Ezekiel

The Day of Egypt

The word of the Lord came to me:

Son of man, prophesy and say: This is the word of the Lord:

Wail, ‘Alas, the day is here!’ The day of the Lord is coming! It will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.

The sword is brought to strike Egypt and anguish will come to Cush. The slain will fall throughout Egypt; people will carry off its riches; and its foundations will be torn away.

Cush, Put and Lydia, all Arabia, Libya, and all the people of the covenant will fall by the sword.

This is the word of the Lord: “Those who support Egypt will fall; her proud power will crumble! From Migdal to Aswan, people will be killed, says the Lord.

They will be counted among abandoned lands, and her cities among ruined ones.

They will realize I am the Lord when I set fire to Egypt and when all her allies are defeated.

On that day, my messengers will depart in ships to shake the people of Cush out of their complacency. They will be in anguish on the day Egypt falls, for that day is approaching.

Thus says the Lord: I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt through Nebuchadnezzar,king of Babylon,

and his people with him, the most feared among the nations. For I will lead them here to destroy the land.They will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with victims.

I will dry up Egypt’s canals and hand over the country to the wicked.I will use the foreigner’s hand to turn the land and everything in it into a wasteland. I, the Lord, have spoken.

This is the word of the Lord: I will destroy the idols and wipe out the false gods in Memphis. No longer will there be a prince in the land of Egypt, and I will instill fear throughout the land.

I will turn Pathros into a wasteland, set fire to Zoan, and punish Thebes.

I will pour out my fury on Pelusium, Egypt’s fortress,and wipe out the crowds of Thebes.

I will set fire to Egypt; Pelusium will writhe in agony. They will enter Thebes through a breach and seize her by storm.

The young men of On and Pi-beseth will fall by the sword, and the women will be taken captive.

What a dark day it will be in Tahpanhes when I break Egypt’s leadership and destroy her arrogant strength! As for this city, a cloud will cover it, and her daughters will be taken captive.

I will punish Egypt, and they will know that I am the Lord.

On the seventh day of the first month of the eleventh year, the word of the Lord came to me:

Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. No one has treated it for healing or bandaged it to enable him to hold a sword.

That is why the Lord says: See, I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong one and the wounded one as well.

I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them in other lands.

I will strengthen the arm of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand; but as for Pharaoh, I will break his arms, making him moan like a mortally wounded man.

Yes, I will strengthen the arm of the king of Babylon but make Pharaoh’s arm limp. They will know I am the Lord when I place my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon.

I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them in other lands; and they will know that I am the Lord.”