A reading from the book of Ezekiel.

In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me.

Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against

all Egypt. Speak and say, Thus says the Lord God.

Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh King of Egypt, the great dragon that lies in the midst of

his streams, that says, My Nile is my own. I made it for myself. I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your streams

stick to your scales, and I will draw you up out of the midst of your streams with all the

fish of your streams that stick to your scales, and I will cast you out into the wilderness,

you and all the fish of your streams. You shall fall on the open field

and not be brought together or gathered. To the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the

heavens, I give you as food. Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord.

Because you have been a staff of reed to the House of Israel,

when they grasped you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders. And when they leaned on you,

you broke and made all their loins to shake. Therefore, thus says the Lord God,

behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you

man and beast, and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they will know

that I am the Lord. Because you said, the Nile is mine, and I made it. Therefore, behold, I am against you and against your

streams, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdal to Saini,

as far as the border of Cush. No foot of man shall pass through it, and no foot of beast

shall pass through it. It shall foot of beast shall pass through it.

It shall be uninhabited forty years.

And I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of desolated countries,

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