1 Another message from the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy and announce that this is what the Lord God says: Weep! This is a terrible day! 3 The day is soon coming—the Day of the Lord is near. It will be a gloomy, cloudy day, a time of judgment for the nations. 4 A sword will come to attack Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush* Cush was the country immediately south of Egypt, and at times under Egyptian control. This is the reason why there would be concern at what had happened in Egypt. Today it would include the territory of Sudan. when people are killed in Egypt, when it's robbed of its wealth and the country ruined. 5 Cush, Put, and Lud, and many other peoples, as well as Arabia, Kub, and the people of the promised land,† “Promised land”: literally, “land of the covenant.” they all, like Egypt, will be killed by the sword. 6 This is what the Lord says: Egypt's allies will fall, and the country will lose its prestigious position. From Migdol in the north to Syene in the south, they will be killed by the sword, declares the Lord God. 7 Egypt will become more of a wasteland than any other country, and its towns will be left in ruins. 8 Then they will acknowledge that I am the Lord when I set fire to Egypt and all its allies are crushed.

9 At that time I will send messengers in ships to shock Cush out of its sense of security. They will tremble in fear when disasters hit Egypt. Watch out! It's definitely coming! 10 This is what the Lord God says: I will use Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to take away Egypt's wealth. 11 He and his army from the cruelest nation in the world will be brought to destroy the country. They will use their swords to attack Egypt, and they will fill the land with dead bodies. 12 I will dry up the rivers and sell the land to wicked people. Using these foreigners I will ruin the land and everything in it. I the Lord have spoken.

13 This is what the Lord God says: I'm going to destroy the idols and get rid of the images in Memphis. There won't be a prince in Egypt any longer, and I will make everyone in the country terrified. 14 I will destroy Pathros, set Zoan on fire, and punish Thebes. 15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium, Egypt's fortress town, and wipe out the army at Thebes. 16 I will set fire to Egypt, Pelusium will suffer, Thebes will be ripped apart, and Memphis will face trouble every day. 17 The young soldiers of Heliopolis and Bubastis‡ “Heliopolis and Bubastis”: literally, “On and Pi-beseth.” will fall by the sword, and the people from those towns will be taken captive. 18 It will be a dark day in Tahpanhes when I break Egypt's power and bring to an end their proud strength. It will be under a cloud as the people go into captivity. 19 This is how I'm going to punish Egypt, and they will acknowledge that I am the Lord.”

20 On the seventh day of the first month of the eleventh year, a message from the Lord came to me, saying, 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. You can see that it hasn't been bandaged up to heal it, or put it in a splint to provide enough strength to hold a sword.

22 So this is what the Lord God says: Watch out, because I'm condemning Pharaoh king of Egypt! I will break his arms, both the one that's still good and the one already broken, and I will make him drop his sword. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the different nations and countries.

24 I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong, and put my sword in his hand, but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he will moan in pain like someone who's about to die. 25 I will make the arms of Babylon's king strong, but Pharaoh's arms will drop to his sides, weak and useless.

Then they will acknowledge that I am the Lord, when I put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon and he uses it to attack Egypt. 26 When I scatter the Egyptians among the different nations and countries, they will acknowledge that I am the Lord.”