1The message about Egypt. Look, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and he will come into Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before him, and the heart of Egypt will melt inside her.
2"I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians. They will fight, each one against his brother, and each one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom."
3"The spirit of Egypt will fail within her, and I will destroy her plans. They will go for help to the idols, and to those who whisper charms, and to those who have familiar spirits, and to the wizards."
4"I will hand the Egyptians over to a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them," says the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
5The waters will fail from the sea, and the river will run low and dry up.
6They will turn the rivers far away. The streams of Egypt will be emptied and dried up. The reeds and the rushes will wither.
7The paper reeds by the streams, by the mouth of the streams, and everything sown beside the streams, will wither, be blown away, and be gone.
8The fishermen also will mourn. All who throw a hook into the streams will weep, and those who spread nets on the water will grow weak.
9Those who work in fine flax, and those who weave white cloth, will be ashamed.
10All their plans will be broken, and so will all who make pools and ponds for fish.
11Surely the princes of Zoan are fools. The advice of Pharaoh's wise counsellors has become stupid. How can you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of wise men, the son of kings of long ago"?
12Where are they? Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now. Let them make known what the LORD of hosts has planned for Egypt.
13The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Noph are deceived. They have led Egypt astray, those very men who were the support of her tribes.
14The LORD has mixed a twisted spirit into her. They have made Egypt go wrong in everything she does, like a drunken man staggering in his own vomit.
15There will be no work that Egypt can do, neither head nor tail, neither branch nor reed.
16In that day Egypt will be like women. She will be afraid and tremble because the LORD of hosts shakes his hand over her.
17The land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt. Everyone who hears its name mentioned will be afraid, because of the plan the LORD of hosts has decided against her.
18In 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 them will be called The City of Destruction.
19In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.
20It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of those who oppress them, he will send them a saviour, a great one, and he will rescue them.
21The LORD will make himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day. They will bring sacrifices and offerings; yes, they will make vows to the LORD and keep them.
22The LORD will strike Egypt: he will strike her and heal her. They will turn back to the LORD, and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.
23In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship together with the Assyrians.
24In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the middle of the earth.
25The LORD of hosts will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance."