Is Egypt in Psalm 83?

By Bill Salus

Most modern day equivalents of the Psalm 83:6-8 participants are easily identifiable today. Clearly, the territories of Edom, Moab, and Ammon represents modern day Jordan. Furthermore, Tyre still exists in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip is located in ancient Philistia. However, Egypt is more difficult to identify causing some scholars to question its existence in the Psalm.

Among them is the respected broadcast journalist David Dolan. He authored a book in 2001 entitled “Israel in Crisis, What Lies Ahead.” Dolan’s book along with Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s, Footsteps of the Messiah, were among the first books published that addressed Psalm 83 as a future war between Israel and its bordering Arab enemies. Dolan excluded, but Fructhenbaum included, Egypt in the Psalm 83 confederacy.(i)

Probably motivated by the February, 2011 crisis in Egypt, David Dolan wrote the following.
“Will Egypt eventually break its peace treaty with Israel? I suspect that in the end, the American-funded and trained army will not allow this to take place. I noted in my latest book, Israel in Crisis, that Egypt is not listed in Psalm 83 as being among a host of regional Arab powers that will attempt to destroy Israel in the prophesied end days, while Jordan, Lebanon and Syria are mentioned, along with the Palestinians.” David Dolan 2/7/11

As much as I respect Dolan’s work, I respectfully disagree with his assessment on Egypt’s non-participation in Psalm 83. Here is what the Psalm says:

O God, keep not thou silence: Hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult; And they that hate thee have lifted up the head. Thy take crafty counsel against thy people, And consult together against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent; Against thee do they make a covenant: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre: Assyria also is joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot. Selah (Psalm 83:1-8, ASV; Emphasis Added)

(The image identifies who this author believes are the modern day equivalents of the Psalm 83 confederates.)

The Enemies vs. The Haters

Asaph seems to identify two distinct groups inside the ten member confederacy. He says “thine enemies make a tumult; And they that hate thee have lifted up the head.” The New American Standard Version translates; “Your enemies make an uproar, And those who hate You have exalted themselves.”

Who are the “enemies” and “haters” of God listed inside the Psalm? I cover this extensively in my book Isralestine, The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East in the chapter called “Olam Ebah, The Ancient Arab Hatred of the Jews.”

The Psalmist says the Lord has those who hate Him, but unlike the general carnal hatred characteristic of sinful humanity described in Romans 8:7, it is a deeply rooted hatred dating back almost 4000 years. These haters listed by Asaph include the Egyptian matriarch Hagar alongside the ancient patriarchs; Ishmael, Edom (Esau), Moab, Ammon, and Amalek. These all had familial relations with Abraham and histories of aggression against Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and their Hebrew descendants.

Hagar mothered Abraham’s first son Ishmael. Esau was Abraham’s grandson from Isaac. Moab and Ammon were the children of Abraham’s nephew Lot. Lastly, Amalek was Abraham’s great-great-grandson through the line of Esau.(ii) Esau fathered the Edomites according to Genesis 36:1.

These individuals coveted the rich contents of the Abrahamic Covenant and entered into family feuds with the true Hebrew recipients of the covenantal promises. These individuals, along with their Hebrew counterparts, were the Benjamin Netanyahu’s, King Abdullah’s, and Hosni Mubarak’s of their time. Out from their loins nations were formed.(iii)

These jealous “haters” incubated an enmity against the Lord that manifested throughout the region against the Israeli descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Bible calls it an “ancient hatred,” also translated as a “perpetual enmity.” Ezekiel 35:1-5 informs us it was spawned by Esau identified with Mount Seir of ancient Edom.

The two Hebrew words used by Ezekiel are Olam Ebah, which when used together can be translated as, “a condition stemming back long ago in ancient times, perpetuated throughout time, manifesting into hostility with no apparent end in sight.”
As time progressed the Hebrews staked their covenantal claims throughout the Middle East.

These claims included;
1. Our God is the only God and you shall have no others before Him, (Exodus 20:3)
2. We will be a “great nation” above all others, (Genesis 12:2)
3. Arabs must bless Hebrews or be cursed, (Gen. 12:3)
4. You Arabs are trespassing on our Hebrew lands. (Genesis 15:18)

Suffice it to say the other four members of Psalm 83, Gebal, Philistia, Tyre, and Assyria, found it favorable to their religious, real estate, and cultural needs to resist these Hebrew claims and embrace the ancient hatred well established throughout the region. Thus, these four populations probably represent the “your enemies” group in Psalm 83.

The family feuds that developed can be studied in the chapters depicted in the image.

Hagar’s contemptuous behavior toward Sarah is one of the reasons we can include her among the Psalm 83 haters. Considering Hagar was an Egyptian according to Genesis 16:1 and had her son Ishmael marry an Egyptian bride in Gen. 21:21, we can safely conclude the Hagarenes represent Egypt in Psalm 83 through her and Ishmael’s family tree.

However it’s not quite that simple, some Bible translations list Hagarites or Hagrites, rather than Hagarenes. This has caused many to believe Psalm 83 is describing another ethnicity rather than Egyptians. This is because the Hagrites or Hagarites show up in 1 Chronicles 5:10,19-20 and elsewhere as a tribe dwelling approximately 300 miles northeast of Egypt, east of Gilead.

The Hebrew word used by the Psalmist to identify the Hagarenes was “Hagri.” Both the Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, and the New American Standard Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries suggest “Hagri” has a possible matronymic relationship to “Hagar” the Egyptian matriarch.

Additionally, listed below are other reputable quotes supporting the Psalm 83 Hagar - Egyptian connection:

Holman Bible Dictionary
HAGARITE (Hag' ahr ite) Name of nomadic tribe whom the tribe of Reuben defeated east of the Jordan River (1 Chron 5:10, 19-20). Reuben won because they called on and trusted in God. The tribal name is apparently taken from Hagar, Sarah’s maid and mother of Ishmael (Gen. 16).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Hagarenes / Hagarites / Hagrites
An Arab tribe, or confederation of tribes (1 Ch 5:10, 19, 20 the King James Version “Hagarites”; 1 Ch 27:31 the King James Version “Hagerite”; Ps 83:6 “Hagarenes”), against which the Reubenites fought in the days of Saul. In Gen 25:12-18 are recorded the descendants, “generations,” of Ishmael, “whom Hagar the Egyptian Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham.”

New Commentary on the Whole Bible: Old Testament
Ps. 83:6-8 tabernacles—i.e., tents. Edom—Esau’s descendants; they were located southeast of the Dead Sea and repeatedly attacked Israel (Psa. 137:7; Obadiah). Ishmaelites—descendants of Hagar and Abraham (Gen. 25:12ff.) as are the “Hagarenes.”

Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament – Ps. 83:6-8
And the Hagarenes—The Hagarenes were properly Arabs, so called from Hagar, the handmaid of Abraham, the mother of Ishmael. Gen. 16:1; 25:12. As connected with the Ishmaelites they would naturally join in this alliance.

Due to the confusion between the Hagarene verses Hagrite translation in Psalm 83, I emailed my friend Dr. Arnold Fructhenbaum of Ariel Ministries in 2008. Dr. Fruchtenbaum, a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, ranks among today’s most respected eschatologists. I asked him how certain he was that Psalm 83 identified Egypt through the Hagarenes. His email response to me was emphatic that Egypt is identified through the Hagarenes in Psalm 83.

Lastly, those who omit Egypt from Psalm 83 need to explain Egypt’s apparent future confrontation with Israel in Isaiah 19:16-18. Isaiah 19:16 declares Egypt will someday greatly fear Israel. From Isaiah’s time until now, this fear has only been in place since Israel’s defeat of Egypt in the wars of 1948, 1967, and 1973. It is this fear that drove former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to make peace with Israel in 1979.

Isaiah 19:17 says this fear evolves into a terror of Israel that overtakes all of Egypt. Isaiah 19:18 predicts this terror results in Egypt allowing Hebrew to be spoken in five Egyptian cities. One of these cities will be renamed, the “City of Destruction.” These three passages encourage the possibility that Egypt’s participation in Psalm 83 provokes the wrath of the Israeli Defense Forces against at least 5 Egyptian cities. In the aftermath of an I.D.F. victory over Egypt, five cities promote Hebrew as the spoken language. This suggests Jews migrate into these five cities taking their language, religion and culture with them.

Some suggest Isaiah 19 deals with the Antichrist’s invasion of Egypt specified in Daniel 11:42-43. Although portions of Isaiah 19 may find partial association with Daniel 11:42-43, it is doubtful that Isaiah 19:16-18 finds any association.

Why would the Antichrist take over 5 Egyptian cities and allow Hebrew to become the spoken language? It is commonly understood the Antichrist will be attempting Jewish genocide at the time. If this is the case it would be contrary to his overall purposes to allow 5 cities in Egypt to promote the language of Hebrew.

For the above reasons I strongly believe that Egypt is identified in Psalm 83. Therefore, unlike David Dolan, I believe Egypt will someday break its peace treaty with Israel and join the Psalm 83 confederacy.
____________________________
(i)The Footsteps of the Messiah (Revised Edition) Chapter 20 page 498 (Hardback).
(ii)Esau grandfathered Amalek according to Genesis 36:12
(iii)Nation promised to Abraham Gen. 12:2, to Ishmael Gen. 17:20, to Jacob and Esau Gen. 25:23

The Treasured Ones of Psalm 83

Comment - Dear Mr. Salus - I regularly receive emails from Bible Prophecy and as a matter of fact, I pray Psalm 83 every night for the total defeat of Israel's satanic enemies. Regarding your article "Is the Church Identified in Psalm 83?" I would like to bring the following to your attention. In my Bible Ps.83.3 reads as follows:

"They are making secret plans against your people; they are plotting against those you protect."

I feel that this translation of vs.3 is far more descriptive, especially in light of current events that are leading up to Psalm 83, which I believe will be the next "happening" in the prophetic mid east calendar. It never ceases to amaze me how much different Bible translations differ.
Yours in Christ – J.M. - South Africa

Response – Dear J.M. thanks for your comment. In 2010, Chuck Missler and I discussed this topic at a Southern California prophecy conference we were speaking at. Chuck tends to believe the “hidden” or “treasured” ones in Psalm 83:3 could represent true born again Christians. He makes good arguments to support his belief. However, for the reasons expressed in my former article and those listed below, I believe the “hidden ones” probably represent the faithful remnant inside national Israel.

1. To make the “hidden ones” the Church implies the confederacy of Psalm 83:6-8 wages a multi-front war against Israel and true Christian believers. It seems that geography alone would defeat this plan. The Psalm 83 confederacy is centered in the Mideast, but true believers are scattered throughout the world. The confederates surround Israel, making it an easy target. However targeting Christians would require a worldwide campaign headquartered in the Middle East which is unlikely.

2. The mandate of Psalm 83:4 is to destroy the Jewish State, “that the name Israel be remembered no more.” This mission is very specific regarding Israel.

3. The motive of Psalm 83:12 is the capture of the Promised Land of Israel. Thus, the mandate and motive of the Psalm 83 confederacy are entirely regarded with the Jewish people and the land of Israel.

4. The Hebrew word for "hidden" is Tsaphan and is first used in Exodus 2:2-3 identifying Moses being hidden in the basket from Pharaoh’s persecution.

5. The second usage is in Joshua 2:4 describing Rahab hiding the two spies.

In these initial usages the Hebrew word Tsaphan best represent the faithful inside national Israel. Therefore, I suggest the “hidden ones” of Psalm 83:3 represent the faithful remnant that will surface out of today’s national Israel and survive both Psalm 83 and ultimately the Tribulation. The caveat is that if there is a significant generational gap between Psalm 83 and the Tribulation, which I doubt, then the hidden ones in Psalm 83 probably represent the Messianic Jewish community dwelling inside Israel when Psalm 83 occurs.

Best Reading Regards
Bill Salus

What Does the Future Hold for Egypt?

By Bill Salus

The question about Egypt’s future was asked on Prophecy Depot’s Facebook site. Below please find the question and answer.

Q. Bill, in reading Isaiah 19 the WORD speaks of smiting Egypt...then healing it and they returning back to the Lord...even an altar is built on the borders for worship to our true God. vs. 24 says Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria--a blessing in the midst of the land.
My question....is this after Psalm 83?

A. Egypt still faces two future confrontations prior to the return of Christ. First, for its participation in Psalm 83, Egypt will come under attack by the Israeli Defense Forces (I.D.F.). This appears to find fulfillment in Isaiah 19:16-18. In the aftermath of the I.D.F. victory Israel will annex at least five Egyptian cities. According to Isaiah 19:18, five of these cities will speak Hebrew. The Israelis will feel justified in claiming these cities as per Genesis 15:18, which promises them land east of the Nile River. This first confrontation occurs prior to Daniel’s Seventieth Week.

Additionally, the Jews will set up an altar to the Lord in the midst of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord at Egypt’s border as per Isaiah 19:19. According to Isaiah 19:20-a, the altar and pillar are set up as a sign and witness to the Jewish God Jehovah. The existence of this altar suggests the Jews will be implementing the Mosaic Law inside the portions of Egypt taken over sometime after Psalm 83.

The pillar serves as a memorial stone and is probably constructed to remind future Jewish generations how the Lord delivered the Jews through their Psalm 83 confrontation which extended into Egypt. Joshua 4:7 and Joshua 22:26-28 shed further light on this traditional Hebrew ritual.

The second confrontation occurs when the Antichrist invades Egypt fulfilling Daniel 11:42-43. The Antichrist will come into Egypt seeking to destroy the Jewish population residing therein. Additionally, he will capture the wealth of Egypt. This takes place in the second half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week during the campaign of Armageddon. The Antichrist will be attempting Jewish genocide at the time.

Isaiah 19:20-b says those residing in Egypt at the time, which should include both Jew and Egyptian, cry out to the Lord due to oppression. This oppression probably results from the Antichrist’s and his army's invasion of Egypt. We are told in Isaiah 19:20-c their pleadings will be answered and they will be delivered from the oppression when Christ returns.

Isaiah 19:21-25 informs us that Egypt will ultimately become a saved nation and enter into the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom period along with the remnant of Israel and Assyria. However as Isaiah 19:22 warns, Egypt’s conversion from Allah worship to Jehovah worship is brought about by being smitten. Egypt’s national conversion to Christ does not result apart from experiencing affliction. Ezekiel 29:8-12 gives us details about the smiting.

Many Egyptians will be dispersed for forty years after being smitten. This forty year period could commence after either of the above two pending confrontations. Some have suggested the forty year dispersion may have found historical fulfillment during the reign of the Babylonian empire. Here is what the Bible Knowledge Commentary says regarding Ezekiel 29:10-16.

“No archeological finding has yet confirmed an Egyptian (40 year) deportation similar to the one experienced by Israel (70-year Babylonian captivity). However, it is unwise to dismiss a clear statement of Scripture on the basis of incomplete archeological data. Nebuchadnezzar did attack Egypt (29:17-21; cf. Jer. 43:8-13; 46:1-25). Assuming that he conquered the country, one would expect him to deport people to Babylon as he did others he conquered. Presumably, then, the Egyptian captives would have been allowed to return home in the reign of Cyrus of Persia, who defeated Babylon in 539 B.C. (ca. 33 years after Nebuchadnezzar’s attack). Allowing seven additional years for the people to return and rebuild, a 40-year period of desolation was entirely possible.”

I personally don’t believe the forty years of deportation has occurred yet. I think it commences after the first confrontation by the I.D.F. and possibly carries on through the second confrontation and concludes just prior to, or about the same time as, the return of the Messiah. Clues inscribed in Isaiah 11:12-16 suggest this will be the case. Additionally, Isaiah 11:16 seems to connect well with Isaiah 19:23-24.

Lastly, it is important to note that Egypt will be a lowly nation during the Messianic Kingdom as per Ezekiel 29:15. This is not presently the case with Egypt. There is a saying in the Middle East that “Two poles presently hold up the Mideast tent and that’s the countries of Egypt and Saudi Arabia.” The saying goes on to state that “If you knock one of the poles down the entire tent collapses.” I believe that both poles get knocked down soon as a result of the Psalm 83 war.
Read Bill's related article "I will Set Egyptian Against Egyptian."

Jordan to Soon Sever Ties with Israel

By Bill Salus

With Arab protests sweeping throughout the Middle East, many pundits are pondering the fate of Jordan. Will the Jordanian government collapse alongside Lebanon’s, Tunisia’s, and Egypt’s? Interestingly, Jordan can be found in end time’s bible prophecy. If the prophecies centered on Jordan are about to find fulfillment, then the best days of the Hashemite Kingdom are behind it.

Someday Jordan will break ties with Israel. It’s simply a matter of time according to Psalm 83:6-8. Making matters worse, Jordan will befriend Israel’s worst enemies in the process. Rather than calling on America and the west at the time of dire need, Psalm 83 predicts they will call on Assyria, which incorporates modern day Syria and Iraq.

Syria is already a proxy of Iran’s and Iraq has been inclined to become one ever since the summer 2010 U.S. troop withdrawal. Thus, allegiance with Syria, Iraq, and by proxy, Iran, appears to be Jordan’s prophetic endgame.

Psalm 83:6-8 lists a group of ten Arab populations that will someday confederate in a final attempt to destroy the state of Israel. The goal of the confederacy is to wipe Israel off of the map and set up one last Arab state called Palestine. Jordan is identified inside the list of nations as Edom, Moab, and Ammon. Their modern day equivalents are showcased inside the image.

To Jordan’s credit, it appears the Arab nation possibly gets drawn into the war with Israel reluctantly rather than voluntarily. Psalm 83:8 tells us that Jordan is one of the weaker members of the confederacy.

“Assyria also has joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot.” (Psalm 83:8 nkjv)

Asaph, the Psalmist informs us the children of Lot who were Moab, the eldest, and Ammon require assistance in the war effort. They need Assyrian military support. The Hebrew word used for “helped” is zeroa and means forces, power, might, strong arm or shoulder and / or strength. Loosely translated the verse reads Assyria has joined the Psalm 83:6-8 confederacy and become a strong shoulder of military support for Jordan. Note that Assyria’s military support is only given to Jordan. This suggests the other Psalm 83 confederates are not lacking in strength at the time.

In 2010, King Abdullah II of Jordan warned on several occasions that the Middle East was on the verge of war. He told the Chicago Tribune in April, 2010 “The chance of conflict is always very high. War would be disastrous for the Israelis, for the Arabs, for all of us. If we hit the summer and there's no active (peace) process, there's a very good chance for conflict.” When a summertime war was averted he suggested in September 2010 that it could still occur by the end of 2010. The point he was making on both occasions is a Middle East war could break out at any time.

In December of 2010, King Abdullah II met with Iranian President Ahmadinejad in a rare meeting to improve bilateral relations between the two nations. One month later in January of 2011, he phoned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to alert him of his concerns about Iran’s clandestine goals for the Middle East. The Jordanian King warned Netanyahu that Iran aims to form a Shia Crescent inside the Fertile Crescent.

Then in February of 2011 due to protests inside of Jordan, King Abdullah sacked his government in order to avoid escalating protests inside his homeland. King Abdullah’s recent pinball reactions remind us of “Humpty Dumpty’s” sad tale. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Jordan is the fish out of water in the Middle East. If Egypt falls then Jordan will likely soon follow. Egypt’s and Jordan’s treaties with Israel are earning them billions of dollars of American aid. However, many Egyptians and Jordanians are ready to throw their peace treaties out with the baby’s bath water. Even King Abdullah said in 2010 that his country’s economy was better off before his father made peace with Israel in 1994.

If Psalm 83 is racing full speed ahead upon humanity’s horizon, then Mideast events are going to heat up rather than cool down. Understanding the low ranking status and primary purposes of the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) sheds light on their need for military support in Psalm 83.

On the Southern Front of Psalm 83 is the Egyptian army that is world ranked at number #17 with an active military personnel strength of 450,000 and active reserves of 254,000. This doesn’t include Hamas units with about 10,000 personnel located out of Gaza and untold scores of Qassam and other assorted rockets, some of which Hamas boasted in 2010 could reach Tel Aviv.

On the Northern Front of Psalm 83 there is Syria, Lebanon, and Hezbollah inside of Lebanon. Syria’s army is world ranked at #34 and has active military of personnel of 296,000 and active military reserve of 132,500. Additionally, many experts believe Saddam Hussein transported his weapons of mass destruction into Syria prior to America’s invasion of Iraq in 2003. Lastly, Syria is thought to have the most advanced scud missiles in the world.

Lebanon’s army is world ranked at #42. Their active military personnel number about 72,000 as of 2008. Hezbollah units in Lebanon have about 1,000 active personnel and reserves estimated at 6,000 to 10,000, and according to Netanyahu has 60,000 rockets. Additionally, in April of 2010 Syria reportedly supplied Hezbollah with scud missiles.

The Eastern Front of Psalm 83 consists of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Jordan. The Saudi army is world ranked at #24 and consists of 124,000 active military personnel with an additional estimated 20,000 reservists. Additionally, the Saudis are attempting to procure $60 billion in arms from America and 2 nuclear weapons from Pakistan.

Information about Iraq’s army and arsenal is difficult to access due to its burgeoning relationship with Iran. Much like Hezbollah, Syria, and Hamas, some military analysts suggest Iran is covertly arming the pro-Iranian factions inside Iraq with advanced weapons as well. It appears Iraq is world ranked at #37. They have a relatively new US-trained Army of about 100,000 soldiers with zero reserves and a goal to reach a 200,000-man force. It remains an Army under construction.

The Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) has descended from the 1940's era British-led "Arab Legion." This force is purely defensive in nature and thus lacks any ranking among the world's armies. The JAF active military personnel number about 100,500 and reserves are estimated at 70,000. Their military mission objectives are to defend:

1) The borders of the Hashemite Kingdom,
2) The people within the Hashemite Kingdom,
3) The reigning Monarch.

This means the JAF is a combat ineffective force at best because as a whole it is not designed for and does not train for offensive operations of the type that Psalm 83 has declared will occur. The Jordanian's receive U.S. Army assistance of a technical and hardware nature which is overwhelmingly orientated toward defensive command and control (C2).

Therefore, it is of little prophetic wonder that Israel will literally conquer most of Jordan as a result of the Psalm 83 war, as confirmed by the prophecy in Jeremiah 49:2. Even with the assistance of Syrian and Iraqi forces the Jordanians will lose against Israel. Furthermore, America has taught the new Iraqi military a lot in counter insurgency (COIN) and defensive operations, rather than how to go on the offense against another nation state.

Lastly, we can’t forget the Palestinian Authority, a/k/a “Palestine,” is a lightly armed paramilitary police force known as the “Palestinian National Security Forces” organized into 10 battalions and trained by the U.S. in Jordan.”

In contrast to their Psalm 83 enemies, the Israeli Defense Forces are world ranked at
#11 and their active and reserve forces in Israel number about 600,000 with another 2.8
million immediately available for military service. These additional reserves include
those with prior service and / or some partial training.

Suffice it to say, Israel is outnumbered, outmanned, outgunned, and needs divine
empowerment when it comes time to face off with the Psalm 83 confederacy. In my
book Isralestine, The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East, I describe the
prelude, event, and aftermath of this climatic concluding Arab-Israeli battle.

*** Military specifics above and JAF comments provided by Sean Osborne of the Northeast
Intelligence Network. The Information was primarily collected from the U.S. Library of
Congress; Central Intelligence Agency, GlobalSecurity.Org, and Wikipedia. Sean Osborne’s
web/blogsite is http://eschatologytoday.blogspot.com/