Ezekiel 29:3–9

³Tell him, ‘The Lord and King says,

“ ‘ “Pharaoh Hophra, I am against you.

King of Egypt, you are like a huge monster

lying among your streams.

You say, ‘The Nile River belongs to me.

I made it for myself.’

⁴But I will put hooks in your jaws.

I will make the fish in your streams

stick to your scales.

I will pull you out from among your streams.

All of the fish will stick to your scales.

⁵I will leave you out in the desert.

All of the fish in your streams

will be there with you.

You will fall down in an open field.

You will not be picked up.

I will feed you to the wild animals

and to the birds of the air.

⁶Then everyone who lives in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.

“ ‘ “You have been like a walking stick made out of a papyrus stem. The people of Israel tried to lean on you. ⁷They took hold of you. But you broke under their weight. You tore their shoulders open. They leaned on you. But you snapped in two. And their backs were broken.” ’ ”

⁸So the Lord and King says, “I will send Nebuchadnezzar’s sword against you. He will kill your people and their animals. ⁹Egypt will become a dry and empty desert. Then your people will know that I am the Lord.

“You said, ‘The Nile River belongs to me. I made it for myself.’