关于埃及的预言

19 以下是关于埃及的预言:

看啊,耶和华驾着疾驰的云来到埃及。
埃及的偶像在祂面前颤抖,
埃及人胆战心惊。
“我必使埃及人彼此为敌——手足相残,
邻居互斗,城邑相争,
邦国互攻。
埃及人必灰心丧志,
我必破坏他们的计谋。
他们必求问偶像、巫师、灵媒和术士。
我必将埃及人交给一位残忍的主人,
一位暴君必统治他们。”
这是主——万军之耶和华说的。

尼罗河必枯竭,
河床必干涸。
河流必发臭,
埃及的河流逐渐枯竭。
芦荻和灯心草必枯死,
尼罗河两岸青草枯黄,
田地龟裂,庄稼被风吹去,
荡然无存。
所有在尼罗河下钩的渔夫都哀哭悲伤,
在河上撒网的人都伤痛。
纺纱织布的人一筹莫展,
感到绝望。
10 埃及的显贵都没落,
靠工钱维生的人都忧心忡忡。

11 埃及王聪明的谋士——琐安的首领们变得愚不可及。
他们怎敢在埃及王面前自称是古圣先贤的子孙呢?
12 埃及王啊,你的智者在哪里呢?
让他们把万军之耶和华对付埃及的计划告诉你吧!
13 琐安的首领愚昧,
挪弗的首领糊涂。
他们是埃及的房角石,
却把埃及人引入歧途。
14 耶和华使错谬的灵进入他们当中,
使他们像又呕又吐、东倒西歪的醉汉,
做什么都错误百出。
15 埃及从首领到平民,
从权贵到草根必一筹莫展。

16 到那日,当万军之耶和华挥拳惩罚的时候,埃及人必恐惧战抖,如柔弱的女子。 17 他们必对犹大充满恐惧,一听见犹大的名字就害怕,因为万军之耶和华定下计划要对付他们。 18 到那日,埃及必有五座城的人讲迦南的语言,并信奉万军之耶和华,其中有一座必叫灭亡城[a]

19 到那日,埃及的中央必有一座为耶和华筑的祭坛,边境必有一根为耶和华立的石柱。 20 这是万军之耶和华在埃及的记号和凭据。埃及人因受到欺压就呼求耶和华,祂必差遣一位救主保护、拯救他们。 21 耶和华必向埃及人彰显自己。到那日,埃及人必认识祂,带着祭物和供品来敬拜祂,向祂许愿还愿。 22 耶和华必击打他们,也必医治他们。他们必归向耶和华,祂必应允他们的祷告,医治他们。

23 到那日,必有一条大道连接埃及和亚述,两国人民可以互相往来,一同敬拜耶和华。 24 到那日,以色列必与埃及和亚述一同成为世人的祝福。 25 万军之耶和华必赐福给他们,说:“我的子民埃及、我手中的杰作亚述、我的产业以色列都有福了!”

Footnotes

  1. 19:18 灭亡城”有些抄本作“太阳城”。

19 ¶ The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.

And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they shall fight each one against his brother, and each one against his neighbour; city against city and kingdom against kingdom.

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof, and I will destroy the counsel thereof; and they shall seek to the idols and to the charmers and to the spiritists and to the wizards.

And I will give the Egyptians over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a violent king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of the hosts.

And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.

And they shall turn the rivers far away, and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither.

The vegetables by the river, by the mouth of the river, and every thing sown beside the river shall dry up, wither away, and be no more.

The fishermen also shall mourn, and all those that cast fishhooks into the river shall lament, and those that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.

Moreover those that work in fine flax and those that weave networks shall be confounded.

10 Because all their nets shall be broken; all that make ponds to raise fish shall be discontented.

11 Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; the counsel of the prudent counsellors of Pharaoh is become carnal; how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the ancient kings?

12 Where are they? Where are thy wise men? Let them tell thee now, or let them cause thee to know what the LORD of the hosts has purposed upon Egypt.

13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even those that are the stay of the tribes thereof.

14 The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in its midst, and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

15 Neither shall it be of any value unto Egypt, any work which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.

16 In that day Egypt shall be like unto women, and it shall be afraid and fear in the presence of the tall hand of the LORD of the hosts, which he shall raise up over them.

17 And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt; every one that makes mention of it shall be afraid in himself because of the counsel of the LORD of the hosts which he has determined against it.

18 ¶ In that day five cities in the land of Egypt shall speak the language of Canaan and swear to the LORD of the hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction.

19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pyramid titled “To the LORD” at the border thereof.

20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of the hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a Saviour, and a Prince, and he shall deliver them.

21 And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day and shall do sacrifice and oblation; they shall vow vows unto the LORD and perform them.

22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt; he shall smite and heal it because they shall become converted unto the LORD, and he shall grant them clemency and shall heal them.

23 In that day there shall be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve the LORD with the Assyrians.

24 In that day Israel shall be the third part with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the earth.

25 For the LORD of the hosts shall bless them, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.

19 The burden of Egypt. Behold the Lord will ascend upon a swift cloud, and will enter into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst thereof.

And I will set the Egyptians to fight against the Egyptians: and they shall fight brother against brother, and friend against friend, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

And the spirit of Egypt shall be broken in the bowels thereof, and I will cast down their counsel: and they shall consult their idols, and their diviners, and their wizards, and soothsayers.

And I will deliver Egypt into the hand of cruel masters, and a strong king shall rule over them, saith the Lord the God of hosts.

And the water of the sea shall be dried up, and the river shall be wasted and dry.

And the rivers shall fail: the streams of the banks shall be diminished, and be dried up. The reed and the bulrush shall wither away.

The channel of the river shall be laid bare from its fountain, and every thing sown by the water shall be dried up, it shall wither away, and shall be no more.

The fishers also shall mourn, and all that cast a hook into the river shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish away.

They shall be confounded that wrought in flax, combing and weaving fine linen.

10 And its watery places shall be dry, all they shall mourn that made pools to take fishes.

11 The princes of Tanis are become fools, the wise counsellors of Pharao have given foolish counsel: how will you say to Pharao: I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

12 Where are now thy wise men? let them tell thee, and shew what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.

13 The princes of Tanis are become fools, the princes of Memphis are gone astray, they have deceived Egypt, the stay of the people thereof.

14 The Lord hath mingled in the midst thereof the spirit of giddiness: and they have caused Egypt to err in all its works, as a drunken man staggereth and vomiteth.

15 And there shall be no work for Egypt, to make head or tail, him that bendeth down, or that holdeth back.

16 In that day Egypt shall be like unto women, and they shall be amazed, and afraid, because of the moving of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shall move over it.

17 And the land of Juda shall be a terror to Egypt: every one that shall remember it shall tremble because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath determined concerning it.

18 In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt, speaking the language of Chanaan, and swearing by the Lord of hosts: one shall be called the city of the sun.

19 In that day there shall be an altar of the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a monument of the Lord at the borders thereof:

20 It shall be for a sign, and for a testimony to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. For they shall cry to the Lord because of the oppressor, and he shall send them a Saviour and a defender to deliver them.

21 And the Lord shall be known by Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall worship him with sacrifices and offerings: and they shall make vows to the Lord, and perform them.

22 And the Lord shall strike Egypt with a scourge, and shall heal it, and they shall return to the Lord, and he shall be pacified towards them, and heal them.

23 In that day there shall be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrian shall enter into Egypt, and the Egyptian to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians shall serve the Assyrian.

24 In that day shall Israel be the third to the Egyptian and the Assyrian: a blessing in the midst of the land,

25 Which the Lord of hosts hath blessed, saying: Blessed be my people of Egypt, and the work of my hands to the Assyrian: but Israel is my inheritance.

A Prophecy Against Egypt

19 A prophecy(A) against Egypt:(B)

See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud(C)
    and is coming to Egypt.
The idols of Egypt tremble before him,
    and the hearts of the Egyptians melt(D) with fear.

“I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian—
    brother will fight against brother,(E)
    neighbor against neighbor,
    city against city,
    kingdom against kingdom.(F)
The Egyptians will lose heart,(G)
    and I will bring their plans(H) to nothing;(I)
they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead,
    the mediums and the spiritists.(J)
I will hand the Egyptians over
    to the power of a cruel master,
and a fierce king(K) will rule over them,”
    declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

The waters of the river will dry up,(L)
    and the riverbed will be parched and dry.(M)
The canals will stink;(N)
    the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up.(O)
The reeds(P) and rushes will wither,(Q)
    also the plants(R) along the Nile,
    at the mouth of the river.
Every sown field(S) along the Nile
    will become parched, will blow away and be no more.(T)
The fishermen(U) will groan and lament,
    all who cast hooks(V) into the Nile;
those who throw nets on the water
    will pine away.
Those who work with combed flax(W) will despair,
    the weavers of fine linen(X) will lose hope.
10 The workers in cloth will be dejected,
    and all the wage earners will be sick at heart.

11 The officials of Zoan(Y) are nothing but fools;
    the wise counselors(Z) of Pharaoh give senseless advice.(AA)
How can you say to Pharaoh,
    “I am one of the wise men,(AB)
    a disciple of the ancient kings”?

12 Where are your wise men(AC) now?
    Let them show you and make known
what the Lord Almighty
    has planned(AD) against Egypt.
13 The officials of Zoan(AE) have become fools,
    the leaders of Memphis(AF) are deceived;
the cornerstones(AG) of her peoples
    have led Egypt astray.
14 The Lord has poured into them
    a spirit of dizziness;(AH)
they make Egypt stagger in all that she does,
    as a drunkard staggers(AI) around in his vomit.
15 There is nothing Egypt can do—
    head or tail, palm branch or reed.(AJ)

16 In that day(AK) the Egyptians will become weaklings.(AL) They will shudder with fear(AM) at the uplifted hand(AN) that the Lord Almighty raises against them. 17 And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified,(AO) because of what the Lord Almighty is planning(AP) against them.

18 In that day(AQ) five cities(AR) in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance(AS) to the Lord Almighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.[a](AT)

19 In that day(AU) there will be an altar(AV) to the Lord in the heart of Egypt,(AW) and a monument(AX) to the Lord at its border. 20 It will be a sign and witness(AY) to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior(AZ) and defender, and he will rescue(BA) them. 21 So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge(BB) the Lord. They will worship(BC) with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.(BD) 22 The Lord will strike(BE) Egypt with a plague;(BF) he will strike them and heal them. They will turn(BG) to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal(BH) them.

23 In that day(BI) there will be a highway(BJ) from Egypt to Assyria.(BK) The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship(BL) together. 24 In that day(BM) Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria,(BN) a blessing[b](BO) on the earth. 25 The Lord Almighty will bless(BP) them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people,(BQ) Assyria my handiwork,(BR) and Israel my inheritance.(BS)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 19:18 Some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Symmachus and Vulgate; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text City of Destruction
  2. Isaiah 19:24 Or Assyria, whose names will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or Assyria, who will be seen by others as blessed