A Day of Doom for Egypt
A wailing chant over Egypt and her allies, naming city after city, Memphis, Thebes, Pelusium, Tahpanhes, set on fire or led away captive. Pharaoh's arm is already broken by our Father and will not be splinted, and the sword is put into Babylon's hand instead.
30 1The word of our Father came to me:
2Son of man, prophesy and say: The Sovereign Father says: "Wail, 'Alas for the day!' 3For the day is near, the day of our Father is near—a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. 4A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will be in Cush when the slain fall in Egypt, when they carry away her wealth and her foundations are torn down. 5Cush, Put, and Lud, all Arabia, Libya, and the people of the covenant land will fall with them by the sword. 6This is what our Father says: "Those who support Egypt will fall, and her proud strength will come down; from Migdol to Aswan they will fall within her by the sword, declares the Sovereign Father. 7They will be desolate among desolate lands, and her cities will lie among ruined cities. 8Then they will know that I am the Father, when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are shattered.
9On that day messengers will sail out from me to terrify secure Cush, and anguish will grip them on Egypt's day—for it is surely coming.
10This is what the Sovereign Father says: "I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 11He and his army with him, the most ruthless of nations, will be brought in to destroy the land; they will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain. 12I will dry up the streams of the Nile and sell the land to evildoers; I will lay the land waste, and everything in it, by the hand of foreigners. I, the Father, have spoken."
13This is what the Sovereign Father says: "I will destroy the idols and put an end to the worthless images in Memphis. No longer will there be a prince in the land of Egypt, and I will spread fear throughout the land. a a v13 Memphis was the ancient capital of Lower Egypt — in Ezekiel's Hebrew it is called Noph. 14I will lay Pathros waste, set fire to Zoan, and bring judgment on Thebes. b b v14 Thebes was the great city of Upper Egypt — in Ezekiel's Hebrew it is called No. 15I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the hordes of Thebes. 16I will set fire to Egypt; Pelusium will writhe in anguish, Thebes will be breached, and Memphis will face enemies by day. 17The young men of Heliopolis and Pi-beseth will fall by the sword, and the cities themselves will go into captivity. 18At Tahpanhes the day will grow dark when I break Egypt's yoke there, and her proud strength will come to an end within her. A cloud will cover her, and her daughter-towns will go into captivity. 19So I will bring judgment on Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Father."
The Father Breaks Pharaoh's Arm
20In the eleventh year, first month, seventh day, the word of our Father came to me:
21Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; it has not been bound up for healing or splinted, so it might grow strong enough to grasp the sword. 22So this is what the Sovereign Father says: "I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms—both the strong and the broken—and make the sword fall from his hand. 23I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries. 24I will strengthen Babylon's king's arms and put my sword in his hand, but break Pharaoh's arms, and Pharaoh will groan before Babylon's king like a dying man. 25I will strengthen the arms of Babylon's king, but Pharaoh's arms will fall. Then they will know I am the Father, when I put my sword in the hand of Babylon's king and he stretches it against the land of Egypt. 26I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Father."
