| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The burden against Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, And will come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst. | 1An oracle against Egypt: Look, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. Egypt's idols will tremble before Him, and Egypt's heart will melt within it. |
| 2“I will set Egyptians against Egyptians; Everyone will fight against his brother, And everyone against his neighbor, City against city, kingdom against kingdom. | 2I will provoke Egypt against Egypt; each will fight against his brother and each against his friend, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. |
| 3The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, And they will consult the idols and the charmers, The mediums and the sorcerers. | 3Egypt's spirit will be disturbed within it, and I will frustrate its plans. Then they will seek idols, ghosts, spirits of the dead, and spiritists. |
| 4And the Egyptians I will give Into the hand of a cruel master, And a fierce king will rule over them,” Says the Lord, the LORD of hosts. | 4I will deliver Egypt into the hands of harsh masters, and a strong king will rule it. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD of Hosts. |
| 5The waters will fail from the sea, And the river will be wasted and dried up. | 5The waters of the sea will dry up, and the river will be parched and dry. |
| 6The rivers will turn foul; The brooks of defense will be emptied and dried up; The reeds and rushes will wither. | 6The channels will stink; they will dwindle, and Egypt's canals will be parched. Reed and rush will die. |
| 7The papyrus reeds by the River, by the mouth of the River, And everything sown by the River, Will wither, be driven away, and be no more. | 7The reeds by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the cultivated areas of the Nile will wither, blow away, and vanish. |
| 8The fishermen also will mourn; All those will lament who cast hooks into the River, And they will languish who spread nets on the waters. | 8Then the fishermen will mourn. All those who cast hooks into the Nile will lament, and those who spread nets on the water will shrivel up. |
| 9Moreover those who work in fine flax And those who weave fine fabric will be ashamed; | 9Those who work with flax will be dismayed; the combers and weavers will turn pale. |
| 10And its foundations will be broken. All who make wages will be troubled of soul. | 10Egypt's weavers will be dejected; all her wage earners will be demoralized. |
| 11Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give foolish counsel. How do you say to Pharaoh, “I am the son of the wise, The son of ancient kings?” | 11The princes of Zoan are complete fools; Pharaoh's wisest advisers give stupid advice! How can you say to Pharaoh," I am one of the wise, a student of eastern kings"? |
| 12Where are they? Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now, And let them know what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt. | 12Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you and reveal what the LORD of Hosts has planned against Egypt. |
| 13The princes of Zoan have become fools; The princes of Noph are deceived; They have also deluded Egypt, Those who are the mainstay of its tribes. | 13The princes of Zoan have been fools; the princes of Memphis are deceived. Her tribal chieftains have led Egypt astray. |
| 14The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst; And they have caused Egypt to err in all her work, As a drunken man staggers in his vomit. | 14The LORD has mixed within her a spirit of confusion. The leaders have made Egypt stagger in all she does, as a drunkard staggers in his vomit. |
| 15Neither will there be any work for Egypt, Which the head or tail, Palm branch or bulrush, may do. | 15No head or tail, palm or reed, will be able to do anything for Egypt. |
| 16In that day Egypt will be like women, and will be afraid and fear because of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He waves over it. | 16On that day Egypt will be like women. She will tremble with fear because of the threatening hand of the LORD of Hosts when He raises it against her. |
| 17And the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt; everyone who makes mention of it will be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts which He has determined against it. | 17The land of Judah will terrify Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble because of what the LORD of Hosts has planned against it. |
| 18In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction. | 18On that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear loyalty to the LORD of Hosts. One of the cities will be called the City of the Sun. |
| 19In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. | 19On that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the center of the land of Egypt and a pillar to the LORD near her border. |
| 20And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them. | 20It will be a sign and witness to the LORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, He will send them a savior and leader, and he will rescue them. |
| 21Then the LORD will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the LORD and perform it. | 21The LORD will make Himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the LORD on that day. They will offer sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and fulfill them. |
| 22And the LORD will strike Egypt, He will strike and heal it; they will return to the LORD, and He will be entreated by them and heal them. | 22The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing. Then they will return to the LORD and He will hear their prayers and heal them. |
| 23In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. | 23On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will go to Egypt, Egypt to Assyria, and Egypt will worship with Assyria. |
| 24In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, | 24On that day Israel will form a triple alliance with Egypt and Assyria--a blessing within the land. |
| 25whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.” | 25The LORD of Hosts will bless them, saying, "Egypt My people, Assyria My handiwork, and Israel My inheritance are blessed." |
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