1 T he burden of Egypt: “Behold, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt will melt within it.

The special word about Egypt: See, the Lord is traveling on a fast cloud and is coming to Egypt. The false gods of Egypt shake in fear before Him. The hearts of the Egyptians become weak.

2 I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they will fight everyone against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

“I will make Egyptians go against Egyptians. Each of them will fight against his brother, and each against his neighbor. City will fight against city, and nation against nation.

3 T he spirit of Egypt will fail within it. I will destroy its counsel. They will seek the idols, the charmers, those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards.

Then the spirit of the Egyptians will become weak within them. And I will bring their plans to nothing. They will go to false gods and spirits of the dead for help, and to those who speak with spirits of the dead and use their secret ways.

4 I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord. A fierce king will rule over them,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.

Then I will give the Egyptians into the hand of a bad ruler. An angry king will rule over them,” says the Lord God of All.

5 T he waters will fail from the sea, and the river will be wasted and become dry.

The waters of the sea will dry up. The river will become dry.

6 T he rivers will become foul. The streams of Egypt will be diminished and dried up. The reeds and flags will wither away.

Manmade rivers will smell bad. The small rivers of Egypt will dry up. And the plants by the rivers will waste away.

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

The grass by the side of the Nile and all that is planted by the Nile will become dry, will be driven away, and be no more.

8 T he fishermen will lament, and all those who fish in the Nile will mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters will languish.

The fishermen will cry in sorrow. All those who fish for a living in the Nile River will be filled with sorrow. And those who put out nets on its waters will become weak.

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

Those who make linen and white cloth will be very troubled.

10 T he pillars will be broken in pieces. All those who work for hire will be grieved in soul.

The pillars of Egypt will be crushed. All the able workmen will be filled with sorrow.

11 T he princes of Zoan are utterly foolish. The counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh has become stupid. How do you say to Pharaoh, “I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?”

The king’s sons of Zoan are very foolish. The words of Pharaoh’s wisest men are foolish words. How can you men say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of early kings”?

12 W here then are your wise men? Let them tell you now; and let them know what Yahweh of Armies has purposed concerning Egypt.

Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you. And let them understand what the Lord of All has planned against Egypt.

13 T he princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Memphis are deceived. They have caused Egypt to go astray, who are the cornerstone of her tribes.

The king’s sons of Zoan have become fools. The king’s sons of Memphis have been fooled. The heads of her family groups have led Egypt from the right way.

14 Y ahweh has mixed a spirit of perverseness in the middle of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in all of its works, like a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

The Lord has mixed a troubled spirit within her. They have led Egypt the wrong way in all that it does, as a drunk man walks from side to side in what he has spit up.

15 N either shall there be any work for Egypt, which head or tail, palm branch or rush, may do.

And there will be no work in Egypt and nothing can be done by anyone, its head or tail, its palm branch or river-grass. Good Will Come to Egypt, Assyria and Israel

16 I n that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the shaking of Yahweh of Armies’s hand, which he shakes over them.

In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will shake with fear because of the hand which the Lord of All is going to wave over them.

17 T he land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt. Everyone to whom mention is made of it will be afraid, because of the plans of Yahweh of Armies, which he determines against it.

The land of Judah will fill Egypt with fear. Whoever hears its name will be afraid of it, because of the plan which the Lord of All is making against them.

18 I n that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Yahweh of Armies. One will be called “The city of destruction.”

In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and promising to follow the Lord of All. One will be called the City of Destruction.

19 I n that day, there will be an altar to Yahweh in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Yahweh at its border.

In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the center of the land of Egypt, and an altar to the Lord by the side of its land.

20 I t will be for a sign and for a witness to Yahweh of Armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.

It will be something special to see, to make the Lord of All known in the land of Egypt. For they will cry to the Lord because of those who make it hard for them. And He will send a Powerful One to save them, and He will take them out of trouble.

21 Y ahweh will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Yahweh in that day. Yes, they will worship with sacrifice and offering, and will vow a vow to Yahweh, and will perform it.

The Lord will make Himself known to Egypt, and in that day the Egyptians will know the Lord. They will even worship with gifts on the altar. They will make promises to the Lord and keep them.

22 Y ahweh will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to Yahweh, and he will be entreated by them, and will heal them.

And the Lord will punish Egypt, but then He will heal them. So they will return to the Lord, and He will answer their prayers and heal them.

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

In that day there will be a road from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt, and the Egyptians will go to Assyria. The Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

24 I n that day, Israel will be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing within the earth;

In that day Israel will be the third country with Egypt and Assyria, a good and respected nation on the earth,

25 b ecause Yahweh of Armies has blessed them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

to whom the Lord of All has brought good, saying, “Good will come to Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My chosen people.”