1. ‘Woe to the obstinate children,’declares the Lord,‘to those who carry out plans that are not mine,forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,heaping sin upon sin;
2. who go down to Egyptwithout consulting me;who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection,to Egypt’s shade for refuge.
3. But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame,Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace.
4. Though they have officials in Zoanand their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
5. everyone will be put to shamebecause of a people useless to them,who bring neither help nor advantage,but only shame and disgrace.’
6. A prophecy concerning the animals of the Negev:Through a land of hardship and distress,of lions and lionesses,of adders and darting snakes,the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’ backs,their treasures on the humps of camels,to that unprofitable nation,
7. to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless.Therefore I call herRahab the Do-Nothing.
8. Go now, write it on a tablet for them,inscribe it on a scroll,that for the days to comeit may be an everlasting witness.
9. For these are rebellious people, deceitful children,children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.