| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Here is a message about Egypt: Look, the LORD rides on a swift-moving cloud and approaches Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him; the Egyptians lose their courage. | 1This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them. |
| 2"I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, brothers will fight with each other, as will neighbors, cities, and kingdoms. | 2“So I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian; brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. |
| 3The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians. | 3Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists. |
| 4I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master; a powerful king will rule over them," says the sovereign master, the LORD who commands armies. | 4I will deliver the Egyptians into the hands of harsh masters, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts. |
| 5The water of the sea will be dried up, and the river will dry up and be empty. | 5The waters of the Nile will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and empty. |
| 6The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and then dry up; the bulrushes and reeds will decay, | 6The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither. |
| 7along with the plants by the mouth of the river. All the cultivated land near the river will turn to dust and be blown away. | 7The bulrushes by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the fields sown along the Nile, will wither, blow away, and be no more. |
| 8The fishermen will mourn and lament, all those who cast a fishhook into the river, and those who spread out a net on the water's surface will grieve. | 8Then the fishermen will mourn, all who cast a hook into the Nile will lament, and those who spread nets on the waters will pine away. |
| 9Those who make clothes from combed flax will be embarrassed; those who weave will turn pale. | 9The workers in flax will be dismayed, and the weavers of fine linen will turn pale. |
| 10Those who make cloth will be demoralized; all the hired workers will be depressed. | 10The workers in cloth will be dejected, and all the hired workers will be sick at heart. |
| 11The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh's wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh, "I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?" | 11The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”? |
| 12But where, oh where, are your wise men? Let them tell you, let them find out what the LORD who commands armies has planned for Egypt. | 12Where are your wise men now? Let them tell you and reveal what the LORD of Hosts has planned against Egypt. |
| 13The officials of Zoan are fools, the officials of Memphis are misled; the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray. | 13The princes of Zoan have become fools; the princes of Memphis are deceived. The cornerstones of her tribes have led Egypt astray. |
| 14The LORD has made them undiscerning; they lead Egypt astray in all she does, so that she is like a drunk sliding around in his own vomit. | 14The LORD has poured into her a spirit of confusion. Egypt has been led astray in all she does, as a drunkard staggers through his own vomit. |
| 15Egypt will not be able to do a thing, head or tail, shoots and stalk. | 15There is nothing Egypt can do—head or tail, palm or reed. |
| 16At that time the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because the LORD who commands armies brandishes his fist against them. | 16In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble with fear beneath the uplifted hand of the LORD of Hosts, when He brandishes it against them. |
| 17The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt. Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the LORD who commands armies is planning to do to them. | 17The land of Judah will bring terror to Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble over what the LORD of Hosts has planned against it. |
| 18At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD who commands armies. One will be called the City of the Sun. | 18In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of Hosts. One of them will be called the City of the Sun. |
| 19At that time there will be an altar for the LORD in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar dedicated to the LORD at its border. | 19In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the center of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD near her border. |
| 20It will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of the LORD who commands armies. When they cry out to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender who will rescue them. | 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 their oppressors, He will send them a savior and defender to rescue them. |
| 21The LORD will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge the LORD's authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and fulfill them. | 21The LORD will make Himself known to Egypt, and on that day Egypt will acknowledge the LORD. They will worship with sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and fulfill them. |
| 22The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the LORD and he will listen to their prayers and heal them. | 22And the LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them but heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and He will hear their prayers and heal them. |
| 23At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. | 23In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt, and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. |
| 24At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth. | 24In that day Israel will join a three-party alliance with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing upon the earth. |
| 25The LORD who commands armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, "Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!" | 25The LORD of Hosts will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt My people, Assyria My handiwork, and Israel My inheritance.” |
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