Ezekiel 29:17-30:19

New International Version

Nebuchadnezzar’s Reward

¹⁷In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^(A) ¹⁸“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare^(C) and every shoulder made raw.^(D) Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. ¹⁹Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king^(E) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder^(F) the land as pay for his army.^(G) ²⁰I have given him Egypt^(H) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(I)

²¹“On that day I will make a horn^[a]^(J) grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth^(K) among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(L)”

A Lament Over Egypt

30 The word of the Lord came to me: ²“Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Wail^(M) and say,
    “Alas for that day!”
³For the day is near,^(N)
    the day of the Lord^(O) is near—
a day of clouds,
    a time of doom for the nations.
⁴A sword will come against Egypt,^(P)
    and anguish will come upon Cush.^[b]^(Q)
When the slain fall in Egypt,
    her wealth will be carried away
    and her foundations torn down.^(R)

⁵Cush and Libya,^(S) Lydia and all Arabia,^(T) Kub and the people^(U) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.^(V)

⁶“‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘The allies of Egypt will fall
    and her proud strength will fail.
From Migdol to Aswan^(W)
    they will fall by the sword within her,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
⁷“‘They will be desolate
    among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
    among ruined cities.^(X)
⁸Then they will know that I am the Lord,
    when I set fire^(Y) to Egypt
    and all her helpers are crushed.^(Z)

⁹“‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush^(AA) out of her complacency. Anguish^(AB) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.^(AC)

¹⁰“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt
    by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar^(AD) king of Babylon.^(AE)
¹¹He and his army—the most ruthless of nations^(AF)—
    will be brought in to destroy the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt
    and fill the land with the slain.^(AG)
¹²I will dry up^(AH) the waters of the Nile^(AI)
    and sell the land to an evil nation;
by the hand of foreigners
    I will lay waste^(AJ) the land and everything in it.

I the Lord have spoken.

¹³“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I will destroy the idols^(AK)
    and put an end to the images in Memphis.^(AL)
No longer will there be a prince in Egypt,^(AM)
    and I will spread fear throughout the land.
¹⁴I will lay^(AN) waste Upper Egypt,
    set fire to Zoan^(AO)
    and inflict punishment on Thebes.^(AP)
¹⁵I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
    the stronghold of Egypt,
    and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.
¹⁶I will set fire^(AQ) to Egypt;
    Pelusium will writhe in agony.
Thebes will be taken by storm;
    Memphis^(AR) will be in constant distress.
¹⁷The young men of Heliopolis^(AS) and Bubastis
    will fall by the sword,
    and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
¹⁸Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes^(AT)
    when I break the yoke of Egypt;^(AU)
    there her proud strength will come to an end.
She will be covered with clouds,
    and her villages will go into captivity.^(AV)
¹⁹So I will inflict punishment^(AW) on Egypt,
    and they will know that I am the Lord.’”