The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Woe to those going down to Egypt expecting help - relying on horses; trusting in chariots, because they have many, and in the strength of their cavalrymen - but not looking to the Holy One of Isra'el, not consulting ADONAI.
1
Cursed are those who go down to Egypt for help, and who put their faith in horses; looking to war-carriages for salvation, because of their numbers; and to horsemen, because they are very strong; but they are not looking to the Holy One of Israel, or turning their hearts to the Lord;
2 But he too is wise and can bring disaster, and he does not take back his words; he will rise against the house of evildoers and against the help of those who do wrong.
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Though he is wise, and able to send evil, and his purpose will not be changed; but he will go against the house of the evil-doers, and against those to whom they are looking for help.
3 Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses flesh and not spirit. So when ADONAI stretches out his hand, both he who helps will stumble, and he who is helped will fall; both will perish together.
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For the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit: and when the Lord's hand is stretched out, the helper and he who is helped will come down together.
4 For here is what ADONAI says to me: "As a lion or lion cub growls at its prey and isn't frightened away by the shouts of hordes of shepherds called out against him - their voices do not upset him - so likewise ADONAI-Tzva'ot will descend to fight on Mount Tziyon, on its hill.
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For the Lord has said to me, As a lion, or a young lion, makes an angry noise over his food, and if a band of herdsmen come out against him, he will not be in fear of their voices, or give up his food for their noise: so the Lord of armies will come down to make war against Mount Zion and its hill.
5 Like hovering birds, ADONAI-Tzva'ot will protect Yerushalayim. In protecting it, he will rescue it; in sparing it, he will save it.
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Like birds with outstretched wings, so will the Lord of armies be a cover to Jerusalem; he will be a cover and salvation for it, going over it he will keep it from danger.
6 People of Isra'el! Return to him to whom you have been so deeply disloyal!
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Come back to him who has been so deeply sinned against by the children of Israel.
7 For on that day everyone will discard his idols of silver and idols of gold, which you made for yourselves with your own sinful hands.
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For in that day they will all give up their images of silver and of gold, the sin which they made for themselves.
8 Then Ashur will fall by a sword not of mortals, a sword, not of humans, will devour him; he will flee before the sword, and his young men will be put to forced labor.
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Then the Assyrian will come down by the sword, but not of man; the sword, not of men, will be the cause of his destruction: and he will go in flight from the sword, and his young men will be put to forced work.
9 His rock, out of terror, will pass away, and his panicked officers will desert the standard." So says ADONAI, whose fire is in Tziyon, whose furnace is in Yerushalayim.
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And his rock will come to nothing because of fear, and his chiefs will go in flight from the flag, says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his altar in Jerusalem.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.