New Living Translation

1 This is another message that came to me from the LORD: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and give this message from the Sovereign LORD: “Weep and wail<br>for that day,<br> 3 for the terrible day is almost here —<br>the day of the LORD!<br>It is a day of clouds and gloom,<br>a day of despair for the nations.<br> 4 A sword will come against Egypt,<br>and those who are slaughtered will cover the ground.<br>Its wealth will be carried away<br>and its foundations destroyed.<br>The land of Ethiopia will be ravished.<br> 5 Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all Arabia,<br>and all their other allies<br>will be destroyed in that war.<br> 6 “For this is what the LORD says:<br>All of Egypt’s allies will fall,<br>and the pride of her power will end.<br>From Migdol to Aswan<br>they will be slaughtered by the sword,<br>says the Sovereign LORD.<br> 7 Egypt will be desolate,<br>surrounded by desolate nations,<br>and its cities will be in ruins,<br>surrounded by other ruined cities.<br> 8 And the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD<br>when I have set Egypt on fire<br>and destroyed all their allies.<br> 9 At that time I will send swift messengers in ships<br>to terrify the complacent Ethiopians.<br>Great panic will come upon them<br>on that day of Egypt’s certain destruction.<br>Watch for it!<br>It is sure to come!<br> 10 “For this is what the Sovereign LORD says:<br>By the power of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,<br>I will destroy the hordes of Egypt.<br> 11 He and his armies — the most ruthless of all —<br>will be sent to demolish the land.<br>They will make war against Egypt<br>until slaughtered Egyptians cover the ground.<br> 12 I will dry up the Nile River<br>and sell the land to wicked men.<br>I will destroy the land of Egypt and everything in it<br>by the hands of foreigners.<br>I, the LORD, have spoken!<br> 13 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says:<br>I will smash the idols of Egypt<br>and the images at Memphis.<br>There will be no rulers left in Egypt;<br>terror will sweep the land.<br> 14 I will destroy southern Egypt,<br>set fire to Zoan,<br>and bring judgment against Thebes.<br> 15 I will pour out my fury on Pelusium,<br>the strongest fortress of Egypt,<br>and I will stamp out<br>the hordes of Thebes.<br> 16 Yes, I will set fire to all Egypt!<br>Pelusium will be racked with pain;<br>Thebes will be torn apart;<br>Memphis will live in constant terror.<br> 17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will die in battle,<br>and the women will be taken away as slaves.<br> 18 When I come to break the proud strength of Egypt,<br>it will be a dark day for Tahpanhes, too.<br>A dark cloud will cover Tahpanhes,<br>and its daughters will be led away as captives.<br> 19 And so I will greatly punish Egypt,<br>and they will know that I am the LORD.”<br> 20 On April 29, during the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the LORD: 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. His arm has not been put in a cast so that it may heal. Neither has it been bound up with a splint to make it strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am the enemy of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt! I will break both of his arms — the good arm along with the broken one — and I will make his sword clatter to the ground. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians to many lands throughout the world. 24 I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he will lie there mortally wounded, groaning in pain. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, while the arms of Pharaoh fall useless to his sides. And when I put my sword in the hand of Babylon’s king and he brings it against the land of Egypt, Egypt will know that I am the LORD. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, dispersing them throughout the earth. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”