- This chapter is a prophecy in poetic form against Egypt. It begins with God speaking about Pharaoh Neco, who gets defeated by Nebuchadnezzar at the River Euphrates in Mesopotamia.
- It's kind of like, "Get on your horses, Egyptians! Put on your armor and shields! Oh wait, you're retreating? You're getting slaughtered? What a shame."
- Like the floodwaters of the Nile, Egypt tries to spread over the earth and destroy cities.
- God urges the Egyptian warriors and their allies to get ready for battle. Then he says that they're just another sacrifice to his glory. They're next up to get clobbered by Babylon.
- God sarcastically tells Egypt to seek a medicinal balm in Gilead. But there's no healing for them: they're toast.
- God predicts that Nebuchadnezzar will invade and destroy Egypt.
- God says to tell the Egyptians to get ready for their slaughter.
- He also mocks their bull god, Apis, who's zero help to them.
- The Egyptians stumble home in defeat and the Pharaoh earns the nickname "Braggart Who Missed His Chance." Oh, snap!
- Egypt should pack its bags for exile—they're in for it.
- Egypt's like a "beautiful heifer" who gets stung and driven nuts by a gadfly from the north (Babylon).
- Egypt will be put to shame, slithering away in retreat like a snake, and being flattened like a forest cut down by the Babylonian war axes.
- God's bringing punishment on Amon of Thebes, Pharaoh, and all the Egyptian gods and kings.
- Pharaoh and those who trust in him will be captured, but afterwards Egypt will be inhabited again like it used to be.
- In concluding the chapter, God again promises Israel that it will be freed from captivity. God will destroy the nations that have oppressed Israel, but not Israel itself. The people will return to their homeland under God's protection.