| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Here is a message about Egypt: Look, the LORD rides on a swift-moving cloud and approaches Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him; the Egyptians lose their courage. | 1A prophecy against Egypt: See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear. |
| 2"I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, brothers will fight with each other, as will neighbors, cities, and kingdoms. | 2"I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian-- brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. |
| 3The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians. | 3The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists. |
| 4I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master; a powerful king will rule over them," says the sovereign master, the LORD who commands armies. | 4I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. |
| 5The water of the sea will be dried up, and the river will dry up and be empty. | 5The waters of the river will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and dry. |
| 6The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and then dry up; the bulrushes and reeds will decay, | 6The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up. The reeds and rushes will wither, |
| 7along with the plants by the mouth of the river. All the cultivated land near the river will turn to dust and be blown away. | 7also the plants along the Nile, at the mouth of the river. Every sown field along the Nile will become parched, will blow away and be no more. |
| 8The fishermen will mourn and lament, all those who cast a fishhook into the river, and those who spread out a net on the water's surface will grieve. | 8The fishermen will groan and lament, all who cast hooks into the Nile; those who throw nets on the water will pine away. |
| 9Those who make clothes from combed flax will be embarrassed; those who weave will turn pale. | 9Those who work with combed flax will despair, the weavers of fine linen will lose hope. |
| 10Those who make cloth will be demoralized; all the hired workers will be depressed. | 10The workers in cloth will be dejected, and all the wage earners will be sick at heart. |
| 11The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh's wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh, "I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?" | 11The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, "I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings"? |
| 12But where, oh where, are your wise men? Let them tell you, let them find out what the LORD who commands armies has planned for Egypt. | 12Where are your wise men now? Let them show you and make known what the LORD Almighty has planned against Egypt. |
| 13The officials of Zoan are fools, the officials of Memphis are misled; the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray. | 13The officials of Zoan have become fools, the leaders of Memphis are deceived; the cornerstones of her peoples have led Egypt astray. |
| 14The LORD has made them undiscerning; they lead Egypt astray in all she does, so that she is like a drunk sliding around in his own vomit. | 14The LORD has poured into them a spirit of dizziness; they make Egypt stagger in all that she does, as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit. |
| 15Egypt will not be able to do a thing, head or tail, shoots and stalk. | 15There is nothing Egypt can do-- head or tail, palm branch or reed. |
| 16At that time the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because the LORD who commands armies brandishes his fist against them. | 16In that day the Egyptians will become weaklings. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the LORD Almighty raises against them. |
| 17The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt. Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the LORD who commands armies is planning to do to them. | 17And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified, because of what the LORD Almighty is planning against them. |
| 18At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD who commands armies. One will be called the City of the Sun. | 18In that day five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD Almighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun. |
| 19At that time there will be an altar for the LORD in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar dedicated to the LORD at its border. | 19In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the LORD at its border. |
| 20It will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of the LORD who commands armies. When they cry out to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender who will rescue them. | 20It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. |
| 21The LORD will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge the LORD's authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and fulfill them. | 21So the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the LORD. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and keep them. |
| 22The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the LORD and he will listen to their prayers and heal them. | 22The LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them. |
| 23At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. | 23In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. |
| 24At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth. | 24In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. |
| 25The LORD who commands armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, "Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!" | 25The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance." |
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