1On the twelfth day of the tenth month, in the tenth year, Yahweh’s message came to me. It said,
2“Son of man, confront Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and all of Egypt.
3Speak and say, ‘This is what the Lord Yahweh says: “Look, I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, you great monster lying in the middle of your rivers, who said, ‘My river belongs to me, and I made it for myself.’
4I will put hooks in your jaws and cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales. I will pull you up from the middle of your rivers, along with all the fish that stick to your scales.
5I will throw you out into the wilderness, you and all the fish from your rivers. You will fall on the open ground. You will not be picked up or gathered. I have given you as food to the wild animals and the birds.
6All the people of Egypt will know that I am Yahweh, because they failed to support the people of Israel when they needed it.
7When the Israelites grabbed onto you for support, you broke and tore holes in their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you broke and caused their legs to give out.”
8Therefore, this is what the Lord Yahweh says: “Look, I will bring a sword against you and destroy both people and animals.
9The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am Yahweh. This is because he said, ‘The river is mine, and I made it.’
10Therefore, look, I am against you and against your rivers. I will make the land of Egypt a complete wasteland and desolation, from Migdol to Aswan, all the way to the border of Cush.
11No human will walk through it, and no animal will walk through it. It will not be inhabited for forty years.
12I will make the land of Egypt the most desolate of all desolate countries. Its cities will be desolate for forty years among ruined cities. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and spread them throughout the countries.”
13For this is what the Lord Yahweh says: “After forty years, I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered.
14I will bring back the captive Egyptians and make them return to their homeland, the land of Pathros. They will be a lowly kingdom there.
15It will be the lowest of kingdoms and will never again rise above other nations. I will make them few in number, so they will no longer rule over nations.
16Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence for the people of Israel, reminding them of their past sins when they relied on Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.”’
17On the first day of the first month, in the twenty-seventh year, Yahweh’s message came to me.
18Son of Man, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, made his army work very hard against Tyre. Every head became bald and every shoulder was rubbed raw. Yet, he and his army received no reward from Tyre for the service they performed against it.
19Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says, 'Look, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He will carry off its people, take its loot, and plunder it. This will be the reward for his army.'
20Yahweh says, 'I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for the work he did, because they worked for me.'
21On that day, I will cause strength to grow for the house of Israel, and I will allow you to speak freely among them. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.