The Skeptics Annotated Bible (647 page)

10 Behold, therefore
I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia
.

(29.10)
“I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia.”

11
No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.

(29.11)
“No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.”

12 And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.

13 Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:

14 And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom.

15 It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.

16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

17
And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month
, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

(29.17)
“And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month”

18 Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.

20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD.

21 In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

30
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!

3 For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

(30.3) “The day of the LORD is near … it shall be the time of the heathen.”

(30.4-26) God will punish Egypt and her allies by sending Nebuchadrezzar to “fill the land with the slain.” He will make “the rivers dry,” sell the land to “the wicked,” make “the land waste,” light fires, and kill all their young men with the sword.

4 And
the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude
, and her foundations shall be broken down.

(30.4)
“The sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude.”

5
Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia
, and all the mingled people,
and Chub
, and the men of the land that is in league,
shall fall with them by the sword.

(30.5)
“Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia … and Chub … shall fall with them by the sword.”

6 Thus saith the LORD;
They
also
that uphold Egypt shall fall
; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it
by the sword, saith the Lord
GOD.

(30.6)
“They … that uphold Egypt shall fall … by the sword, saith the Lord.”

7 And
they shall be desolate
in the midst of the countries that are desolate
, and her cities shall be
in the midst of the cities that are
wasted.

(30.7)
“They shall be desolate … and her cities shall be … wasted.”

8 And
they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed
.

(30.8)
“They shall know that I am the LORD, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed.”

9 In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh.

10 Thus saith the Lord GOD;
I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar
king of Babylon.

(30.10)
“I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar.”

11
He and his people
with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be brought to destroy the land: and they
shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain
.

(30.11)
“He and his people … shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain.”

12 And
I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste
, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers
: I the LORD have spoken it.

(30.12) “I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste … I the LORD have spoken it.” The rivers of Egypt (identified as the Nile in NIV, NASB, and RSV) shall dry up. This has never occurred.

13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.

14 And
I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No
.

(30.14)
“I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No.”

15 And
I will pour my fury upon Sin
, the strength of Egypt;
and I will cut off the multitude of No
.

(30.15)
“I will pour my fury upon Sin … and I will cut off the multitude of No.”

16 And
I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.

(30.16)
“I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.”

17
The young men of Aven and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity.