[1] The burden of Egypt. Behold, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud, and comes
to Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall tremble at his presence; and the
heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. [2] I will stir up the
Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight everyone against his
brother, and everyone against his neighbor; city against city, [and]
kingdom against kingdom. [3] The spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of
it; and I will destroy the counsel of it: and they shall seek to the idols,
and to the charmers, and to those who have familiar spirits, and to the
wizards. [4] I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord;
and a fierce king shall rule over them, says the Lord, Yahweh of Hosts. [5]
The waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and
become dry. [6] The rivers shall become foul; the streams of Egypt shall be
diminished and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither away. [7] The
meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of
the Nile, shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more. [8] The
fishermen shall lament, and all those who cast angle into the Nile shall
mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters shall languish. [9] Moreover
those who work in combed flax, and those who weave white cloth, shall be
confounded. [10] The pillars [of Egypt] shall be broken in pieces; all
those who work for hire [shall be] grieved in soul. [11] The princes of
Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh
is become brutish: how say you to Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the
son of ancient kings? [12] Where then are your wise men? and let them tell
you now; and let them know what Yahweh of Hosts has purposed concerning
Egypt. [13] The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Memphis
are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, who are the corner-stone
of her tribes. [14] Yahweh has mingled a spirit of perverseness in the
midst of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in every work of it,
as a drunken man staggers in his vomit. [15] Neither shall there be for
Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm-branch or rush, may do. [16] In
that day shall the Egyptians be like women; and they shall tremble and fear
because of the shaking of the hand of Yahweh of Hosts, which he shakes over
them. [17] The land of Judah shall become a terror to Egypt; everyone to
whom mention is made of it shall be afraid, because of the purpose of
Yahweh of Hosts, which he purposes against it. [18] In that day there shall
be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and
swear to Yahweh of hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction. [19]
In that day shall there be an altar to Yahweh in the midst of the land of
Egypt, and a pillar at the border of it to Yahweh. [20] It shall be for a
sign and for a witness to Yahweh of Hosts in the land of Egypt; for they
shall cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior,
and a defender, and he will deliver them. [21] Yahweh shall be known to
Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Yahweh in that day; yes, they shall
worship with sacrifice and offering, and shall vow a vow to Yahweh, and
shall perform it. [22] Yahweh will strike Egypt, smiting and healing; and
they shall return to Yahweh, and he will be entreated of them, and will
heal them. [23] In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to
Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into
Assyria; and the Egyptians shall worship with the Assyrians. [24] In that
day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in
the midst of the earth; [25] because Yahweh of Hosts has blessed them,
saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and
Israel my inheritance.
