1 T he mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Egypt: Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.

¶ The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.

2 A nd I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will fight, every one against his brother and every one against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they shall fight each one against his brother, and each one against his neighbour; city against city and kingdom against kingdom.

3 A nd the spirit of the Egyptians within them will become exhausted and emptied out and will fail, and I will destroy their counsel and confound their plans; and they will seek counsel from the idols and the sorcerers, and from those having familiar spirits (the mediums) and the wizards.

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof, and I will destroy the counsel thereof; and they shall seek to the idols and to the charmers and to the spiritists and to the wizards.

4 A nd I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a hard and cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them, says the Lord, the Lord of hosts.

And I will give the Egyptians over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a violent king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of the hosts.

5 A nd the waters shall fail from the Nile, and the river shall be wasted and become dry.

And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.

6 A nd the rivers shall become foul, the streams and canals of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up, the reeds and the rushes shall wither and rot away.

And they shall turn the rivers far away, and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither.

7 T he meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile shall become dry, be blown away, and be no more.

The vegetables by the river, by the mouth of the river, and every thing sown beside the river shall dry up, wither away, and be no more.

8 T he fishermen will lament, and all who cast a hook into the Nile will mourn; and they who spread nets upon the waters will languish.

The fishermen also shall mourn, and all those that cast fishhooks into the river shall lament, and those that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.

9 M oreover, they who work with combed flax and they who weave white cloth will be confounded and in despair.

Moreover those that work in fine flax and those that weave networks shall be confounded.

10 t he pillars and foundations of Egypt will be crushed, and all those who work for hire or who build dams will be grieved.

Because all their nets shall be broken; all that make ponds to raise fish shall be discontented.

11 T he princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh has become witless (stupid). How can you say to Pharaoh, I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings?

Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; the counsel of the prudent counsellors of Pharaoh is become carnal; how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the ancient kings?

12 W here then are your wise men? Let them tell you now, and let them make known what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt.

Where are they? Where are thy wise men? Let them tell thee now, or let them cause thee to know what the LORD of the hosts has purposed upon Egypt.

13 T he princes of Zoan have become fools, and the princes of Memphis are confused and deceived; those who are the cornerstones of her tribes have led Egypt astray.

The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even those that are the stay of the tribes thereof.

14 T he Lord has mingled a spirit of perverseness, error, and confusion within her; have caused Egypt to stagger in all her doings, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in its midst, and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

15 N either can any work accomplish anything for Egypt, whether by head or tail, palm branch or rush.

Neither shall it be of any value unto Egypt, any work which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.

16 I n that day will the Egyptians be like women; and they will tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts which He shakes over them.

In that day Egypt shall be like unto women, and it shall be afraid and fear in the presence of the tall hand of the LORD of the hosts, which he shall raise up over them.

17 A nd the land of Judah shall become a terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom mention of it is made will be afraid and everyone who mentions it—to him will they turn in fear, because of the purpose of the Lord of hosts which He purposes against Egypt.

And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt; every one that makes mention of it shall be afraid in himself because of the counsel of the LORD of the hosts which he has determined against it.

18 I n that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of them will be called the City of the Sun or Destruction.

¶ In that day five cities in the land of Egypt shall speak the language of Canaan and swear to the LORD of the hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction.

19 I n 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.

In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pyramid titled “To the LORD” at the border thereof.

20 A nd it will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of oppressors, and He will send them a savior, even a mighty one, and he will deliver them.

And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of the hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a Saviour, and a Prince, and he shall deliver them.

21 A nd the Lord will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know (have knowledge of, be acquainted with, give heed to, and cherish) the Lord in that day and will worship with sacrifices of animal and vegetable offerings; they will vow a vow to the Lord and perform it.

And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day and shall do sacrifice and oblation; they shall vow vows unto the LORD and perform them.

22 A nd the Lord shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing it; and they will return to the Lord, and He will listen to their entreaties and heal them.

And the LORD shall smite Egypt; he shall smite and heal it because they shall become converted unto the LORD, and he shall grant them clemency and shall heal them.

23 I n that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

In that day there shall be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve the LORD with the Assyrians.

24 I n that day Israel shall be the third, with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,

In that day Israel shall be the third part with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the earth.

25 W hom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people and Assyria the work of My hands and Israel My heritage.

For the LORD of the hosts shall bless them, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.