1. The message about Egypt:Look, the Lord is coming on a fast cloud.He will enter Egypt.And the idols of Egypt will tremble before him.Egypt’s courage will melt away.
2. The Lord says, “I will cause the Egyptians to fight against themselves.Men will fight with their brothers.Neighbors will fight neighbors.Cities will fight cities.Kingdoms will fight kingdoms.
3. The Egyptians will be afraid.I will ruin their plans.They will ask their idols and spirits of the dead what they should do.They will ask their mediums and fortune-tellers.”
4. The Master, the Lord of heaven’s armies, says,“I will give Egypt to a hard master.A powerful king will rule over them.”
5. The sea will become dry.The water will disappear from the Nile River.
6. The canals will stink.The streams of Egypt will decrease and dry up.All the water plants will rot.
7. All the plants along the banks of the Nile will die.Even the planted fields by the Nilewill dry up, blow away and disappear.
8. The fishermen, all those who catch fish from the Nile,will groan and cry.Those who depend on the Nile for food will be sad.
9. All the people who make cloth from flax will be sad.Those who weave linen will lose hope.
10. Those who weave cloth will be broken.All those who work for money will be sad.
11. The officers of the city of Zoan are fools.The wise men who advise the king of Egypt give wrong advice.How can they say to him they are wise?How can they say they are from the old family of the kings?
12. Egypt, where are your wise men?Let them show youwhat the Lord of heaven’s armies has planned for Egypt.
13. The officers of Zoan have been fooled.The leaders of Memphis have believed false things.So the leaders of Egyptlead her the wrong way.
14. The Lord has made the leaders confused.They wander and lead Egypt in the wrong ways.They are like drunk people stumbling in their own vomit.
15. There is nothing Egypt can do.No one in Egypt can help.