Thebes

Thebes was a city called No or No-Amon in the Old Testament. The name “No” is the Hebrew form of an Egyptian word meaning “city.” The Egyptians called the city Waset, while the Greeks called it Thebes. No-Amon means “city of Amon.”

Thebes appears only in the prophetic Scriptures of the Old Testament and only in a context of judgment (Jeremiah 46:25; Ezekiel 30:14–16; Nahum 3:8). Thebes would suffer judgment and loss of population, but God would not make a complete destruction. These prophecies came to fulfillment in ancient times. This was when Cambyses of Persia marched through Thebes in 525 BC. And also 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 (around 1570–1100 BC). This was when the Hebrews were in bondage in the land and when the exodus happened. By that time, Amon had become the main god. The Pharaohs lavished their wealth on the great temples of Amon at Thebes. They hoped the god would help in conquering their enemies.

The city of ancient Thebes was 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 almost one million at the height of its influence.