A PRONOUNCEMENT AGAINST EGYPT

19 A pronouncementc concerning Egypt:d

Look, the Lord rides on a swift cloude

and is coming to Egypt.

Egypt’s worthless idols will tremble before him,f

and Egypt will lose heart.g

2 I will provoke Egyptians against Egyptians;

each will fight against his brotherh

and each against his friend,

city against city, kingdom against kingdom.i

3 Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it,

and I will frustrate its plans.

Then they will inquire of worthless idols, ghosts,

mediums, and spiritists.j

4 I will hand over Egypt to harsh masters,k

and a strong king will rule it.

This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies.

5 The water of the sea will dry up,

and the river will be parched and dry.

6 The channels will stink;

they will dwindle, and Egypt’s canals will be parched.

Reed and rush will wilt.

7 The reeds by the Nile, by the mouth of the river,

and all the cultivated areas of the Nile

will wither, blow away, and vanish.

8 Then the fishermen will mourn.

All those who cast hooks into the Nile will lament,

and those who spread nets on the water will give up.

9 Those who work with flax will be dismayed;l

those combing it and weaving linen will turn pale.E

10 Egypt’s weaversF will be dejected;

all her wage earners will be demoralized.

11 The princes of Zoan are complete fools;m

Pharaoh’s wisest advisers give stupid advice!

How can you say to Pharaoh,

“I am oneG of the wise,

a student of easternH kings”?

12 Where then are your wise men?

Let them tell you and reveal

what the Lord of Armies has planned against Egypt.

13 The princes of Zoan have been fools;

the princes of Memphis are deceived.a

Her tribal chieftains have led Egypt astray.

14 The Lord has mixed within her a spirit of confusion.

The leaders have made Egypt stagger in all she does,

as a drunkard staggers in his vomit.

15 No head or tail, palm or reed,b

will be able to do anything for Egypt.

EGYPT WILL KNOW THE LORD

16 On that day Egypt will be like women and will tremble with fear because of the threatening hand of the Lord of Armies when he raises it against them. 17 The land of Judah will terrify Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble because of what the Lord of Armies has plannedc against it.

18 On that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear loyalty to the Lord of Armies. One of the cities will be called the City of the Sun.A,B

19 On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the center of the land of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord near her border.d 20 It will be a sign and witness to the Lord of Armies in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and leader, and he will rescue them.e 21 The Lord will make himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the Lord on that day. They will offer sacrifices and offerings;f they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. 22 The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing. Then they will turn to the Lord, and he will be receptive to their prayers and heal them.

23 On that day there will be a highwayg from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will go to Egypt, Egypt to Assyria, and Egypt will worship with Assyria.

24 On that day Israel will form a triple alliance with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing within the land. 25 The Lord of Armies will bless them, saying, “Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork,h and Israel my inheritance are blessed.”i

NO HELP FROM CUSH OR EGYPT

20 In the year that the chief commander,j sent by King Sargon of Assyria, came to Ashdodk and attacked and captured it—2 during that time the Lord had spoken through Isaiahl son of Amoz, saying, “Go, take off your sackcloth and remove the sandals from your feet,” and he did that, going stripped and barefootm—3 the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush,n 4 so the king of Assyria will lead the captives of Egypto and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, stripped and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame. 5 Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed.p 6 And the inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day, ‘Look, this is what has happened to those we relied on and fled to for help to rescue us from the king of Assyria! Now, how will we escape?’ ”