Ezekiel 30

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The Army of Babylon Will Attack Egypt

30 <1> The word of the Lord came to me again. He said, <2> "Son of man,[175] speak for me. Say, 'This is what the Lord my Master says:

"'Cry and say,

"A terrible day is coming."

<3> That day is near!

Yes, the Lord's day for judging is near.

It will be a cloudy day,

the time for judging the nations.

<4> A sword will come against Egypt!

People in Ethiopia will shake with fear, when Egypt falls.

The army of Babylon will take the Egyptians as prisoners.

Egypt's foundations will be torn down.

<5> "'Many people made peace agreements with Egypt. But all those people from Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Libya, and the people of Israel[176] will be destroyed!

<6> "'This is what the Lord my Master says:

Those who support Egypt will fall!

The pride in her power will end.

The people in Egypt will be killed in battle,

all the way from Migdol to Aswan.

This is what the Lord my Master said!

<7> Egypt will join the other countries

that were destroyed.

Its cities will be among those

that are in ruins.

<8> I will start a fire in Egypt,

and all her helpers will be destroyed.

Then they will know that I am the Lord!

<9> "'At that time, I will send out messengers. They will go in ships to carry the bad news to Ethiopia. Ethiopia now feels safe, but the people of Ethiopia will shake with fear when Egypt is punished. That time is coming!'"

<10> This is what the Lord my Master says:

"I will use the king of Babylon.

I will use Nebuchadnezzar to destroy

the people of Egypt.

<11> Nebuchadnezzar and his people

are the most terrible of the nations,

and I will bring them to destroy Egypt.

They will pull out their swords against Egypt.

They will fill the land with dead bodies.

<12> I will make the Nile River become dry land.

Then I will sell the dry land to evil people.

I will use strangers to make that land empty.

I, the Lord, have spoken!"

The Idols of Egypt Will Be Destroyed

<13> This is what the Lord my Master says:

"I will also destroy the idols[177] in Egypt.

I will take the statues away from Memphis.

There will not be a leader anymore

in the land of Egypt.

I will put fear there instead.

<14> I will make Pathros empty.

I will start a fire in Zoan.

I will punish No.

<15> I will pour out my anger against Sin,

the fortress[178] of Egypt!

I will destroy the people of No.

<16> I will start a fire in Egypt;

The city named Sin will ache with fear.

The soldiers will break into the city No,

and Memphis will have new troubles every day.

<17> The young men of On and Pi Beseth[179] will die in battle,

and the women will be captured and taken away.

<18> It will be a dark day in Tahpanhes

when I break Egypt's control.[180]

Egypt's proud power will be finished!

A cloud will cover Egypt,

and her daughters will be captured and taken away.

<19> So I will punish Egypt.

Then they will know that I am the Lord!'"

Egypt Will Become Weak Forever

<20> On the seventh day of the first month of the eleventh year [of exile],[181] the word of the Lord came to me. He said, <21> "Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. No one will wrap his arm with a bandage. It will not heal, so his arm will not be strong enough to hold a sword."

<22> This is what the Lord my Master says: "I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the strong arm and the arm that is already broken. I will make the sword fall from his hand. <23> I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. <24> I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh will cry out in pain, the kind of cry that a dying man makes. <25> So I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

"I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. Then he will stretch the sword out against the land of Egypt. <26> I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord!"