30:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 30:2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘Wail, “Alas, the day is here!” 1
30:3 For the day is near,
the day of the Lord is near;
it will be a day of storm clouds, 2
it will be a time of judgment 3 for the nations.
30:4 A sword will come against Egypt
and panic will overtake Ethiopia
when the slain fall in Egypt
and they carry away her wealth
and dismantle her foundations.
30:5 Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all the foreigners, 4 Libya, and the people 5 of the covenant land 6 will die by the sword along with them.
30:6 “‘This is what the Lord says:
Egypt’s supporters will fall;
her confident pride will crumble. 7
From Migdol to Syene 8 they will die by the sword within her,
declares the sovereign Lord.
30:7 They will be desolate among desolate lands,
and their cities will be among ruined cities.
30:8 They will know that I am the Lord
when I ignite a fire in Egypt
and all her allies are defeated. 9
30:9 On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten overly confident Ethiopia; panic will overtake them on the day of Egypt’s doom; 10 for beware – it is coming!
1 tn Heb “Alas for the day.”
1 tn Heb “a day of clouds.” The expression occurs also in Joel 2:2 and Zeph 1:15; it recalls the appearance of God at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:9, 16, 18).
2 tn Heb “a time.” The words “of judgment” have been added in the translation for clarification (see the following verses).
1 tn The same expression appears in Exod 12:38; Jer 25:20; 50:37; Neh 13:3. It may refer to foreign mercenaries serving in the armies of the nations listed here.
2 tn Heb “sons.”
3 tn The expression “sons of the covenant land” possibly refers to Jews living in Egypt (Jer 44).
1 tn Heb “come down.”
2 sn Syene is known as Aswan today.
1 tn Heb “all who aid her are broken.”
1 tn Heb “in the day of Egypt.” The word “doom” has been added in the translation to clarify the nature of this day.