This is a message about Egypt: The LORD comes to Egypt, riding swiftly on a cloud. The people are weak from fear. Their idols tremble as he approaches and says,
That same night I will pass through Egypt and kill the firstborn son in every family and the firstborn male of all animals. I am the LORD, and I will punish the gods of Egypt.
Look! He is coming with the clouds. Everyone will see him, even the ones who stuck a sword through him. All people on earth will weep because of him. Yes, it will happen! Amen.
All the idols and images you Egyptians worship in the city of Memphis will be smashed. No one will be left to rule your nation, and terror will fill the land.
I will punish Marduk, the god of Babylon, and make him vomit everything he gobbled up. Then nations will no longer bring him gifts, and Babylon's walls will crumble.
My people will go through an ocean of troubles, but I will overcome the waves and dry up the deepest part of the Nile. Assyria's great pride will be put down, and the power of Egypt will disappear.
The second place I went was Egypt, where everyone had to drink from the cup, including the king and his officials, the other government workers, the rest of the Egyptians,
Now I see column after column of cavalry troops.” Straight away someone shouted, “Babylon has fallen! Every idol in the city lies broken on the ground.”
All people will be terrified. Hands will grow limp; courage will melt away. Everyone will tremble with pain like a woman giving birth; they will stare at each other with horror on their faces.
Look! The enemy army swoops down like an eagle; their cavalry and chariots race faster than storm clouds blown by the wind.” Then you will answer, “We are doomed!”
You have made me angry by worshipping idols and burning incense to other gods after you came here to Egypt. You will die such a disgusting death, that other nations will use the name of Judah as a curse word.
The LORD is powerful, yet patient; he makes sure that the guilty are always punished. He can be seen in storms and in whirlwinds; clouds are the dust from his feet.