the “reward or wages” for the work (Ezekiel 29:21).

Egypt, being the antagonist of the people of God, her overthrow inaugurated the triumph of good over evil.

The horn... — Or, an horn to bud forth to the house of Israel.

I will give thee the opening of the mouth — When these things would begin to come to pass, the prophet’s mouth would be opened to declare their meaning and to make known the end to which all was tending.