1The burden of Egypt . Behold , Jehovah rideth upon a swift cloud , and cometh unto Egypt : and the idols of Egypt shall tremble at his presence ; and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it . 2And I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians : and they shall fight every one against his brother , and every one against his neighbor ; city against city , and kingdom against kingdom . 3And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it ; and I will destroy the counsel thereof : and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits , and to the wizards . 4And I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord ; and a fierce king shall rule over them , saith the Lord , Jehovah of hosts .
The Confusion of Egypt
5And the waters shall fail from the sea , and the river shall be wasted and become dry . 6And the rivers shall become foul; the streams of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up ; the reeds and flags shall wither away . 7The meadows by the Nile , by the brink of the Nile , and all the sown fields of the Nile , shall become dry , be driven away , and be no more . 8And the fishers shall lament, and all they that cast angle into the Nile shall mourn , and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish. 9Moreover they that work in combed flax , and they that weave white cloth, shall be confounded. 10And the pillars of Egypt shall be broken in pieces ; all they that work for hire shall be grieved in soul .
The Egyptians' Cry for Help
11The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish : how say ye unto Pharaoh , I am the son of the wise , the son of ancient kings ? 12Where then are thy wise men ? and let them tell thee now ; and let them know what Jehovah of hosts hath purposed concerning Egypt . 13The princes of Zoan are become fools , the princes of Memphis are deceived ; they have caused Egypt to go astray , that are the corner-stone of her tribes . 14Jehovah hath mingled a spirit of perverseness in the midst of her ; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in every work thereof , as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit . 15Neither shall there be for Egypt any work , which head or tail , palm-branch or rush, may do .
God's Promise of Restoration
16In that day shall the Egyptians be like unto women; and they shall tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of Jehovah of hosts , which he shaketh over them . 17And the land of Judah shall become a terror unto Egypt ; every one to whom mention is made thereof shall be afraid , because of the purpose of Jehovah of hosts , which he purposeth against it . 18In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan , and swear to Jehovah of hosts ; one shall be called The city of destruction . 19In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt , and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah . 20And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto Jehovah of hosts in the land of Egypt ; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of oppressors , and he will send them a saviour , and a defender, and he will deliver them . 21And Jehovah shall be known to Egypt , and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day ; yea, they shall worship with sacrifice and oblation , and shall vow a vow unto Jehovah , and shall perform it . 22And Jehovah will smite Egypt , smiting and healing ; and they shall return unto Jehovah , and he will be entreated of them , and will heal them . 23In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt , and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians shall worship with the Assyrians. 24In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth; 25for that Jehovah of hosts hath blessed them , saying, Blessed be Egypt my people , and Assyria the work of my hands , and Israel mine inheritance .