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) 2} “Son of man, set your face against^(B) Pharaoh king of Egypt^(C) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.^{(D) 3} Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁶ 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. ⁷ 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)

⁸ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast.^{(O) 9} 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: ² “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁵ 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)

⁶ “‘This is what the Lord says:

⁹ “‘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 the Lord have spoken.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

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)”