A Prophecy Against Egypt

Judgment on Pharaoh

29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) “Son of man, set your face against(B) Pharaoh king of Egypt(C) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.(D) Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I am against you, Pharaoh(E) king of Egypt,
    you great monster(F) lying among your streams.
You say, “The Nile(G) belongs to me;
    I made it for myself.”
But I will put hooks(H) in your jaws
    and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales.
I will pull you out from among your streams,
    with all the fish sticking to your scales.(I)
I will leave you in the desert,
    you and all the fish of your streams.
You will fall on the open field
    and not be gathered(J) or picked up.
I will give you as food
    to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.(K)

Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.

“‘You have been a staff of reed(L) for the people of Israel. When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered(M) and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.[a](N)

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast.(O) Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“‘Because you said, “The Nile(P) is mine; I made it,(Q) 10 therefore I am against you(R) and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt(S) a ruin and a desolate waste(T) from Migdol(U) to Aswan,(V) as far as the border of Cush.[b](W) 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.(X) 12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate(Y) among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(Z)

13 “‘Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I will bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt,(AA) the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly(AB) kingdom.(AC) 15 It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations.(AD) I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations. 16 Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence(AE) for the people of Israel but will be a reminder(AF) of their sin in turning to her for help.(AG) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(AH)’”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Reward

17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(AI) 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar(AJ) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare(AK) and every shoulder made raw.(AL) Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king(AM) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder(AN) the land as pay for his army.(AO) 20 I have given him Egypt(AP) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AQ)

21 “On that day I will make a horn[c](AR) grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth(AS) among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(AT)

A Lament Over Egypt

30 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Wail(AU) and say,
    “Alas for that day!”
For the day is near,(AV)
    the day of the Lord(AW) is near—
a day of clouds,
    a time of doom for the nations.
A sword will come against Egypt,(AX)
    and anguish will come upon Cush.[d](AY)
When the slain fall in Egypt,
    her wealth will be carried away
    and her foundations torn down.(AZ)

Cush and Libya,(BA) Lydia and all Arabia,(BB) Kub and the people(BC) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.(BD)

“‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘The allies of Egypt will fall
    and her proud strength will fail.
From Migdol to Aswan(BE)
    they will fall by the sword within her,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
“‘They will be desolate
    among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
    among ruined cities.(BF)
Then they will know that I am the Lord,
    when I set fire(BG) to Egypt
    and all her helpers are crushed.(BH)

“‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush(BI) out of her complacency. Anguish(BJ) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.(BK)

10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt
    by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar(BL) king of Babylon.(BM)
11 He and his army—the most ruthless of nations(BN)
    will be brought in to destroy the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt
    and fill the land with the slain.(BO)
12 I will dry up(BP) the waters of the Nile(BQ)
    and sell the land to an evil nation;
by the hand of foreigners
    I will lay waste(BR) the land and everything in it.

I the Lord have spoken.

13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I will destroy the idols(BS)
    and put an end to the images in Memphis.(BT)
No longer will there be a prince in Egypt,(BU)
    and I will spread fear throughout the land.
14 I will lay(BV) waste Upper Egypt,
    set fire to Zoan(BW)
    and inflict punishment on Thebes.(BX)
15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
    the stronghold of Egypt,
    and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.
16 I will set fire(BY) to Egypt;
    Pelusium will writhe in agony.
Thebes will be taken by storm;
    Memphis(BZ) will be in constant distress.
17 The young men of Heliopolis(CA) and Bubastis
    will fall by the sword,
    and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
18 Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes(CB)
    when I break the yoke of Egypt;(CC)
    there her proud strength will come to an end.
She will be covered with clouds,
    and her villages will go into captivity.(CD)
19 So I will inflict punishment(CE) on Egypt,
    and they will know that I am the Lord.’”

Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:(CF) 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm(CG) of Pharaoh(CH) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed(CI) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.(CJ) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.(CK) 23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(CL) 24 I will strengthen(CM) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword(CN) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan(CO) before him like a mortally wounded man. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword(CP) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.(CQ) 26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(CR)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 29:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Vulgate); Hebrew and you caused their backs to stand
  2. Ezekiel 29:10 That is, the upper Nile region
  3. Ezekiel 29:21 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  4. Ezekiel 30:4 That is, the upper Nile region; also in verses 5 and 9

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,(A) Barak,(B) Samson(C) and Jephthah,(D) about David(E) and Samuel(F) and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms,(G) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,(H) 34 quenched the fury of the flames,(I) and escaped the edge of the sword;(J) whose weakness was turned to strength;(K) and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.(L) 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.(M) There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging,(N) and even chains and imprisonment.(O) 37 They were put to death by stoning;[a](P) they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.(Q) They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,(R) destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves(S) and in holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended(T) for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,(U) 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us(V) would they be made perfect.(W)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run(X) with perseverance(Y) the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,(Z) the pioneer(AA) and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,(AB) scorning its shame,(AC) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.(AD) Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary(AE) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.(AF) And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart(AG) when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,(AH)
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[b](AI)

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.(AJ) For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline(AK)—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits(AL) and live!(AM) 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.(AN) 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace(AO) for those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.(AP) 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[c](AQ) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:37 Some early manuscripts stoning; they were put to the test;
  2. Hebrews 12:6 Prov. 3:11,12 (see Septuagint)
  3. Hebrews 12:13 Prov. 4:26

Psalm 112[a]

Praise the Lord.[b](A)

Blessed are those(B) who fear the Lord,(C)
    who find great delight(D) in his commands.

Their children(E) will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches(F) are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures(G) forever.
Even in darkness light dawns(H) for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.(I)
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,(J)
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

Surely the righteous will never be shaken;(K)
    they will be remembered(L) forever.
They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast,(M) trusting in the Lord.(N)
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;(O)
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.(P)
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,(Q)
    their righteousness endures(R) forever;
    their horn[c] will be lifted(S) high in honor.

10 The wicked will see(T) and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth(U) and waste away;(V)
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 112:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 112:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
  3. Psalm 112:9 Horn here symbolizes dignity.

17 As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another.

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