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Messages to the Nations

46 The Lord spoke this word to Jeremiah the prophet about the nations:

This 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:

“Prepare your shields, large and small,
    and march out for battle!
Harness the horses
    and get on them!
Go to your places for battle
    and put on your helmets!
Polish your spears.
    Put on your armor!
What 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.
“The fast runners cannot run away;
    the strong soldiers cannot escape.
They stumble and fall
    in the north, by the Euphrates River.
Who is this, rising up like the Nile River,
    like strong, fast rivers?
Egypt 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!’
Horsemen, 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.
12 The 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!”

13 This is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon’s coming to attack Egypt:

14 “Announce this message in Egypt, and preach it in Migdol.
    Preach it also in the cities of Memphis and Tahpanhes:
‘Get ready for war,
    because the battle is all around you.’
15 Egypt, why were your warriors killed?
    They could not stand because the Lord pushed them down.
16 They stumbled again and again
    and fell over each other.
They said, ‘Get up. Let’s go back
    to our own people and our homeland.
    We must get away from our enemy’s sword!’
17 In their homelands those soldiers called out,
    ‘The king of Egypt is only a lot of noise.
    He missed his chance for glory!’”

18 The King’s name is the Lord All-Powerful.
    He says, “As surely as I live,
a powerful leader will come.
    He will be like Mount Tabor among the mountains,
    like Mount Carmel by the sea.
19 People of Egypt, pack your things
    to be taken away as captives,
because Memphis will be destroyed.
    It will be a ruin, and no one will live there.

20 “Egypt is like a beautiful young cow,
    but a horsefly is coming
    from the north to attack her.
21 The hired soldiers in Egypt’s army
    are like fat calves,
because even they all turn and run away together;
    they do not stand strong against the attack.
Their time of destruction is coming;
    they will soon be punished.
22 Egypt is like a hissing snake that is trying to escape.
    The enemy comes closer and closer.
They come against Egypt with axes
    like men who cut down trees.
23 They will chop down Egypt’s army
    as if it were a great forest,” says the Lord.
“There are more enemy soldiers than locusts;
    there are too many to count.
24 The people of Egypt will be ashamed.
    They will be handed over to the enemy from the north.”

25 The Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: “Very soon I will punish Amon, the god of the city of Thebes. And I will punish Egypt, her kings, her gods, and the people who depend on the king. 26 I will hand those people over to their enemies, who want to kill them. I will give them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But in the future, Egypt will live in peace as it once did,” says the Lord.

A Message to Israel

27 “People of Jacob, my servants, don’t be afraid;
    don’t be frightened, Israel.
I will surely save you from those faraway places
    and your children from the lands where they are captives.
The people of Jacob will have peace and safety again,
    and no one will make them afraid.
28 People of Jacob, my servants, do not be afraid,
    because I am with you,” says the Lord.
“I will completely destroy the many different nations
    where I scattered you.
    But I will not completely destroy you.
I will punish you fairly,
    but I will not let you escape your punishment.”

A Message About Egypt

46 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations:(A)

Concerning Egypt:(B)

This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho(C) king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish(D) on the Euphrates(E) River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(F) son of Josiah king of Judah:

“Prepare your shields,(G) both large and small,
    and march out for battle!
Harness the horses,
    mount the steeds!
Take your positions
    with helmets on!
Polish(H) your spears,
    put on your armor!(I)
What do I see?
    They are terrified,
they are retreating,
    their warriors are defeated.
They flee(J) in haste
    without looking back,
    and there is terror(K) on every side,”
declares the Lord.
“The swift cannot flee(L)
    nor the strong escape.
In the north by the River Euphrates(M)
    they stumble and fall.(N)

“Who is this that rises like the Nile,
    like rivers of surging waters?(O)
Egypt rises like the Nile,(P)
    like rivers of surging waters.
She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth;
    I will destroy cities and their people.’(Q)
Charge, you horses!
    Drive furiously, you charioteers!(R)
March on, you warriors—men of Cush[a](S) and Put who carry shields,
    men of Lydia(T) who draw the bow.
10 But that day(U) belongs to the Lord, the Lord Almighty—
    a day of vengeance(V), for vengeance on his foes.
The sword will devour(W) till it is satisfied,
    till it has quenched its thirst with blood.(X)
For the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will offer sacrifice(Y)
    in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.(Z)

11 “Go up to Gilead and get balm,(AA)
    Virgin(AB) Daughter Egypt.
But you try many medicines in vain;
    there is no healing(AC) for you.
12 The nations will hear of your shame;
    your cries will fill the earth.
One warrior will stumble over another;
    both will fall(AD) down together.”

13 This is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon(AE) to attack Egypt:(AF)

14 “Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol;
    proclaim it also in Memphis(AG) and Tahpanhes:(AH)
‘Take your positions and get ready,
    for the sword devours(AI) those around you.’
15 Why will your warriors be laid low?
    They cannot stand, for the Lord will push them down.(AJ)
16 They will stumble(AK) repeatedly;
    they will fall(AL) over each other.
They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back
    to our own people(AM) and our native lands,
    away from the sword of the oppressor.’(AN)
17 There they will exclaim,
    ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise;(AO)
    he has missed his opportunity.(AP)

18 “As surely as I live,” declares the King,(AQ)
    whose name is the Lord Almighty,
“one will come who is like Tabor(AR) among the mountains,
    like Carmel(AS) by the sea.
19 Pack your belongings for exile,(AT)
    you who live in Egypt,
for Memphis(AU) will be laid waste(AV)
    and lie in ruins without inhabitant.

20 “Egypt is a beautiful heifer,
    but a gadfly is coming
    against her from the north.(AW)
21 The mercenaries(AX) in her ranks
    are like fattened calves.(AY)
They too will turn and flee(AZ) together,
    they will not stand their ground,
for the day(BA) of disaster is coming upon them,
    the time(BB) 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.(BC)
23 They will chop down her forest,”
declares the Lord,
    “dense though it be.
They are more numerous than locusts,(BD)
    they cannot be counted.
24 Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,
    given into the hands of the people of the north.(BE)

25 The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes,(BF) on Pharaoh,(BG) on Egypt and her gods(BH) and her kings, and on those who rely(BI) on Pharaoh. 26 I will give them into the hands(BJ) of those who want to kill them—Nebuchadnezzar king(BK) of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited(BL) as in times past,” declares the Lord.

27 “Do not be afraid,(BM) Jacob(BN) my servant;(BO)
    do not be dismayed, Israel.
I will surely save you out of a distant place,
    your descendants from the land of their exile.(BP)
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,”(BQ) declares the Lord.
“Though I completely destroy(BR) 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.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:9 That is, the upper Nile region