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Nebuchadnezzar Will Conquer Egypt
1 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, prophesy. Say, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says:
Cry for that day!
3 The day is near. The day of the Lord is near.
It will be a gloomy day, a time of trouble for the nations.
4 There will be war in Egypt and anguish in Ethiopia.
Many Egyptians will fall dead.
People will take away Egypt’s wealth,
and its foundations will be torn down.
5 Sudan, Put, Lud, all the Arabs, the Libyans,
and people from the promised land will die in battle.
6 “ ‘This is what the Lord says:
All Egypt’s allies will die.
Egypt’s strength will disappear.
People will die in war from Migdol to Syene,
declares the Almighty Lord.
7 “ ‘Egypt will become the most desolate country in the world, and Egypt’s cities will lie in ruins. They will be ruined more than other cities. 8 Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will set fire to Egypt and all her defenders will be killed. 9 On that day I will send messengers in ships to terrify those who live in safety in Sudan. The people of Sudan will be in anguish when Egypt is in trouble. That day is coming!
10 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will use King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to bring an end to Egypt. 11 He and his troops, the most ruthless troops among the nations, will be brought to destroy the land. They will draw their swords to attack Egypt and fill the land with dead bodies. 12 I will dry up the Nile River and sell the land to wicked people. I will have foreigners destroy the land and everything in it. I, the Lord, have spoken.
13 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will destroy the statues and put an end to the idols in Memphis. A prince will never rise again in Egypt. I will spread fear throughout Egypt. 14 I will destroy Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and bring punishment on Thebes. 15 I will pour out my fury on Sin, Egypt’s fortress, and I will kill many people in Thebes. 16 I will set fire to Egypt. Sin will be in much pain. Thebes will be broken into pieces, and Memphis will be in trouble every day. 17 The young men from Heliopolis and Bubastis will die in battle, and people from these cities will go into exile. 18 At Tahpanhes the day will turn dark when I break Egypt’s power. Egypt’s strong army will be defeated. Clouds will cover Egypt, and people from its villages will go into exile. 19 Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will bring punishment on Egypt.’ ”
20 On the seventh day of the first month in the eleventh year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. His arm isn’t bandaged, so it can’t heal and be strong enough to hold a sword.
22 “This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’m against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the healthy one and the broken one. I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries. 24 I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break Pharaoh’s arms. Pharaoh will groan like a person who is dying. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. He will strike Egypt with it. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”