A Message About Egypt

46 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations:o

2 Concerning Egypt:p

This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Nechoq king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemishr on the Euphratess River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakimt son of Josiah king of Judah:

3 “Prepare your shields,u both large and small,

and march out for battle!

4 Harness the horses,

mount the steeds!

Take your positions

with helmets on!

Polishv your spears,

put on your armor!w

5 What do I see?

They are terrified,

they are retreating,

their warriors are defeated.

They fleex in haste

without looking back,

and there is terrory on every side,”

declares the Lord.

6 “The swift cannot fleez

nor the strong escape.

In the north by the River Euphratesa

they stumble and fall.b

7 “Who is this that rises like the Nile,

like rivers of surging waters?c

8 Egypt rises like the Nile,d

like rivers of surging waters.

She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth;

I will destroy cities and their people.’e

9 Charge, you horses!

Drive furiously, you charioteers!f

March on, you warriors—men of Cusha g and Put who carry shields,

men of Lydiah who draw the bow.

10 But that dayi belongs to the Lord, the Lord Almighty—

a day of vengeancej, for vengeance on his foes.

The sword will devourk till it is satisfied,

till it has quenched its thirst with blood.l

For the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will offer sacrificem

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

11 “Go up to Gilead and get balm,o

Virginp Daughter Egypt.

But you try many medicines in vain;

there is no healingq for you.

12 The nations will hear of your shame;

your cries will fill the earth.

One warrior will stumble over another;

both will fallr down together.”

13 This is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylons to attack Egypt:t

14 “Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol;

proclaim it also in Memphisu and Tahpanhes:v

‘Take your positions and get ready,

for the sword devoursw those around you.’

15 Why will your warriors be laid low?

They cannot stand, for the Lord will push them down.x

16 They will stumbley repeatedly;

they will fallz over each other.

They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back

to our own peoplea and our native lands,

away from the sword of the oppressor.’b

17 There they will exclaim,

‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise;c

he has missed his opportunity.d’

18 “As surely as I live,” declares the King,e

whose name is the Lord Almighty,

“one will come who is like Taborf among the mountains,

like Carmelg by the sea.

19 Pack your belongings for exile,h

you who live in Egypt,

for Memphisi will be laid wastej

and lie in ruins without inhabitant.

20 “Egypt is a beautiful heifer,

but a gadfly is coming

against her from the north.k

21 The mercenariesl in her ranks

are like fattened calves.m

They too will turn and fleen together,

they will not stand their ground,

for the dayo of disaster is coming upon them,

the timep for them to be punished.

22 Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent

as the enemy advances in force;

they will come against her with axes,

like men who cut down trees.q

23 They will chop down her forest,”

declares the Lord,

“dense though it be.

They are more numerous than locusts,r

they cannot be counted.

24 Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,

given into the hands of the people of the north.s”

25 The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes,t on Pharaoh,u on Egypt and her godsv and her kings, and on those who relyw on Pharaoh. 26 I will give them into the handsx of those who want to kill them—Nebuchadnezzar kingy of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabitedz as in times past,” declares the Lord.

27 “Do not be afraid,a Jacobb my servant;c

do not be dismayed, Israel.

I will surely save you out of a distant place,

your descendants from the land of their exile.d

Jacob will again have peace and security,

and no one will make him afraid.

28 Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant,

for I am with you,”e declares the Lord.

“Though I completely destroyf all the nations

among which I scatter you,

I will not completely destroy you.

I will discipline you but only in due measure;

I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”