The Day of the LORD

1Another message came to me from the LORD, who had this to say:

2“Son of Man, here’s what you are to prophesy and announce,

‘This is what the Lord GOD says:

“Wail out loud!

Oh no! The day!

3For comes now the day—

comes now the Day of the LORD,

the day of clouds!

The time of the gentilesa is fulfilled!b

4Warc will come to Egypt,

and Ethiopia will be in anguish

when the slain fall in Egypt,

when her wealth is carried off,

and her foundations are demolished.

5“Ethiopia,d Libya,e descendants off Lud,g all those who have mixed themselves,h and Libyai —along with everyone in the land of Israel who is in leaguej with them—will die violently.”’”k

Continued Judgment on Egypt

6“This is what the LORD says:

‘Those who are supporting Egypt will fall;

her majestic strength that she broughtl from the Aswanm fortress will collapse

by the sword that invades her,’

declares the Lord GOD.

7They’ll remain desolate among desolate lands,

their cities will be named among those that are ruined.

8They will know that I am the LORD

when I kindle my fire in Egypt

and all who help her are crushed.

9‘When that happens, couriers will go out in ships to terrify Ethiopian in its complacency. Anguish will visit them as it will visit Egypt. Watch out! It’s coming!’”

Foreigners will Invade Egypt

10“This is what the LORD says:

‘I’m putting an end to that gang from Egypt,

and I’m going to use King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, to do it!

11He and his ruthless army with him will be brought

to destroy the land.

They’ll draw their swords and attacko Egypt,

filling the land with the dead!

12I’ll dry up their waterways,

and evil men will sell off the land.

I’m going to make that land desolate,

along with everything that’s in it,

and I’m going to use foreigners to do it.

I, the LORD have spoken!’”

Destruction of Egypt’s Gods

13“This is what the Lord GOD says:

‘I will destroy the idols

and put an end to the images that come from Memphis.

There will no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt,

and I will terrify the land of Egypt.

14I’m going to turn Pathros into a desolation,

set fire to Zoan,p

and judge Thebes.q

15I’ll pour out my anger on Sin,r

Egypt’s strong fortress,

and I’ll eliminate the gangs in Thebes.

16I’ll set fire to Egypt,

and Aswans will writhe in agony.

Thebes will be demolished,

and Memphis will face daily distress.

17The young men of On and Pi-beseth will die violently,t

and their cities will be taken captive.

18It will be a dark day for Tahpanhes

when I break the yokes of Egypt.

That’s when her arrogant power will come to an end.

She’ll be covered by a cloud,

and her citizensu will go into captivity.

19I will judge Egypt,

and they will learn that I am the LORD.’”

Babylon’s Victory

20On the seventh day of the first month of the eleventh year of our captivity,v a message came to me from the LORD. It had this to say: 21“Son of Man, I’ve broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Look! It hasn’t been set in a splint for healing or wrapped with a bandage so it could be strong enough to hold a sword! 22Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says:

‘I’m coming to attack Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and I’m going to break both of his arms, the strong one and the wounded one. That will make him drop his sword. 23I’m going to scatter Egypt throughout the surroundingw nations and disperse them throughout the world. 24I’m going to strengthen the military mightx of the king of Babylon, put my own sword in his hand, and break Pharaoh’s strength.y Then Pharaohz will groan like a dying man right in front of the king of Babylon.aa 25When I strengthen the military might of Babylon, the military might of Pharaoh will fail, and then they will learn that I am the LORD when I place my own sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. He will attack the land of Egypt. 26When I scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the world, they will learn that I am the LORD.’”