Thebes — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

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.

Show passage in OET: JER 46:25

OET-RV JER 46:25

25 Yisrael’s (Israel’s) god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says, “Listen, I’m about to punish Amon the god of No (Thebes) city, Mitsrayim (Egypt) and her other gods, its kings the Par’ohs (Pharaohs), and all those who trust in them.

OET-LV JER 46:25

25 YHWH soldiers/messengers the _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) he _says HERE_I am_about _to _visit_judgement to ʼĀmōn from_Noʼ/(Thebes) and_on Parˊoh and_on Miʦrayim/(Egypt) and_on gods _of_its and_on kings _of_its and_on Parˊoh and_on those_who_trust in/on/over_him/it.

Show passage in OET: EZE 30:14–16

OET-RV EZE 30:14

14 Then I’ll make the Patros region desolate and set fire to Tsoan city, and I’ll execute judgement against No (Thebes) (the capital of southern Mitsrayim).

OET-RV EZE 30:15

15 I’ll pour out my fury on Mitsrayim’s fortress Sin, and cut off the crowd at No.

OET-RV EZE 30:16

16 Then I’ll set fire to Mitsrayim: Sin will be in great agony, No will be broken up, and Nof will face enemies every day.

OET-LV EZE 30:14

14 And_I _will _devastate DOM Patrōş and_I _will _put fire in_Tsoˊan/(Zoan) and_I _will _bring _about judgements on_Noʼ/(Thebes).

OET-LV EZE 30:15

15 And_I _will _pour _out rage _of_my on Şīn the _stronghold _of Miʦrayim and_I _will _cut _off DOM the _multitude _of Noʼ.

OET-LV EZE 30:16

16 And_I _will _put fire in_Miʦrayim surely _(writhe _in _agony) it _will _dance Şīn and_Noʼ it _is about_to_be _broken _into and_Nof foes _of daytime.

Show passage in OET: NAH 3:8

OET-RV NAH 3:8

⇔  8 Are you better than No city was,
⇔ where the Nile surrounded and protected her?
⇔ ≈ Where the water was one of her secure walls.

OET-LV NAH 3:8

8 Have_you _been _made _good more_than _Noʼ/(Thebes) Amon which_was_dwelling among_canals water was_all _around to/for_her/it which rampart _of was_the_sea was_from_sea wall _of_its.

Jump to OET JER 46:25 section.

Jump to OET EZE 30:14–16 section.

Jump to OET NAH 3:8 section.

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.

The city of ancient Thebes was located on both the east bank of the Nile (“the side of the rising sun”) and the west bank (“the side of the setting sun”). The city had an estimated population of nearly one million at its height.