For though his power extends to Zoan and Hanes, yet it will all turn out to your shame—he won’t help one little bit!
See them moving slowly across the terrible desert to Egypt—donkeys and camels laden down with treasure to pay for Egypt’s aid. On through the badlands they go, where lions and swift venomous snakes live—and Egypt will give you nothing in return!
For Egypt’s promises are worthless! “The Reluctant Dragon,” I call her! Now go and write down this word of mine concerning Egypt, so that it will stand until the end of time, forever and forever, as an indictment of Israel’s unbelief.
For if you don’t write it, they will claim I never warned them. “Oh no,” they’ll say, “you never told us that!” For they are stubborn rebels.
They tell My prophets, “Shut up—we don’t want any more of your reports!” Or they say, “Don’t tell us the truth; tell us nice things; tell us lies. Forget all this gloom; we’ve heard more than enough about your ‘Holy One of Israel’ and all he says.”
This is the reply of the Holy One of Israel: Because you despise what I tell you and trust instead in frauds and lies and won’t repent, therefore calamity will come upon you suddenly, as upon a bulging wall that bursts and falls; in one moment it comes crashing down.
The Almighty will smash you like a broken dish; he will not act sparingly. Not a piece will be left large enough to use for carrying coals from the hearth, or a little water from the well.
For the Master Almighty, the Holy One of Israel, says: Only in returning to Me and waiting for Me will you be saved; in quietness and confidence is your strength; but you’ll have none of this.
