וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה בִּשְׁנֵֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר חֹ֖דֶשׁ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָיָ֥ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ In the twelfth year, on the first day of the twelfth month, the word of the LORD came to me:
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם שָׂ֤א קִינָה֙ עַל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו כְּפִ֥יר גּוֹיִ֖ם נִדְמֵ֑יתָ וְאַתָּה֙ כַּתַּנִּ֣ים בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וַתָּ֣גַח בְּנַהֲרוֹתֶ֗יךָ וַתִּדְלַח־מַ֙יִם֙ בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ וַתִּרְפֹּ֖ס נַהֲרוֹתָֽם׃ {ס} O mortal, intone a dirge over Pharaoh king of Egypt. Say to him:
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.O great beast among the nations,-a you are doomed!
You are like the dragon in the seas,
Thrusting through theirbHeb. “your.” streams,
Stirring up the water with your feet
And muddying their streams!
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה וּפָרַשְׂתִּ֤י עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־רִשְׁתִּ֔י בִּקְהַ֖ל עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְהֶעֱל֖וּךָ בְּחֶרְמִֽי׃ Thus said the Lord GOD:
I will cast My net over you
In an assembly of many peoples,
And you shall be hauled up in My toils.
וּנְטַשְׁתִּ֣יךָ בָאָ֔רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה אֲטִילֶ֑ךָ וְהִשְׁכַּנְתִּ֤י עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ כׇּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְהִשְׂבַּעְתִּ֥י מִמְּךָ֖ חַיַּ֥ת כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ And I will fling you to the ground,
Hurl you upon the open field.
I will cause all the birds of the sky
To settle upon you.
I will cause the beasts of all the earth
To batten on you.
וְנָתַתִּ֥י אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ֖ עַל־הֶהָרִ֑ים וּמִלֵּאתִ֥י הַגֵּאָי֖וֹת רָמוּתֶֽךָ׃ I will cast your carcass upon the hills
And fill the valleys with your aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.rotting flesh.-a
וְהִשְׁקֵיתִ֨י אֶ֧רֶץ צָפָֽתְךָ֛ מִדָּמְךָ֖ אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים וַאֲפִקִ֖ים יִמָּלְא֥וּן מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ I will drench the earth
With your oozing blood upon the hills,
And the watercourses shall be filled with your [gore].
וְכִסֵּיתִ֤י בְכַבּֽוֹתְךָ֙ שָׁמַ֔יִם וְהִקְדַּרְתִּ֖י אֶת־כֹּֽכְבֵיהֶ֑ם שֶׁ֚מֶשׁ בֶּעָנָ֣ן אֲכַסֶּ֔נּוּ וְיָרֵ֖חַ לֹא־יָאִ֥יר אוֹרֽוֹ׃ When you are snuffed out,
I will cover the sky
And darken its stars;
I will cover the sun with clouds
And the moon shall not give its light.
כׇּל־מְא֤וֹרֵי אוֹר֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם אַקְדִּירֵ֖ם עָלֶ֑יךָ וְנָתַ֤תִּֽי חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ עַֽל־אַרְצְךָ֔ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ All the lights that shine in the sky
I will darken above you;
And I will bring darkness upon your land
—declares the Lord GOD.
וְהִ֨כְעַסְתִּ֔י לֵ֖ב עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים בַּהֲבִיאִ֤י שִׁבְרְךָ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם עַל־אֲרָצ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יְדַעְתָּֽם׃ I will vex the hearts of many peoples
When I bring your cSeptuagint reads “captives.”shattered remnants-c among the nations,
To countries which you never knew.
וַהֲשִׁמּוֹתִ֨י עָלֶ֜יךָ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים וּמַלְכֵיהֶם֙ יִשְׂעֲר֤וּ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ שַׂ֔עַר בְּעוֹפְפִ֥י חַרְבִּ֖י עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְחָרְד֤וּ לִרְגָעִים֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְנַפְשׁ֔וֹ בְּי֖וֹם מַפַּלְתֶּֽךָ׃ {פ}
I will strike many peoples with horror over your fate;
And their kings shall be aghast over you,
When I brandish My sword before them.
They shall tremble continually,
Each man for his own life,
On the day of your downfall.
כִּ֛י כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֑ה חֶ֥רֶב מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל תְּבוֹאֶֽךָ׃ For thus said the Lord GOD:
The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you.
בְּחַרְב֤וֹת גִּבּוֹרִים֙ אַפִּ֣יל הֲמוֹנֶ֔ךָ עָרִיצֵ֥י גוֹיִ֖ם כֻּלָּ֑ם וְשָֽׁדְדוּ֙ אֶת־גְּא֣וֹן מִצְרַ֔יִם וְנִשְׁמַ֖ד כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָֽהּ׃ I will cause your multitude to fall
By the swords of warriors,
All the most ruthless among the nations.
They shall ravage the splendor of Egypt,
And all her masses shall be wiped out.
וְהַֽאֲבַדְתִּי֙ אֶת־כׇּל־בְּהֶמְתָּ֔הּ מֵעַ֖ל מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים וְלֹ֨א תִדְלָחֵ֤ם רֶֽגֶל־אָדָם֙ ע֔וֹד וּפַרְס֥וֹת בְּהֵמָ֖ה לֹ֥א תִדְלָחֵֽם׃ I will make all her cattle vanish from beside abundant waters;
The feet of man shall not muddy them any more,
Nor shall the hoofs of cattle muddy them.
אָ֚ז אַשְׁקִ֣יעַ מֵימֵיהֶ֔ם וְנַהֲרוֹתָ֖ם כַּשֶּׁ֣מֶן אוֹלִ֑יךְ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ Then I will let their waters settle,
And make their rivers flow like oil
—declares the Lord GOD:
בְּתִתִּי֩ אֶת־אֶ֨רֶץ מִצְרַ֜יִם שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּנְשַׁמָּ֗ה אֶ֚רֶץ מִמְּלֹאָ֔הּ בְּהַכּוֹתִ֖י אֶת־כׇּל־י֣וֹשְׁבֵי בָ֑הּ וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּי־אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ When I lay the land of Egypt waste,
When the land is emptied of [the life] that filled it,
When I strike down all its inhabitants.
And they shall know that I am the LORD.
קִינָ֥ה הִיא֙ וְק֣וֹנְנ֔וּהָ בְּנ֥וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֖ם תְּקוֹנֵ֣נָּה אוֹתָ֑הּ עַל־מִצְרַ֤יִם וְעַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָהּ֙ תְּקוֹנֵ֣נָּה אוֹתָ֔הּ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ {פ}
This is a dirge, and it shall be intoned;
The women of the nations shall intone it,
They shall intone it over Egypt and all her multitude
—declares the Lord GOD.
וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָיָ֥ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month,dPresumably the twelfth month; cf. v. 1. the word of the LORD came to me:
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם נְהֵ֛ה עַל־הֲמ֥וֹן מִצְרַ֖יִם וְהוֹרִדֵ֑הוּ א֠וֹתָ֠הּ וּבְנ֨וֹת גּוֹיִ֧ם אַדִּרִ֛ם אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ תַּחְתִּיּ֖וֹת אֶת־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ eConstruction of these verses uncertain.O mortal, wail [the dirge]—along with the women of the mighty nations—over the masses of Egypt, accompanying their descent to the lowest part of the netherworld, among those who have gone down into the Pit.
מִמִּ֖י נָעָ֑מְתָּ רְדָ֥ה וְהׇשְׁכְּבָ֖ה אֶת־עֲרֵלִֽים׃ fCf. 31.18 ff. and note e on 31.14.Whom do you surpass in beauty? Down with you, and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!
בְּת֥וֹךְ חַלְלֵי־חֶ֖רֶב יִפֹּ֑לוּ חֶ֣רֶב נִתָּ֔נָה מׇשְׁכ֥וּ אוֹתָ֖הּ וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנֶֽיהָ׃ They shall lie amid those slain by the sword,-f eConstruction of these verses uncertain.[amid those slain by] the sword [Egypt] has been dragged and left with all her masses.
יְדַבְּרוּ־ל֞וֹ אֵלֵ֧י גִבּוֹרִ֛ים מִתּ֥וֹךְ שְׁא֖וֹל אֶת־עֹֽזְרָ֑יו יָ֥רְד֛וּ שָׁכְב֥וּ הָעֲרֵלִ֖ים חַלְלֵי־חָֽרֶב׃ From the depths of Sheol the mightiest of warriors speak to him and his allies; the uncircumcised, the slain by the sword, have gone down and lie [there].
שָׁ֤ם אַשּׁוּר֙ וְכׇל־קְהָלָ֔הּ סְבִיבוֹתָ֖יו קִבְרֹתָ֑יו כֻּלָּ֣ם חֲלָלִ֔ים הַנֹּפְלִ֖ים בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ Assyria is there with all her company, their graves round about, all of them slain, fallen by the sword.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִתְּנ֤וּ קִבְרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ בְּיַרְכְּתֵי־ב֔וֹר וַיְהִ֣י קְהָלָ֔הּ סְבִיב֖וֹת קְבֻרָתָ֑הּ כֻּלָּ֤ם חֲלָלִים֙ נֹפְלִ֣ים בַּחֶ֔רֶב אֲשֶׁר־נָתְנ֥וּ חִתִּ֖ית בְּאֶ֥רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ Their graves set in the farthest recesses of the Pit, all her company are round about her tomb, all of them slain, fallen by the sword—they who struck terror in the land of the living.
שָׁ֤ם עֵילָם֙ וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ סְבִיב֖וֹת קְבֻרָתָ֑הּ כֻּלָּ֣ם חֲלָלִים֩ הַנֹּפְלִ֨ים בַּחֶ֜רֶב אֲֽשֶׁר־יָרְד֥וּ עֲרֵלִ֣ים ׀ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ תַּחְתִּיּ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתְנ֤וּ חִתִּיתָם֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ כְלִמָּתָ֖ם אֶת־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ There too is Elam and all her masses round about her tomb, all of them slain, fallen by the sword—they who descended uncircumcised to the lowest part of the netherworld, who struck terror in the land of the living—now they bear their shame with those who have gone down to the Pit.
בְּת֣וֹךְ חֲ֠לָלִ֠ים נָתְנ֨וּ מִשְׁכָּ֥ב לָהּ֙ בְּכׇל־הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ סְבִיבוֹתָ֖יו קִבְרֹתֶ֑הָ כֻּלָּ֣ם עֲרֵלִ֣ים חַלְלֵי־חֶ֡רֶב כִּֽי־נִתַּ֨ן חִתִּיתָ֜ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֗ים וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ כְלִמָּתָם֙ אֶת־י֣וֹרְדֵי ב֔וֹר בְּת֥וֹךְ חֲלָלִ֖ים נִתָּֽן׃ They made a bed for her among the slain, with all her masses; their graves are round about her. They are all uncircumcised, slain by the sword. Though their terror was once spread over the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who have gone into the Pit; they are placed among the slain.
שָׁ֣ם מֶ֤שֶׁךְ תֻּבַל֙ וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ סְבִיבוֹתָ֖יו קִבְרוֹתֶ֑יהָ כֻּלָּ֤ם עֲרֵלִים֙ מְחֻ֣לְלֵי חֶ֔רֶב כִּי־נָתְנ֥וּ חִתִּיתָ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ Meshech and Tubal and all their masses are there; their graves are round about. They are all uncircumcised, pierced through by the sword—they who once struck terror in the land of the living.
וְלֹ֤א יִשְׁכְּבוּ֙ אֶת־גִּבּוֹרִ֔ים נֹפְלִ֖ים מֵעֲרֵלִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָרְדֽוּ־שְׁא֣וֹל בִּכְלֵֽי־מִלְחַמְתָּם֩ וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ אֶת־חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם תַּ֣חַת רָאשֵׁיהֶ֗ם וַתְּהִ֤י עֲוֺֽנֹתָם֙ עַל־עַצְמוֹתָ֔ם כִּֽי־חִתִּ֥ית גִּבּוֹרִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ And they do not lie with the fallen uncircumcised warriors, who went down to Sheol with their battle gear, who put their swords beneath their heads and their iniquitiesgEmendation yields “shields.” upon their bones—for the terror of the warriors was upon the land of the living.
וְאַתָּ֗ה בְּת֧וֹךְ עֲרֵלִ֛ים תִּשָּׁבַ֥ר וְתִשְׁכַּ֖ב אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חָֽרֶב׃ And you too shall be shattered amid the uncircumcised, and lie among those slain by the sword.
שָׁ֣מָּה אֱד֗וֹם מְלָכֶ֙יהָ֙ וְכׇל־נְשִׂיאֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁר־נִתְּנ֥וּ בִגְבוּרָתָ֖ם אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חָ֑רֶב הֵ֛מָּה אֶת־עֲרֵלִ֥ים יִשְׁכָּ֖בוּ וְאֶת־יֹ֥רְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ Edom is there, her kings and all her chieftains, who, for all their might, are laid among those who are slain by the sword; they too lie with the uncircumcised and with those who have gone down to the Pit.
שָׁ֣מָּה נְסִיכֵ֥י צָפ֛וֹן כֻּלָּ֖ם וְכׇל־צִדֹנִ֑י אֲשֶׁר־יָרְד֣וּ אֶת־חֲלָלִ֗ים בְּחִתִּיתָ֤ם מִגְּבֽוּרָתָם֙ בּוֹשִׁ֔ים וַיִּשְׁכְּב֤וּ עֲרֵלִים֙ אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ כְלִמָּתָ֖ם אֶת־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ All the princes of the north and all the Sidonians are there, who went down in disgrace with the slain, in spite of the terror that their might inspired; and they lie, uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword, and bear their shame with those who have gone down to the Pit.
אוֹתָם֙ יִרְאֶ֣ה פַרְעֹ֔ה וְנִחַ֖ם עַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנֹ֑ה חַלְלֵי־חֶ֙רֶב֙ פַּרְעֹ֣ה וְכׇל־חֵיל֔וֹ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ These Pharaoh shall see, and he shall be consoled for all his masses, those of Pharaoh’s men slain by the sword and all his army—declares the Lord GOD.
כִּֽי־נָתַ֥תִּי אֶת־[חִתִּיתִ֖י] (חתיתו) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֑ים וְהֻשְׁכַּב֩ בְּת֨וֹךְ עֲרֵלִ֜ים אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶ֗רֶב פַּרְעֹה֙ וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנֹ֔ה נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ {פ}
hEmendation yields “because he struck terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh.”I strike terror into the land of the living; Pharaoh-h and all his masses are laid among the uncircumcised, along with those who were slain by the sword—said the Lord GOD.