Study Desk

Judgment on Pharaoh

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)"

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)

The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.^(x)

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)

"‘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.

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)

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.

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

In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^(ai)

"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.

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)

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)

"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

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "‘Wail^(a) and say, "Alas for that day!"

For the day is near,^(b) the day of the Lord ^(c) is near— a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.

A sword will come against Egypt,^(d) and anguish will come upon Cush.^[a](e) When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.^(f)

Cush and Libya,^(g) Lydia and all Arabia,^(h) Kub and the people⁽ⁱ⁾ of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.^(j)

"‘This is what the Lord says: "‘The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail. From Migdol to Aswan^(k) 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.^(l)

Then they will know that I am the Lord , when I set fire^(m) to Egypt and all her helpers are crushed.⁽ⁿ⁾

"‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush^(o) out of her complacency. Anguish^(p) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt's doom, for it is sure to come.^(q)

"‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar^(r) king of Babylon.^(s)

He and his army—the most ruthless of nations^(t)— will be brought in to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.^(u)

I will dry up^(v) the waters of the Nile^(w) and sell the land to an evil nation; by the hand of foreigners I will lay waste^(x) the land and everything in it. I the Lord have spoken.

"‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "‘I will destroy the idols^(y) and put an end to the images in Memphis.^(z) No longer will there be a prince in Egypt,^(aa) and I will spread fear throughout the land.

I will lay^(ab) waste Upper Egypt, set fire to Zoan^(ac) and inflict punishment on Thebes.^(ad)

I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.

I will set fire^(ae) to Egypt; Pelusium will writhe in agony. Thebes will be taken by storm; Memphis^(af) will be in constant distress.

The young men of Heliopolis^(ag) and Bubastis will fall by the sword, and the cities themselves will go into captivity.

Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes^(ah) when I break the yoke of Egypt;^(ai) there her proud strength will come to an end. She will be covered with clouds, and her villages will go into captivity.^(aj)

So I will inflict punishment^(ak) on Egypt, and they will know that I am the Lord .'"

Pharaoh's Arms Are Broken

In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:^(al)

"Son of man, I have broken the arm^(am) of Pharaoh^(an) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed^(ao) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword.

Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.^(ap) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.^(aq)

I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.^(ar)

I will strengthen^(as) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword^(at) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan^(au) before him like a mortally wounded man.

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^(av) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.^(aw)

I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord .^(ax)"