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Giovedi, 28 marzo 2024 - San Castore di Tarso ( Letture di oggi)

Isaiah 19


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1Proclamation about Egypt: Look! Yahweh, riding a swift cloud, is coming to Egypt. The false gods ofEgypt totter before him and Egypt's heart quails within her.2I shal stir up Egypt against Egypt, they wil fight one another, brother against brother, friend againstfriend, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.3Egypt's spirit wil fail within her and I shal confound her deliberations. They will consult false gods andwizards, ghosts and sorcerers.4And I shal hand Egypt over to the clutches of a cruel master, a ruthless king wil rule them -- declaresYahweh Sabaoth.5The waters wil ebb from the sea, the river will dry up and run low,6the streams wil become foul, the rivers of Egypt sink and dry up. Rush and reed wil turn black,7the Nile-plants on the banks of the Nile; all the vegetation of the Nile, will wither, blow away and be nomore.8The fishermen wil groan, it will be mourning for al who cast hook in the Nile; those who spread nets onthe waters wil lose heart.9The workers of carded flax and the weavers of white cloth wil be confounded,10the weavers dismayed, al the workmen dejected.11Yes, the princes of Zoan are fools, Pharaoh's wisest councillors make up a stupid council. How dare you say to Pharaoh, 'I am descended from sages, I am descended from bygone kings'?12Where are these sages of yours? Let them tel you, so that all may know, the plans Yahweh Sabaothhas made against Egypt!13The princes of Zoan are fools, the princes of Noph, self-deceivers, the top men of her provinces haveled Egypt astray.14Yahweh has infused them with a giddy spirit; they have led Egypt astray in al she undertakes like adrunkard straying about as he vomits.15Nowadays no one does for Egypt what top and tail, palm and reed used to do.16That day Egypt will be like women, trembling and terrified at the threatening hand of Yahweh Sabaoth,when he raises it against her.17The land of Judah will become Egypt's shame; whenever she is reminded of it, she wil be terrified,because of the plan which Yahweh Sabaoth has laid against her.18That day in Egypt there wil be five towns speaking the language of Canaan and pledging themselvesto Yahweh Sabaoth; one of them will be cal ed City of the Sun.19That day there wil be an altar dedicated to Yahweh in the centre of Egypt and, close to the frontier, apil ar dedicated to Yahweh,20and this will be a sign and a witness to Yahweh Sabaoth in Egypt. When they cry to Yahweh for helpbecause of oppressors, he wil send them a Saviour and leader to deliver them.21Yahweh will reveal himself to Egypt, and the Egyptians wil acknowledge Yahweh that day and wiloffer sacrifices and cereal offerings, and wil make vows to Yahweh and perform them.22And if Yahweh strikes Egypt, having struck he wil heal, and they wil turn to Yahweh who wil heartheir prayers and heal them.23That day there wil be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will have access to Egypt and Egypthave access to Assyria. Egypt wil serve with Assyria.24That day Israel will make a third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing at the centre of the world,25and Yahweh Sabaoth wil bless them in the words, 'Blessed be my people Egypt, Assyria my creation,and Israel my heritage.'