17. In their homelands those soldiers will say,‘The king of Egypt is only a lot of noise.His time of glory is over!’”
18. The King’s name is the Lord of heaven’s armies.He says, “As surely as I live,a powerful leader will come.He will be strong as great Mount Tabor is higher than other mountains.He will be mighty as Mount Carmel is higher than the sea.
19. People of Egypt, pack your thingsto be taken away as captives.This is because Memphis will be destroyed.The cities will be ruins, and no one will live there.
20. “Egypt is like a beautiful young cow.But a horsefly is comingfrom the north to attack her.
21. The hired soldiers in Egypt’s armyare like fat calves.They will all turn and run away together.They will not stand strong against the attack.Their time of destruction is coming.They will soon be punished.
22. Egypt is like a hissing snake that is trying to escape.The enemy comes closer and closer.They will come against Egypt with axes.They are like men who cut down trees.
23. They will chop down Egypt’s armyas if it were a great forest,” says the Lord.“There are more enemy soldiers than locusts.There are too many soldiers to count.
24. The people of Egypt will be ashamed.They will be handed over to the enemy from the north.”
25. The Lord of heaven’s armies, the God of Israel, says: “Very soon I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes. And I will punish Egypt, her king and her gods. And I will punish the people who depend on the king.