I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves. I broke the heavy weights that were on your shoulders and let you walk proudly again.
I will make you my own people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God, the One who saves you from the hard work the Egyptians force you to do.
I will now give that cup of punishment to those who gave you pain, who told you, ‘Bow down so we can walk over you.’ They made your back like dirt for them to walk on; you were like a street for them to travel on.”
God, you have caused the nation to grow and made the people happy. And they have shown their happiness to you, like the joy during harvest time, like the joy of people taking what they have won in war.
“Long ago you refused to obey me as an ox breaks its yoke. You broke the ropes I used to hold you and said, ‘I will not serve you!’ In fact, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.
I will also bring back Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other captives from Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the Lord. ‘So I will break the yoke the king of Babylon put on Judah.’ ”
In Tahpanhes the day will be dark when I break Egypt’s power. Then she will no longer be proud of her power. A cloud will cover Egypt, and her villages will be captured and taken away.
Also the trees in the countryside will give their fruit, and the land will give its harvest. And the sheep will be safe on their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I break the bars of their captivity and save them from the power of those who made them slaves.