The Lord Will Judge Egypt
1Here is a message about Egypt:
Look, theLord rides on a swift-moving cloud
and approaches Egypt.
The idols of Egypt tremble before him;
the Egyptians lose their courage.
2“I will provoke civil strife in Egypt,
brothers will fight with each other,
as will neighbors,
cities, and kingdoms.
3The Egyptians will panic,
and I will confuse their strategy.
They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead,
from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.
4I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master;
a powerful king will rule over them,”
says the sovereign master, theLord who commands armies.
5The water of the sea will be dried up,
and the river will dry up and be empty.
6The canals will stink;
the streams of Egypt will trickle and then dry up;
the bulrushes and reeds will decay,
7along with the plants by the mouth of the river.
All the cultivated land near the river
will turn to dust and be blown away.
8The fishermen will mourn and lament,
all those who cast a fishhook into the river,
and those who spread out a net on the water’s surface will grieve.
9Those who make clothes from combed flax will be embarrassed;
those who weave will turn pale.
10Those who make cloth will be demoralized;
all the hired workers will be depressed.
11The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools;
Pharaoh’s wise advisers give stupid advice.
How dare you say to Pharaoh,
“I am one of the sages,
one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?”
12But where, oh where, are your wise men?
Let them tell you, let them find out
what theLord who commands armies has planned for Egypt.
13The officials of Zoan are fools,
the officials of Memphis are misled;
the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray.
14TheLord has made them undiscerning;
they lead Egypt astray in all she does,
so that she is like a drunk sliding around in his own vomit.
15Egypt will not be able to do a thing,
head or tail, shoots and stalk.
16At that time the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because theLord who commands armies brandishes his fist against them.17The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt. Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what theLord who commands armies is planning to do to them.
18At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to theLord who commands armies. One will be called the City of the Sun.19At that time there will be an altar for theLord in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar dedicated to theLord at its border.20It will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of theLord who commands armies. When they cry out to theLord because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender who will rescue them.21TheLord will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge theLord’s authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to theLord and fulfill them.22TheLord will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to theLord and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.
23At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.24At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth.25TheLord who commands armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!”
