An Oracle against Egypt
Look, the Lord rides on a swift cloud Ps 18:9-10; 104:3; Mt 26:64; Rv 1:7
and is coming to Egypt.
Egypt’s idols will tremble before Him, Ex 12:12; Jr 43:12; 44:8
and Egypt’s heart will melt within it. Jos 2:11; Is 13:7
2I will provoke Egypt against Egypt;
each will fight against his brother Mk 13:12
and each against his friend,
city against city, kingdom against kingdom. Jdg 7:22; 1Sm 14:20; 2Ch 20:23; Mt 10:21,36; Mk 13:8; Lk 21:10
3Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it,
and I will frustrate its plans.
Then they will seek idols, ghosts,
spirits of the dead, and spiritists. 1Ch 10:13; Is 8:19; Dn 2:2
4I will deliver Egypt into the hands of harsh masters, Is 20:4; Jr 46:26; Ezk 29:19
and a strong king will rule it.
This is the declaration of the Lord God of Hosts.
5The waters of the sea will dry up,
and the river will be parched and dry.
6The channels will stink;
they will dwindle, and Egypt’s canals will be parched.
Reed and rush will die. Or wilt, or become black
7The reeds by the Nile, by the mouth of the river,
and all the cultivated areas of the Nile
will wither, blow away, and vanish.
8Then the fishermen will mourn.
All those who cast hooks into the Nile will lament,
and those who spread nets on the water will shrivel up.
9Those who work with flax will be dismayed; Pr 7:16; Ezk 27:7
the combers and weavers will turn pale. DSS, Tg; MT reads weavers of white cloth
10Egypt’s weavers Or foundations will be dejected;
all her wage earners will be demoralized.
11The princes of Zoan are complete fools; Nm 13:22; Ps 78:12,43; Is 30:4
Pharaoh’s wisest advisers give stupid advice!
How can you say to Pharaoh,
“I am one Lit a son of the wise,
a student of eastern Lit a son of ancient kings”?
12Where then are your wise men?
Let them tell you and reveal
what the Lord of Hosts has planned against Egypt.
13The princes of Zoan have been fools;
the princes of Memphis are deceived. Jr 2:16; 46:14,19; Ezk 30:13
Her tribal chieftains have led Egypt astray.
14The Lord has mixed within her a spirit of confusion.
The leaders have made Egypt stagger in all she does,
as a drunkard staggers in his vomit.
15No head or tail, palm or reed, Is 9:14-16
will be able to do anything for Egypt.
Egypt Will Know the Lord
16On that day Egypt will be like women. She will tremble with fear because of the threatening hand of the Lord of Hosts when He raises it against her.
17The land of Judah will terrify Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble because of what the Lord of Hosts has planned Is 5:19 against it.
18On that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear loyalty to the Lord of Hosts. One of the cities will be called the City of the Sun. Some Hb mss, DSS, Sym, Tg, Vg, Arabic; other Hb mss read of Destruction ; LXX reads of Righteousness = the ancient Egyptian city Heliopolis
19On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the center of the land of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord near her border. Gn 28:18; Ex 24:4; Jos 22:10,26-27
20It will be a sign and witness to the Lord of Hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, He will send them a savior and leader, and he will rescue them. Jdg 3:9,15; 6:7; 10:10
21The Lord will make Himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the Lord on that day. They will offer sacrifices and offerings; Is 56:7; 60:7; Zch 14:16-18 they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them.
22The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing. Then they will return to the Lord and He will hear their prayers and heal them.
23On that day there will be a highway Is 11:16; 35:8; 49:11; 62:10 from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will go to Egypt, Egypt to Assyria, and Egypt will worship with Assyria.
24On that day Israel will form a triple alliance with Egypt and Assyria — a blessing within the land.
25The Lord of Hosts will bless them, saying, “Egypt My people, Assyria My handiwork, Ps 100:3; Is 29:23; 45:11; 60:21; 64:8; Eph 2:10 and Israel My inheritance are blessed.” Dt 9:26,29; 32:9; Ps 28:9; Is 47:6; 63:17
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