Jeremiah 46:2–12

PROPHECIES AGAINST EGYPT

²About Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco, Egypt’s king,^c which was defeated at Carchemish^d on the Euphrates River by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in the fourth year of Judah’s King Jehoiakim son of Josiah:^e

³Deploy small shields^f and large;

approach for battle!

⁴Harness the horses;

mount the steeds;^B

take your positions with helmets on!

Polish the lances;

put on armor!^g

⁵Why have I seen this?

They are terrified,

they are retreating,

their warriors are crushed,

they flee headlong,

they never look back,

terror is on every side!^h

This is the Lord’s declaration.

⁶The swift cannot flee,

and the warrior cannot escape!ⁱ

In the north by the bank of the Euphrates River,

they stumble and fall.^j

⁷Who is this, rising like the Nile,^k

with waters that churn like rivers?

⁸Egypt rises like the Nile,^l

and its waters churn like rivers.

He boasts, “I will go up, I will cover the earth;

I will destroy cities with their residents.”

⁹Rise up, you cavalry!

Race furiously, you chariots!

Let the warriors march out—

Cush and Put,^m

who are able to handle shields,

and the men of Lud,ⁿ

who are able to handle and string the bow.^o

¹⁰That day belongs to the Lord, the God of Armies,

a day of vengeance to avenge himself

against his adversaries.

The sword will devour and be satisfied;

it will drink its fill of their blood,

because it will be a sacrifice^p to the Lord, the God of Armies,

in the northern land by the Euphrates River.^q

¹¹Go up to Gilead and get balm,^r

Virgin Daughter Egypt!

You have multiplied remedies in vain;

there is no healing for you.

¹²The nations have heard of your dishonor,^s

and your cries fill the earth,

because warrior stumbles against warrior

and together both of them have fallen.