They are worthless,a workof mockery;In the timeof their punishmentthey will perish.
For I will gothroughthe landof Egypton that night,and will strikedownallthe firstbornin the landof Egypt,bothmanand beast;and against allthe godsof EgyptI will executejudgments--I am the LORD.
The oracleconcerning Egypt.Behold,the LORDis ridingon a swiftcloudand is about to cometo Egypt;The idolsof Egyptwill trembleat His presence,And the heartof the Egyptianswill meltwithinthem.
But the idolswill completelyvanish.
Belhas boweddown,Nebostoopsover;Their imagesare [consigned] to the beastsand the cattle.The thingsthat you carryare burdensome,A loadfor the weary[beast].
"I will declareyour righteousnessand your deeds,But they will not profityou.
Thusyou shall sayto them, "The godsthat did not makethe heavensand the earthwill perishfrom the earthand from underthe heavens."
Everymanis stupid,devoidof knowledge;Everygoldsmithis putto shameby his idols;For his moltenimagesare deceitful,And there is nobreathin them.
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
For My peoplehave forgottenMe, They burnincenseto worthlessgods And they have stumbledfrom their ways,From the ancientpaths,To walkin bypaths,Not on a highway,
The LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,says,"Behold,I am going to punishAmonof Thebes,and Pharaoh,and Egyptalong with her godsand her kings,even Pharaohand those who trustin him.
"For becauseof your trustin your own achievementsand treasures,Evenyou yourselfwill be captured;And Chemoshwill gooffinto exileTogetherwith his priestsand his princes.
"Declareand proclaimamong the nations.Proclaimit and liftup a standard.Do not conceal[it but] say,Babylonhas been captured,Belhas beenputto shame,Mardukhas beenshattered;Her imageshave beenputto shame,her idolshave beenshattered.'
"In allyour dwellings,citieswill becomewasteand the highplaceswill be desolate,that your altarsmay becomewasteand desolate,your idolsmay be brokenand broughtto an end,your incensealtarsmay be cutdown,and your worksmay be blottedout.
"Those who regardvainidolsForsaketheir faithfulness,
The LORDwill be terrifyingto them, for He will starveallthe godsof the earth;and allthe coastlandsof the nationswill bowdownto Him, everyonefrom his [own] place.
and saying,"Men,whyare you doingthese things?We are alsomenof the same natureas you, and preach the gospelto you that you should turnfrom thesevain thingsto a livingGod,WHOMADETHE HEAVENAND THE EARTHAND THE SEAAND ALLTHAT IS IN THEM.
