1. The Lord said, “Look at these children. They don’t obey me. They make plans, but they don’t ask me to help them. They make agreements with other nations, but my Spirit does not want those agreements. These people are adding more and more sins to the ones they have already done.
2. They are going down to Egypt for help, but they did not ask me if that was the right thing to do. They hope they will be saved by the Pharaoh. They want Egypt to protect them.
3. “But I tell you, hiding in Egypt will not help you. Pharaoh will not be able to protect you.
4. Your leaders have gone to Zoan, and your representatives have gone to Hanes.
5. But they will be disappointed. They are depending on a nation that cannot help them. Egypt is useless—it will not help. Egypt will bring nothing but shame and embarrassment.”
6. This is a message about the Negev animals: There is a dangerous place full of lions, adders, deadly snakes, and useless people. And there are people who load their wealth onto donkeys and their treasures on the backs of camels. They carry them to a people who cannot help.
7. That useless nation is Egypt. Egypt’s help is worth nothing, so I call Egypt the “Do-Nothing Dragon.”
8. Now write this on a sign so that all people can see it, and write this in a book. Write these things for a future time. This will be far, far in the future:
9. These people are like children who refuse to obey. They lie and refuse to listen to the Lord’S teachings.