The Worthless Treaty with Egypt

1Wo to the rebellious children, sayth the Lord, that take counsell, but not of me, and couer with a couering, but not by my spirit, that they may lay sinne vpon sinne:

2Which walke forth to goe downe into Egypt (and haue not asked at my mouth) to strengthen them selues with the strength of Pharaoh, and trust in the shadowe of Egypt.

3But the strength of Pharaoh shalbe your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

4For his princes were at Zoan, and his Ambassadours came vnto Hanes.

5They shalbe all ashamed of the people that cannot profite them, nor helpe nor doe them good, but shalbe a shame and also a reproche.

6The burden of the beasts of the South, in a land of trouble and anguish, from whence shall come the yong and olde lyon, the viper and fierie flying serpent against them that shall beare their riches vpon the shoulders of the coltes, and their treasures vpon the bounches of the camels, to a people that cannot profite.

7For the Egyptians are vanitie, & they shall helpe in vaine. Therefore haue I cried vnto her, Their strength is to sit still.

8Now go, and write it before them in a table, and note it in a booke that it may be for the last day for euer and euer:

9That it is a rebellious people, lying children, and children that would not heare the law of the Lord.

10Which say vnto the Seers, See not: and to the Prophets, Prophecie not vnto vs right things: but speake flattering things vnto vs: prophecie errours.

11Depart out of the way: go aside out of the path: cause the holy one of Israel to cease fro vs.

12Therefoe thus saith the holy one of Israel, Because you haue cast off this worde, and trust in violence, and wickednes, and stay thereupon,

13Therefore this iniquitie shalbe vnto you as a breach that falleth, or a swelling in an hie wall, whose breaking commeth suddenly in a moment.

14And the breaking thereof is like the breaking of a potters pot, which is broken without pitie, and in the breaking thereof is not found a sheard to take fire out of the hearth, or to take water out of the pit.

15For thus sayd the Lorde God, the Holy one of Israel, In rest and quietnes shall ye be saued: in quietnes and in confidence shall be your strength, but ye would not.

16For ye haue sayd, No, but we wil flee away vpon horses. Therefore shall ye flee. We will ride vpon the swiftest. Therefore shall your persecuters be swifter.

17A thousand as one shall flee at the rebuke of one: at the rebuke of fiue shall ye flee, till ye be left as a ship maste vpon the top of a mountaine, and as a beaken vpon an hill.

God Will Be Gracious

18Yet therefore will the Lord waite, that he may haue mercy vpon you, and therefore wil he be exalted, that hee may haue compassion vpon you: for the Lorde is the God of iudgement. Blessed are all they that waite for him.

19Surely a people shal dwell in Zion, and in Ierusalem: thou shalt weepe no more: he wil certainly haue mercy vpon thee at the voyce of thy crye: when he heareth thee, he wil answere thee. 20And when the Lorde hath giuen you the bread of aduersitie, and the water of affliction, thy raine shalbe no more kept backe, but thine eyes shall see thy raine. 21And thine eares shal heare a worde behind thee, saying, This is the way, walke ye in it, when thou turnest to the right hand, & when thou turnest to the left. 22And ye shall pollute the couering of the images of siluer, and the riche ornament of thine images of golde, and cast them away as a menstruous cloth, and thou shalt say vnto it, Get thee hence.

23Then shall hee giue raine vnto thy seede, when thou shalt sowe the ground, and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shalbe fat and as oyle: in that day shall thy cattell be fed in large pastures. 24The oxen also and the yong asses, that till the ground, shall eate cleane prouender, which is winowed with the shoouel and with the fanne. 25And vpon euery hie mountaine, and vpon euery hie hill shal there be riuers and streames of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers shall fall. 26Moreouer, the light of the moone shall be as the light of the sunne, and the light of the sunne shalbe seuen folde, and like the light of seuen dayes in the day that the Lord shall binde vp the breach of his people, and heale the stroke of their wound.

27Beholde, the Name of the Lorde commeth from farre, his face is burning, & the burden thereof is heauy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue is as a deuouring fire.

28And his spirit is as a riuer that ouerfloweth vp to the necke: it deuideth asunder, to fanne the nations with the fanne of vanitie, and there shall be a bridle to cause them to erre in the chawes of the people.

29But there shall be a song vnto you as in the night, when solemne feast is kept: and gladnes of heart, as he that commeth with a pipe to goe vnto the mount of the Lord, to the mightie one of Israel.

30And the Lorde shall cause his glorious voyce to be heard, and shall declare the lighting downe of his arme with the anger of his countenance, and flame of a deuouring fire, with scattering and tempest, and hailestones.

31For with the voyce of the Lord shal Asshur be destroyed, which smote with the rod.

32And in euery place that ye staffe shal passe, it shall cleaue fast, which the Lord shall lay vpon him with tabrets & harpes: and with battels, and lifting vp of hands shall he fight against it.

33For Tophet is prepared of olde: it is euen prepared for the King: hee hath made it deepe and large: the burning thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the Lord, like a riuer of brimstone, doeth kindle it.