So they prepared the bull they had been given. They prayed to Baal from morning until noon. “Baal! Answer us!” they shouted. But there wasn’t any reply. No one answered. Then they danced around the altar they had made.
It was now past noon. The prophets of Baal continued to prophesy with all their might. They did it until the time came to offer the evening sacrifice. But there wasn’t any reply. No one answered. No one paid any attention.
So the Lord did it. Huge numbers of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace. They came into the homes of his officials. All over Egypt the flies destroyed the land.
The officials of the city of Zoan are very foolish. Pharaoh’s wise men give advice that doesn’t make any sense. How can they dare to say to Pharaoh, “We’re among the wise men”? How can they say to him, “We’re like the advisers to the kings of long ago”?
“ ‘ “Gog, at that time I will bury you in a grave in Israel. It will be in the valley where people travel east of the Dead Sea. It will block the path of travelers. That’s because you and your huge armies will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Gog’s Armies.
“I will drive far away from you the army that comes from the north. I will send some of its forces into a dry and empty land. Its eastern troops will drown in the Dead Sea. Its western troops will drown in the Mediterranean Sea. Their dead bodies will stink.” The Lord has done great things.