1. On the first day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year of our exile, the Lord spoke to me.
2. “Mortal man,” he said, “give a solemn warning to the king of Egypt. Give him this message from me: you act like a lion among the nations, but you are more like a crocodile splashing through a river. You muddy the water with your feet and pollute the rivers.
3. When many nations gather, I will catch you in my net and let them drag the net ashore.
4. I will throw you out on the ground and bring all the birds and animals of the world to feed on you.
5. I will cover mountains and valleys with your rotting corpse.
6. I will pour out your blood until it spreads over the mountains and fills the streams.
7. When I destroy you, I will cover the sky and blot out the stars. The sun will hide behind the clouds, and the moon will give no light.
8. I will put out all the lights of heaven and plunge your world into darkness. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.
9. “Many nations will be troubled when I spread the news of your destruction through countries you never heard of.