²This message is to Egypt. It is about the army of Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at the city of Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. This was in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah. This is the Lord’s message to Egypt:

³“Prepare your shields, large and small,

and march out for battle!

⁴Harness the horses

and get on them!

Go to your places for battle

and put on your helmets!

Polish your spears.

Put on your armor!

⁵What do I see?

That army is terrified,

and the soldiers are running away.

Their warriors are defeated.

They run away quickly

without looking back.

There is terror on every side!” says the Lord.

⁶“The fast runners cannot run away;

the strong soldiers cannot escape.

They stumble and fall

in the north, by the Euphrates River.

⁷Who is this, rising up like the Nile River,

like strong, fast rivers?

⁸Egypt rises up like the Nile River,

like strong, fast rivers.

Egypt says, ‘I will rise up and cover the earth.

I will destroy cities and the people in them!’

⁹Horsemen, charge into battle!

Chariot drivers, drive hard!

March on, brave soldiers—

soldiers from the countries of Cush and Put who carry shields,

soldiers from Lydia who use bows.

¹⁰“But that day belongs to the Lord God All-Powerful.

At that time he will give those people the punishment they deserve.

The sword will kill until it is finished,

until it satisfies its thirst for their blood.

The Lord God All-Powerful will offer a sacrifice

in the land of the north, by the Euphrates River.

¹¹“Go up to Gilead and get some balm,

people of Egypt!

You have prepared many medicines,

but they will not work;

you will not be healed.

¹²The nations have heard of your shame,

and your cries fill all the earth.

One warrior has run into another;

both of them have fallen down together!”

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