“I will fling you
Into the wilderness.
You!
With all the fish
Of your channels!
You shall fall
In the open field!
You will not be gathered.
You will not be buried.
I have given you
As food
To the animals
Of the earth,
To the birds
Of the air.
Then all the inhabitants
Of Egypt
Shall know
That I am Yahweh.
Because they were
A staff of the reed
To the house of Israel.
When they grasped you
With the hand,
You broke down.
You tore
All their shoulders.
When they leaned
On you,
You broke down.
You made
All their legs
Unsteady.”
Yahweh was going to fling this sea dragon of Pharaoh, with all his fish in the Nile River channels, into the wilderness. They would then fall into an open field, where they would not be gathered or buried. The animals of the earth and the birds of the air would then eat them as food as they lay in the open fields. Then all the inhabitants of Egypt would know that Yahweh was God. They were like a reed to the house of Israel. When they grasped this dragon and his fish with their hands, they broke down. They tore all their shoulders when they leaned on these fish. Their legs became unsteady.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 