Dual Panel1Egypt: an oracle. The LORD comes riding swiftly on a cloud, and he descends on Egypt; the idols of Egypt quail before him, Egypt's courage melts within her.
2I shall incite Egyptian against Egyptian, and they will fight one against another, neighbour against neighbour, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.
3Egypt's spirit will ebb away within her, and I shall throw her counsels into confusion. They will resort to idols and oracle-mongers, to ghosts and spirits,
4but I shall hand Egypt over to a hard master, and a fierce ruler will be king over them. This is the word of the Lord, the LORD of Hosts.
5The waters of the Nile will disappear, the river bed will be parched and dry,
6and its channels will give off a stench. Egypt's canals will fail altogether; reeds and rushes will wither away.
7The lotus beside the Nile and everything sown along the river will dry up; they will blow away and vanish.
8The fishermen will groan and lament; all who cast their hooks into the Nile and those who spread nets on the water will lose heart.
9The flax-dressers will be dejected, the women carding and the men weaving grow pale.
10Egypt's spinners will be downcast, and all her artisans sick at heart.
11The princes of Zoan are no better than fools; Pharaoh's wisest counsellors give stupid advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am descended from wise men; I spring from ancient kings”?
12Where are your wise men, Pharaoh, to teach you and make known to you what the LORD of Hosts has planned for Egypt?
13Zoan's princes are fooled, the princes of Noph are dupes; the chieftains of her clans have led Egypt astray.
14The LORD has infused into them a spirit that distorts their judgement; they make Egypt miss her way in all she does, as a vomiting drunkard will miss his footing.
15There will be nothing in Egypt that anyone can do, be they head or tail, palm-frond or reed.
16When that day comes the Egyptians will become weak as women; they will be terror-stricken when the LORD of Hosts raises his hand against them.
17The land of Judah will throw the Egyptians into panic; the very mention of its name will cause dismay, because of the plans that the LORD of Hosts has laid against them.
18When that day comes there will be five cities in Egypt speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to the LORD of Hosts, and one of them will be called the City of the Sun.
19When that day comes there will be an altar dedicated to the LORD in the heart of Egypt, and a sacred pillar set up for the LORD at her frontier.
20It will stand as a symbol and a reminder of the LORD of Hosts in Egypt; for they will appeal to him against their oppressors, and he will send a deliverer to champion their cause and come to their rescue.
21The LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians. They will acknowledge the LORD when that day comes; they will worship him with sacrifices and grain-offerings, make vows to him, and fulfil them.
22The LORD will strike down Egypt, and then bring healing; when they turn back to him he will respond to their prayers and heal them.
23When that day comes there will be a highway between Egypt and Assyria. The Assyrians will link up with Egypt and the Egyptians with Assyria, and Egyptians will worship with Assyrians.
24When that day comes Israel will rank as a third with Egypt and Assyria and be a blessing in the world.
25This is the blessing the LORD of Hosts will give: “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my possession.”