A Prophecy against Pharaoh

1In the tenth year, on the twelfth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says:

Behold, I am against you,

O Pharaoh king of Egypt,

O great monster who lies

among his rivers,

who says, ‘The Nile is mine;

I made it myself.’

4But I will put hooks in your jaws

and cause the fish of your streams

to cling to your scales.

I will haul you up out of your rivers,

and all the fish of your streams

will cling to your scales.

5I will leave you in the desert,

you and all the fish of your streams.

You will fall on the open field

and will not be taken away

or gathered for burial.

I have given you as food

to the beasts of the earth

and the birds of the air.

6Then all the people of Egypt

will know that I am the LORD.

For you were only a staff of reeds

to the house of Israel.

7When Israel took hold of you with their hands,

you splintered, tearing all their shoulders;

when they leaned on you,

you broke, and their backs were wrenched.a

The Desolation of Egypt

8Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will bring a sword against you and cut off from you man and beast. 9The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it,’ 10therefore I am against you and against your rivers. I will turn the land of Egypt into a ruin, a desolate wasteland from Migdol to Syene, and as far as the border of Cush.b 11No foot of man or beast will pass through, and it will be uninhabited for forty years.

12I will make the land of Egypt a desolation among desolate lands, and her cities will lie desolate for forty years among the ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.

13For this is what the Lord GOD says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations to which they were scattered. 14I will restore Egypt from captivityc and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin. There they will be a lowly kingdom.

15Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the nations. For I will diminish Egypt so that it will never again rule over the nations. 16Egypt will never again be an object of trust for the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity in turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”

Egypt the Reward of Nebuchadnezzar

17In the twenty-seventh year, on the first day of the first month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder made raw. But he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the labor they expended on it.

19Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will carry off its wealth, seize its spoil, and remove its plunder. This will be the wages for his army. 20I have given him the land of Egypt as the reward for his labor, because it was done for Me, declares the Lord GOD.

21In that day I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel, and I will open your mouth to speak among them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”