11-15. The princes of Zoan are fools,the advisors of Pharaoh stupid.How could any of you dare tell Pharaoh,“Trust me: I’m wise. I know what’s going on.Why, I’m descended from the old wisdom of Egypt”?There’s not a wise man or woman left in the country.If there were, one of them would tell youwhat God-of-the-Angel-Armies has in mind for Egypt.As it is, the princes of Zoan are all foolsand the princes of Memphis, dunces.The honored pillars of your societyhave led Egypt into detours and dead ends.God has scrambled their brains,Egypt’s become a falling-down-in-his-own-vomit drunk.Egypt’s hopeless, past helping,a senile, doddering old fool.
16-17. On that Day, Egyptians will be like hysterical schoolgirls, screaming at the first hint of action from God-of-the-Angel-Armies. Little Judah will strike terror in Egyptians! Say “Judah” to an Egyptian and see panic. The word triggers fear of the God-of-the-Angel-Armies’ plan against Egypt.
18. On that Day, more than one city in Egypt will learn to speak the language of faith and promise to follow God-of-the-Angel-Armies. One of these cities will be honored with the title “City of the Sun.”
19-22. On that Day, there will be a place of worship to God in the center of Egypt and a monument to God at its border. It will show how the God-of-the-Angel-Armies has helped the Egyptians. When they cry out in prayer to God because of oppressors, he’ll send them help, a savior who will keep them safe and take care of them. God will openly show himself to the Egyptians and they’ll get to know him on that Day. They’ll worship him seriously with sacrifices and burnt offerings. They’ll make vows and keep them. God will wound Egypt, first hit and then heal. Egypt will come back to God, and God will listen to their prayers and heal them, heal them from head to toe.
23. On that Day, there will be a highway all the way from Egypt to Assyria: Assyrians will have free range in Egypt and Egyptians in Assyria. No longer rivals, they’ll worship together, Egyptians and Assyrians!
24-25. On that Day, Israel will take its place alongside Egypt and Assyria, sharing the blessing from the center. God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who blessed Israel, will generously bless them all: “Blessed be Egypt, my people! . . . Blessed be Assyria, work of my hands! . . . Blessed be Israel, my heritage!”