Look, I know you are depending on Egypt. Why are you doing that? Egypt is nothing but a broken papyrus stem. Try leaning on it. It will only cut your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is just like that to everyone who depends on him.

看哪，你所倚靠的埃及是那压伤的苇杖，人若靠这杖，就必刺透他的手。埃及王法老向一切倚靠他的人也是这样。

看哪，你所倚靠的埃及是那断裂的苇杖，人若倚靠这杖，它就刺进他的手，穿透它。埃及王法老向所有倚靠他的人都是这样。

看哪，你所倚靠的埃及是那断裂的苇杖，人若倚靠这杖，它就刺进他的手，穿透它。埃及王法老向所有倚靠他的人都是这样。

看啊，你所倚靠的埃及不过是一根破裂的芦苇，倚靠它的必被刺破手。倚靠埃及王法老的下场都是这样。’

看哪！你所倚靠的埃及，是那压伤的芦苇杖；人若倚靠它，它就会插进他的手，把手刺透。埃及王法老对所有倚靠他的人，也是这样。

看哪！你依靠的埃及是压裂的芦苇杖；如果有人倚靠它，它就会扎入那人的手，把手刺透。埃及王法老对所有依靠他的人都是这样。

看哪，你所倚靠的埃及是那壓傷的葦杖，人若靠這杖，就必刺透他的手。埃及王法老向一切倚靠他的人也是這樣。

看哪，你所倚靠的埃及是那斷裂的葦杖，人若倚靠這杖，它就刺進他的手，穿透它。埃及王法老向所有倚靠他的人都是這樣。

看哪，你所倚靠的埃及是那斷裂的葦杖，人若倚靠這杖，它就刺進他的手，穿透它。埃及王法老向所有倚靠他的人都是這樣。

看啊，你所倚靠的埃及不過是一根破裂的蘆葦，倚靠它的必被刺破手。倚靠埃及王法老的下場都是這樣。』

看哪！你所倚靠的埃及，是那壓傷的蘆葦杖；人若倚靠它，它就會插進他的手，把手刺透。埃及王法老對所有倚靠他的人，也是這樣。

你看，你依靠這壓傷的蘆葦扶杖，依靠埃及；人若依賴它，這東西就刺進他手掌，把他刺透。埃及王法老對一切倚靠他的人就是這樣。

看哪！你依靠的埃及是壓裂的蘆葦杖；如果有人倚靠它，它就會扎入那人的手掌，把手掌刺透。埃及王法老對所有依靠他的人都是這樣。

爾恃埃及、彼乃折葦之杖、人若賴之、必刺其手、凡恃埃及王法老者若是、

爾於埃及王、倚之若杖、不知彼猶已折之萑葦、按手其上、必為所刺、凡倚埃及王法老者亦若是、

爾恃伊及國乎、豈知彼猶已折之葦、人若倚其上、必刺入其手、凡恃伊及王法老者亦若是、

Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.

Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!

Look, you are relying on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who grabs it and leans on it. This is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who rely on him.

Behold, you have relied on the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.

Look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him.

Look, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will enter and pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. This is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who trust in him.

Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so[ is] Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

Look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If someone leans on it for support, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him!

Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt, which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Then everyone who lives in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.“‘ “You have been like a walking stick made out of a papyrus stem. The people of Israel tried to lean on you.They took hold of you. But you broke under their weight. You tore open their shoulders. The people of Israel leaned on you. But you snapped in two. And their backs were broken.” ’ ”

The men of Egypt are only human beings. They aren’t God. Their horses are only flesh and blood. They aren’t spirits. The Lord will reach out his powerful hand to punish everyone. The Egyptians provide help. But they will be tripped up. The people of Judah receive the help. But they will fall down. All of them will be destroyed.

The armies of Babylon were attacking Jerusalem. They received a report that Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt to help Zedekiah. So armies of Babylon pulled back from Jerusalem.A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah.The Lord is the God of Israel. He says,“ The king of Judah has sent you to ask me for advice. Tell him,‘ Pharaoh’s army has marched out to help you. But it will go back to its own land. It will return to Egypt.Then the armies of Babylon will come back here. They will attack this city. They will capture it. Then they will burn it down.’

But the king of Assyria found out that Hoshea had turned against him. Hoshea had sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt. Hoshea didn’t send gifts to the king of Assyria anymore. He had been sending them every year. So Shalmaneser grabbed him and put him in prison.

“ How terrible it will be for these stubborn children of mine!” announces the Lord.“ How terrible for those who carry out plans that did not come from me! Their agreement with Egypt did not come from my Spirit. So they pile up one sin on top of another.They go down to Egypt without asking me for advice. They look to Pharaoh to help them. They ask Egypt to keep them safe.But looking to Pharaoh will only bring them shame. Asking Egypt for help will bring them dishonor.Their officials have gone to the city of Zoan. Their messengers have arrived in Hanes.But the people of Judah will be put to shame. That’s because they are trusting in a nation that is useless to them. Egypt will not bring them any help or advantage. Instead, it will bring them shame and dishonor.”Here is a prophecy the Lord gave me about the animals in the Negev Desert. Judah’s messengers carry their riches on the backs of donkeys. They carry their treasures on the humps of camels. They travel through a land of danger and suffering. It’s a land filled with lions. Poisonous snakes are also there. The messengers travel to a nation that can’t do them any good.They travel to Egypt, whose help is totally useless. That’s why I call it Rahab the Do- Nothing.

People trusted in Cush to help them. They bragged about what Egypt could do for them. But they will lose heart and be put to shame.At that time the people who live on the coast of Philistia will speak up. They will say,‘ See what has happened to those we depended on! We ran to them for help. We wanted them to save us from the king of Assyria. Now how can we escape?’ ”

Look, I know you are depending on Egypt. Why are you doing that? Egypt is nothing but a broken papyrus stem. Try leaning on it. It will only cut your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is just like that to everyone who depends on him.