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12 I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human to animal, and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.(A)

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12 “On that same night I will pass through(A) Egypt and strike down(B) every firstborn(C) of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods(D) of Egypt. I am the Lord.(E)

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10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.(A)

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10 He mounted the cherubim(A) and flew;
    he soared(B) on the wings of the wind.(C)

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    you set the beams of your[a] chambers on the waters;
you make the clouds your[b] chariot;
    you ride on the wings of the wind;(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 104.3 Heb his
  2. 104.3 Heb his

    and lays the beams(A) of his upper chambers on their waters.(B)
He makes the clouds(C) his chariot(D)
    and rides on the wings of the wind.(E)

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Proclamation against Babylon

13 The oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw.(A)

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12 “I shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive, and he shall pick clean the land of Egypt as a shepherd picks his cloak clean of vermin, and he shall depart from there safely.(A)

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12 He will set fire(A) to the temples(B) of the gods(C) of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive.(D) As a shepherd picks(E) his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart.

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Babylonia Will Strike Egypt

13 The word that the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:(A)

14 Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol;
    proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes;
Say, “Take your stations and be ready,
    for the sword shall devour those around you.”(B)
15 Why has Apis[a] fled?
    Why did your bull not stand?
    Because the Lord thrust him down.
16 Your multitude stumbled[b] and fell,
    and one said to another,
“Come, let us go back to our own people
    and to the land of our birth,
    because of the destroying sword.”(C)
17 Give Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the name
    “Braggart who missed his chance.”(D)

18 As I live, says the King,
    whose name is the Lord of hosts,
one is coming
    like Tabor among the mountains
    and like Carmel by the sea.(E)
19 Pack your bags for exile,
    sheltered daughter Egypt!
For Memphis shall become a waste,
    a ruin, without inhabitant.(F)

20 A beautiful heifer is Egypt—
    a gadfly from the north lights upon her.(G)
21 Even her mercenaries in her midst
    are like fatted calves;
they, too, have turned and fled together;
    they did not stand,
for the day of their calamity has come upon them,
    the time of their punishment.(H)

22 She makes a sound like a snake gliding away,
    for her enemies march in force
and come against her with axes,
    like those who fell trees.(I)
23 They shall cut down her forest,
            says the Lord,
    though it is impenetrable,
because they are more numerous
    than locusts;
    they are without number.(J)
24 Daughter Egypt shall be put to shame;
    she shall be handed over to a people from the north.(K)

25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: See, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes and Pharaoh and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him.(L) 26 I will hand them over to those who seek their life, to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and his servants. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, says the Lord.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 46.15 Gk: Heb mighty ones
  2. 46.16 Gk: Heb the stumblers multiplied

13 This is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon(A) to attack Egypt:(B)

14 “Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol;
    proclaim it also in Memphis(C) and Tahpanhes:(D)
‘Take your positions and get ready,
    for the sword devours(E) those around you.’
15 Why will your warriors be laid low?
    They cannot stand, for the Lord will push them down.(F)
16 They will stumble(G) repeatedly;
    they will fall(H) over each other.
They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back
    to our own people(I) and our native lands,
    away from the sword of the oppressor.’(J)
17 There they will exclaim,
    ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise;(K)
    he has missed his opportunity.(L)

18 “As surely as I live,” declares the King,(M)
    whose name is the Lord Almighty,
“one will come who is like Tabor(N) among the mountains,
    like Carmel(O) by the sea.
19 Pack your belongings for exile,(P)
    you who live in Egypt,
for Memphis(Q) will be laid waste(R)
    and lie in ruins without inhabitant.

20 “Egypt is a beautiful heifer,
    but a gadfly is coming
    against her from the north.(S)
21 The mercenaries(T) in her ranks
    are like fattened calves.(U)
They too will turn and flee(V) together,
    they will not stand their ground,
for the day(W) of disaster is coming upon them,
    the time(X) for them to be punished.
22 Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent
    as the enemy advances in force;
they will come against her with axes,
    like men who cut down trees.(Y)
23 They will chop down her forest,”
declares the Lord,
    “dense though it be.
They are more numerous than locusts,(Z)
    they cannot be counted.
24 Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,
    given into the hands of the people of the north.(AA)

25 The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes,(AB) on Pharaoh,(AC) on Egypt and her gods(AD) and her kings, and on those who rely(AE) on Pharaoh. 26 I will give them into the hands(AF) of those who want to kill them—Nebuchadnezzar king(AG) of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited(AH) as in times past,” declares the Lord.

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Proclamation against Egypt

29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt;(A) speak and say: Thus says the Lord God:

I am against you,
    Pharaoh king of Egypt,
the great dragon sprawling
    in the midst of its channels,
saying, “My Nile is my own;
    I made it for myself.”(B)
I will put hooks in your jaws
    and make the fish of your channels stick to your scales.
I will draw you up from your channels,
    with all the fish of your channels
    sticking to your scales.(C)
I will fling you into the wilderness,
    you and all the fish of your channels;
you shall fall in the open field
    and not be gathered or picked up.
To the animals of the earth and to the birds of the air
    I have given you as food.(D)
Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know
    that I am the Lord,
because you[a] were a staff of reed
    to the house of Israel;(E)
when they grasped you with the hand, you broke
    and tore all their shoulders,
and when they leaned on you, you broke
    and made all their legs give way.[b](F)

Therefore, thus says the Lord God: I will bring a sword upon you and will cut off from you human and animal,(G) and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.

Because you[c] said, “The Nile is mine, and I made it,” 10 therefore, I am against you and against your channels, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Cush.(H) 11 No human foot shall pass through it, and no animal foot shall pass through it; it shall be uninhabited forty years.(I) 12 I will make the land of Egypt a desolation among desolated countries, and her cities shall be a desolation forty years among cities that are laid waste. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the countries.(J)

13 Further, thus says the Lord God: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered,(K) 14 and I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom. 15 It shall be the most lowly of the kingdoms and never again exalt itself above the nations, and I will make them so small that they will never again rule over the nations. 16 The Egyptians[d] shall never again be the reliance of the house of Israel; they will recall their iniquity when they turned to them for aid. Then they shall know that I am the Lord God.(L)

Babylonia Will Plunder Egypt

17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 18 Mortal, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre; every head was made bald and every shoulder was rubbed bare, yet neither he nor his army got anything from Tyre to pay for the labor that he had expended against it.(M) 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, and he shall carry off its wealth and despoil it and plunder it, and it shall be the wages for his army.(N) 20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me, says the Lord God.(O)

21 On that day I will cause a horn to sprout up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.(P)

Footnotes

  1. 29.6 Gk Syr Vg: Heb they
  2. 29.7 Syr: Heb stand
  3. 29.9 Gk Syr Vg: Heb he
  4. 29.16 Heb It

A Prophecy Against Egypt

Judgment on Pharaoh

29 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) 10 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) 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.(X) 12 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)

13 “‘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. 14 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) 15 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. 16 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

17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(AI) 18 “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. 19 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) 20 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)

21 “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)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 29:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Vulgate); Hebrew and you caused their backs to stand
  2. Ezekiel 29:10 That is, the upper Nile region
  3. Ezekiel 29:21 Horn here symbolizes strength.

Lamentation for Egypt

30 The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, prophesy, and say: Thus says the Lord God:

Wail, “Alas for the day!”(A)
    For a day is near,
    the day of the Lord is near;
it will be a day of clouds,
    a time of doom[a] for the nations.(B)
A sword shall come upon Egypt,
    and anguish shall be in Cush,
when the slain fall in Egypt,
    and its wealth is carried away,
    and its foundations are torn down.(C)

Cush and Put and Lud and all the mixed populations and Libya[b] and the people of the allied land[c] shall fall with them by the sword.(D)

Thus says the Lord:
Those who support Egypt shall fall,
    and its proud might shall come down;
from Migdol to Syene
    they shall fall within it by the sword,
says the Lord God.(E)
They shall be desolated among other desolated countries,
    and their cities shall lie among cities laid waste.(F)
Then they shall know that I am the Lord,
    when I have set fire to Egypt,
    and all who help it are broken.(G)

On that day, messengers shall go out from me in ships to terrify the secure Cushites, and anguish shall come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom,[d] for it is coming!(H)

10 Thus says the Lord God:

I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt,
    by the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon.(I)
11 He and his people with him, the most terrible of the nations,
    shall be brought in to destroy the land,
and they shall draw their swords against Egypt
    and fill the land with the slain.(J)
12 I will dry up the channels of the Nile
    and will sell the land into the hand of evildoers;
I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it
    by the hand of foreigners;
I the Lord have spoken.(K)

13 Thus says the Lord God:

I will destroy the idols
    and put an end to the images in Memphis;
there shall no longer be a prince in the land of Egypt,
    so I will put fear in the land of Egypt.(L)
14 I will make Pathros a desolation
    and will set fire to Zoan
    and will execute acts of judgment on Thebes.(M)
15 I will pour my wrath upon Pelusium,
    the stronghold of Egypt,
    and will cut off the hordes of Thebes.(N)
16 I will set fire to Egypt;
    Pelusium shall be in great agony;
Thebes shall be breached
    and Memphis face adversaries by day.
17 The young men of On and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword,
    and the cities themselves[e] shall go into captivity.
18 At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark,
    when I break there the dominion of Egypt,
and its proud might shall come to an end;
    the city[f] shall be covered by a cloud,
    and its daughter towns shall go into captivity.(O)
19 Thus I will execute acts of judgment on Egypt.
    Then they shall know that I am the Lord.(P)

Proclamation against Pharaoh

20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 21 Mortal, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; it has not been bound up for healing or wrapped with a bandage, so that it may become strong to wield the sword.(Q) 22 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken, and I will make the sword fall from his hand.(R) 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.(S) 24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him with the groans of one mortally wounded.(T) 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. And they shall know that I am the Lord when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall stretch it out against the land of Egypt,(U) 26 and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 30.3 Heb lacks of doom
  2. 30.5 Compare Gk Syr Vg: Heb Cub
  3. 30.5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 30.9 Heb the day of Egypt
  5. 30.17 Heb and they
  6. 30.18 Heb she

A Lament Over Egypt

30 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)

10 “‘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)
11 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)
12 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.

13 “‘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.
14 I will lay(AB) waste Upper Egypt,
    set fire to Zoan(AC)
    and inflict punishment on Thebes.(AD)
15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
    the stronghold of Egypt,
    and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.
16 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.
17 The young men of Heliopolis(AG) and Bubastis
    will fall by the sword,
    and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
18 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)
19 So I will inflict punishment(AK) on Egypt,
    and they will know that I am the Lord.’”

Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:(AL) 21 “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. 22 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) 23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(AR) 24 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. 25 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) 26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 30:4 That is, the upper Nile region; also in verses 5 and 9