In the tenth year, on the twelfth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says:
Behold, I am against you,O Pharaoh king of Egypt,O great monster who liesamong his rivers,who says, ‘The Nile is mine;I made it myself.’
But I will put hooks in your jawsand cause the fish of your streamsto cling to your scales.I will haul you up out of your rivers,and all the fish of your streamswill cling to your scales.I will leave you in the desert,you and all the fish of your streams.You will fall on the open fieldand will not be taken awayor gathered for burial.I have given you as foodto the beasts of the earthand the birds of the air.Then all the people of Egyptwill know that I am the LORD.
For you were only a staff of reedsto the house of Israel.When Israel took hold of you with their hands,you splintered, tearing all their shoulders;when they leaned on you,you broke, and their backs were wrenched.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will bring a sword against you and cut off from you man and beast. The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the LORD.
Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it,’ therefore I am against you and against your rivers. I will turn the land of Egypt into a ruin, a desolate wasteland from Migdol to Syene, and as far as the border of Cush. No foot of man or beast will pass through, and it will be uninhabited for forty years.
I will make the land of Egypt a desolation among desolate lands, and her cities will lie desolate for forty years among the ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.
For this is what the Lord GOD says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations to which they were scattered. I will restore Egypt from captivity and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin. There they will be a lowly kingdom.
Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the nations. For I will diminish Egypt so that it will never again rule over the nations. Egypt will never again be an object of trust for the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity in turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”
In the twenty-seventh year, on the first day of the first month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder made raw. But he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the labor they expended on it.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will carry off its wealth, seize its spoil, and remove its plunder. This will be the wages for his army. I have given him the land of Egypt as the reward for his labor, because it was done for me, declares the Lord GOD.
In that day I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel, and I will open your mouth to speak among them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says:
Wail, ‘Alasfor that day!’For the day is near,the Day of the LORD is near.It will be a day of clouds,a time of doom for the nations.
A sword will come against Egypt,and there will be anguish in Cushwhen the slain fall in Egypt,its wealth is taken away,and its foundations are torn down.Cush, Put, and Lud,and all the various peoples,as well as Libya and the men of the covenant land,will fall with Egypt by the sword.
For this is what the LORD says:
The allies of Egypt will fall,and her proud strength will collapse.From Migdol to Syenethey will fall by the sword within her,declares the Lord GOD.They will be desolate among desolate lands,and their cities will lie among ruined cities.
Then they will know that I am the LORDwhen I set fire to Egyptand all her helpers are shattered.
On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of complacency. Anguish will come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom. For it is indeed coming.
This is what the Lord GOD says:
I will put an end to the hordes of Egyptby the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.He and his people with him,the most ruthless of the nations,will be brought in to destroy the land.They will draw their swords against Egyptand fill the land with the slain.I will make the streams dry upand sell the land to the wicked.By the hands of foreigners I will bring desolationupon the land and everything in it.I, the LORD, have spoken.
This is what the Lord GOD says:
I will destroy the idolsand put an end to the images in Memphis.There will no longer be a prince in Egypt,and I will instill fear in that land.
I will lay waste Pathros,set fire to Zoan,and execute judgment on Thebes.I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,the stronghold of Egypt,and cut off the crowds of Thebes.I will set fire to Egypt,Pelusium will writhe in anguish,Thebes will be split open,and Memphis will face daily distress.
The young men of On and Pi-besethwill fall by the sword,and those cities will go into captivity.The day will be darkened in Tahpanheswhen I break the yoke of Egyptand her proud strength comes to an end.A cloud will cover her,and her daughters will go into captivity.
So I will execute judgment on Egypt,and they will know that I am the LORD.”
In the eleventh year, on the seventh day of the first month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. See, it has not been bound up for healing, or splinted for strength to hold the sword.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong one and the one already broken, and will make the sword fall from his hand. I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.
I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and place my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, who will groan before him like a mortally wounded man. I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall limp.
Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I place my sword in the hand of Babylon’s king, and he wields it against the land of Egypt. I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
In the eleventh year, on the first day of the third month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude:
‘Who can be comparedto your greatness?Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon,with beautiful branches that shaded the forest.It towered on high;its top was among the clouds.The waters made it grow;the deep springs made it tall,directing their streams all around its baseand sending their channels to all the trees of the field.
Therefore it towered higherthan all the trees of the field.Its branches multiplied,and its boughs grew longas it spread them outbecause of the abundant waters.All the birds of the airnested in its branches,and all the beasts of the fieldgave birth beneath its boughs;all the great nationslived in its shade.
It was beautiful in its greatness,in the length of its limbs,for its roots extendedto abundant waters.The cedars in the garden of Godcould not rival it;the cypresses could not compare with its branches,nor the plane trees match its boughs.No tree in the garden of Godcould compare with its beauty.I made it beautiful with its many branches,the envy of all the trees of Eden,which were in the garden of God.’
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Since it became great in height and set its top among the clouds, and it grew proud on account of its height, I delivered it into the hand of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with it according to its wickedness. I have banished it.
Foreigners, the most ruthless of the nations, cut it down and left it. Its branches have fallen on the mountains and in every valley; its boughs lay broken in all the earth’s ravines. And all the peoples of the earth left its shade and abandoned it.
All the birds of the air nested on its fallen trunk, and all the beasts of the field lived among its boughs. This happened so that no other trees by the waters would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the depths of the earth, among the mortals who descend to the Pit.’
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘On the day it was brought down to Sheol, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it; I held back its rivers; its abundant waters were restrained. I made Lebanon mourn for it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it. I made the nations quake at the sound of its downfall, when I cast it down to Sheol with those who descend to the Pit.
Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below. They too descended with it to Sheol, to those slain by the sword. As its allies they had lived in its shade among the nations.
Who then is like you in glory and greatness among the trees of Eden? You also will be brought down to the depths of the earth to be with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord GOD.’ ”
In the twelfth year, on the first day of the twelfth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:
‘You are like a lion among the nations;you are like a monster in the seas.You thrash about in your rivers,churning up the waters with your feetand muddying the streams.’
This is what the Lord GOD says:
‘I will spread my net over youwith a company of many peoples,and they will draw you up in my net.I will abandon you on the landand hurl you into the open field.I will cause all the birds of the airto settle upon you,and all the beasts of the earthto eat their fill of you.I will put your flesh on the mountainsand fill the valleys with your remains.I will drench the landwith the flow of your blood,all the way to the mountains—the ravines will be filled.
When I extinguish you,I will cover the heavensand darken their stars.I will cover the sun with a cloud,and the moon will not give its light.All the shining lights in the heavensI will darken over you,and I will bring darknessupon your land,’declares the Lord GOD.‘I will trouble the hearts of many peoples,when I bring about your destruction among the nations,in countries you do not know.I will cause many peoplesto be appalled over you,and their kings will shudder in horror because of youwhen I brandish my sword before them.On the day of your downfalleach of them will trembleevery moment for his life.’
For this is what the Lord GOD says:
‘The sword of the king of Babylonwill come against you!I will make your hordes fallby the swords of the mighty,the most ruthless of all nations.They will ravage the pride of Egyptand all her multitudes will be destroyed.I will slaughter all her cattlebeside the abundant waters.No human foot will muddy them again,and no cattle hooves will disturb them.Then I will let her waters settleand will make her rivers flow like oil,’declares the Lord GOD.‘When I make the land of Egypt a desolationand empty it of all that filled it,when I strike down all who live there,then they will know that I am the LORD.’
This is the lament they will chant for her; the daughters of the nations will chant it. Over Egypt and all her multitudes they will chant it, declares the Lord GOD.”
In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and consign her and the daughters of the mighty nations to the depths of the earth with those who descend to the Pit:
Whom do you surpass in beauty?Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised!They will fall among those slain by the sword.The sword is appointed!Let them drag her awayalong with all her multitudes.
Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheolabout Egypt and her allies:‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised,with those slain by the sword.’
Assyria is there with her whole company;her graves are all around her.All of them are slain,fallen by the sword.Her graves are set in the depths of the Pit,and her company is all around her grave.All of them are slain,fallen by the sword—those who once spread terrorin the land of the living.
Elam is therewith all her multitudes around her grave.All of them are slain,fallen by the sword—those who went down uncircumcisedto the earth below,who once spread their terrorin the land of the living.They bear their disgracewith those who descend to the Pit.Among the slain they preparea resting place for Elamwith all her hordes,with her graves all around her.All of them are uncircumcised,slain by the sword,although their terror was once spreadin the land of the living.They bear their disgracewith those who descend to the Pit.They are placed among the slain.
Meshech and Tubal are therewith all their multitudes,with their graves all around them.All of them are uncircumcised,slain by the sword,because they spread their terrorin the land of the living.They do not lie downwith the fallen warriors of old,who went down to Sheolwith their weapons of war,whose swords were placed under their heads,whose shields rested on their bones,although the terror of the mightywas once in the land of the living.But you too will be shatteredand lie down among the uncircumcised,with those slain by the sword.
Edom is there,and all her kings and princes,who despite their mightare laid among those slain by the sword.They lie down with the uncircumcised,with those who descend to the Pit.
All the leaders of the northand all the Sidonians are there;they went down in disgrace with the slain,despite the terror of their might.They lie uncircumcisedwith those slain by the swordand bear their shamewith those who descend to the Pit.
Pharaoh will see themand be comforted over all his multitude—Pharaoh and all his army,slain by the sword,declares the Lord GOD.For I will spread my terrorin the land of the living,so that Pharaoh and all his multitudewill be laid to rest among the uncircumcised,with those slain by the sword,declares the Lord GOD.”