You are leaning on a walking stick made of broken reed! This walking stick is Egypt. If a man leans on this walking stick, {it will break and} go through his hand and hurt him! The king of Egypt is like that to all people that trust in him.
If you don’t do this, then I will use my full power against you, your officials, and your people. Then you will know that there is no god in the world like me.
Are you depending on Egypt to help you? Egypt is like a broken stick. If you lean on it for support, it will only hurt you and make a hole in your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, can’t be trusted by any of the people that depend on him for help.
It is so easy for you to change your mind.\par Assyria disappointed you,\par \{so you left Assyria\par and went to Egypt for help.\}\par But Egypt will also disappoint you.\par
We have worn out our eyes\par looking for help.\par But no help comes.\par We kept on looking for a nation to save us.\par We kept watch from our watchtower,\par But no nation came to us.\par
And the king of Egypt won’t be able to save the king of Judah. He might send many soldiers, but Egypt’s great power won’t save Judah. Nebuchadnezzar’s army will build dirt roads and dirt walls to capture the city. Many people will die.
They will live safely in the land. They will build houses and plant vineyards. I will punish the nations around them that hated them. Then the people of Israel will live in safety. And they will know that I am the Lord their God.”
And the family of Israel will never again depend on Egypt. The Israelites will remember their sin—they will remember that they turned to Egypt \{for help and not to God\}. And they will know that I am the Lord and Master.”