19:1 Here is a message about Egypt:
Look, the LORD rides on a swift moving cloud,
and approaches Egypt.
The idols of Egypt tremble before him,
the Egyptians lose their courage.¹
19:2 “I will provoke civil strife in Egypt,²
brothers will fight with each other,
as will neighbors,
cities and kingdoms.³
19:3 Egypt will panic,⁴
and I will confuse their strategy.⁵
They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead,
from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.⁶
19:4 I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master,
a powerful king will rule over them,”
says the sovereign master, the LORD who leads armies.
19:5 The water of the sea will be dried up,
and the river will dry up and be empty.⁷
19:6 The rivers will stink,⁸
the streams of Egypt will trickle and then dry up;
the bulrushes and reeds will decay,
19:7 along with the plants by the mouth of the river.⁹
All the cultivated land near the river
will turn to dust and be blown away.¹⁰
19:8 The fishermen will mourn and lament,
all those who cast a fishhook into the river;
and those who spread out a net on the water’s surface will grieve.¹¹
19:9 Those who make clothes from combed flax will be embarrassed,
those who weave will turn pale.¹²
19:10 Those who make cloth¹³ will be demoralized,¹⁴
all the hired workers depressed.¹⁵
19:11 The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools,¹⁶
Pharaoh’s wise advisers give stupid advice.
How dare you say to Pharaoh,
“I am a one of the sages,
one well versed in the writings of the ancient kings?”¹⁷
19:12 But where, oh where, are your wise men?¹⁸
Let them tell you, let them find out
what the LORD who leads armies has planned for Egypt.
19:13 The officials of Zoan are fools,
the officials of Noph¹⁹ are misled;
the rulers²⁰ of her tribes lead Egypt astray.
19:14 The LORD has made them undiscerning,²¹
they lead Egypt astray in all she does,
so that she is like a drunk slipping around in his vomit.²²
19:15 Egypt will not able to do a thing,
head or tail, shoots and stalk.²³

19:16 At that time²⁴ Egypt will be like women.²⁵ They will tremble and fear because the LORD who leads armies brandishes his weapon against them.²⁶ 19:17 The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt. Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the LORD who leads armies is planning to do to them.²⁷

19:18 At that time²⁸ five cities²⁹ in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD who leads armies. One will be called the city of the sun.³⁰ 19:19 At that time³¹ there will be an altar for the LORD in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar³² dedicated to the LORD at its border. 19:20 It³³ will become a visual reminder of³⁴ the LORD who leads armies in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender³⁵ and he will rescue them. 19:21 The LORD will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they³⁶ will acknowledge the LORD’s authority³⁷ at that time.³⁸ They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and fulfill them. 19:22 The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the LORD and he will listen to their prayers³⁹ and heal them.

19:23 At that time⁴⁰ there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. Egypt and Assyria will worship together.⁴¹ 19:24 At that time⁴² Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing⁴³ in the earth.⁴⁴ 19:25 The LORD who leads armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying,⁴⁵ “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession,⁴⁶ Israel.”