A town in Egypt; center of worship of the Egyptian deity Amon.
About Thebes
City appearing in the OT as No or No-Amon. No means “city” and is equivalent to the Egyptian Waset or Greek Thebes. No-Amon means “city of Amon.” Thebes appears only in the prophetic Scriptures of the OT and only in a context of judgment (Jer 46:25; Ez 30:14–16; Na 3:8). Thebes would suffer judgment and loss of population but would not be utterly destroyed. These prophecies were fulfilled in ancient times when Cambyses of Persia marched through Thebes in 525 BC and when the Roman Cornelius Gallus punished the city for a revolt in 30 BC.
Thebes was the capital of Egypt during most of the empire period (c. 1570–1100 BC), when the Hebrews were in bondage in the land and when the exodus took place. By that time, Amon had become the chief god, and the Pharaohs lavished their wealth on the great temples of Amon at Thebes, hoping for the god’s help in overcoming their enemies.
Key References
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.
All Scripture References (6)
Jeremiah (1)
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.
Ezekiel (3)
I will lay waste Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and execute judgment on Thebes.
I will pour out My wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the crowds of Thebes.
I will set fire to Egypt, Pelusium will writhe in anguish, Thebes will be split open, and Memphis will face daily distress.
Nahum (2)
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.