關於埃及的預言
1耶和華把有關列國的事告訴了耶利米先知。 2猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬執政第四年，埃及王法老尼哥的軍隊在幼發拉底河邊的迦基米施被巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒擊敗。論到埃及，耶和華說：
3「要預備大小盾牌，
衝向戰場。
4要套好戰車，
騎上戰馬，
擦亮矛槍，
頂盔貫甲。
5可是，我看見的是什麼呢？
他們驚慌後退，
勇士敗逃，不敢回頭，
驚恐不安。
這是耶和華說的。
6善跑者跑不掉，
強壯者逃不了，
他們仆倒在北面的幼發拉底河邊。
7「那如尼羅河漲溢，
如江水奔騰的是誰呢？
8埃及如尼羅河漲溢，
如江水奔騰。
她說，『我要漲溢，淹沒大地，
毀滅城邑和其中的居民。』
9戰馬奔馳吧！
戰車疾駛吧！
勇士啊，就是那些手拿盾牌的古實人和弗人以及箭法嫺熟的呂底亞人啊，出戰吧！
10因為這是主——萬軍之耶和華向敵人報仇的日子。
刀劍必吞噬他們，
痛飲他們的血，
因為要在北方的幼發拉底河邊向主——萬軍之耶和華獻祭。
11埃及人啊，
去基列取乳香吧！
然而，再多的良藥也無法醫治你們。
12你們的恥辱傳遍列國，
你們的哀哭響徹大地，
你們的勇士彼此碰撞，
倒在一起。」
13論到巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒要來攻打埃及的事，耶和華對耶利米先知說：
14「你要在埃及宣佈，在密奪、挪弗和答比匿宣告，
『你們要準備戰鬥，
因為刀劍要吞噬你們周圍的人。』
15你們的勇士為何仆倒？
他們無法堅立，
因為耶和華擊倒了他們，
16使他們跌跌絆絆，紛紛倒下。
他們說，『起來，我們回到同胞那裡，回到故鄉吧，
好躲避敵人的刀劍。』
17他們在那裡喊叫，
『埃及王法老只會虛張聲勢，
他已錯失良機。』」
18名叫萬軍之耶和華的王說：
「我憑我的永恆起誓，
將有一位要來，
他的氣勢如群山中的他泊山，
又像海邊的迦密山。
19住在埃及的子民啊，
收拾行裝準備流亡吧！
因為挪弗必被燒毀，
淪為廢墟，杳無人跡。
20「埃及像頭肥美的母牛犢，
但從北方卻來了牛虻。
21埃及的傭兵好像肥牛犢，
都轉身逃之夭夭，無力抵擋，
因為他們遭難、受罰的日子到了。
22「敵軍進攻的時候，
埃及必像蛇一樣嘶嘶地溜走。
敵軍必拿著斧頭蜂擁而來，
像樵夫砍樹一樣攻擊他們。
23埃及的人口雖然稠密如林，
敵軍必像無數的蝗蟲一樣掃平他們。
這是耶和華說的。
24埃及人必蒙羞，
落在北方人的手中。」
25以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華說：「看啊，我要懲罰提比斯的神明亞捫和埃及的其他神明、法老、首領以及依靠法老的人。 26我要把他們交在想殺他們的巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒及其官長手中。然而，日後埃及必再有人居住，如往日一樣。這是耶和華說的。
27「我的僕人雅各啊，不要害怕！
以色列人啊，不要驚慌！
因為我要從遠方把你們救回來，
使你們從流亡之地歸回。
你們必重返家園，安享太平，
無人攪擾。
28我的僕人雅各啊，不要害怕，
因為我與你同在。
我曾使你流亡到列國，
我必徹底毀滅列國，
但不會徹底毀滅你，
也不會饒過你，
我必公正地懲治你。
這是耶和華說的。」
A Message About Egypt
1A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet. It was about the nations.
2Here is what the Lord says about Egypt.
Here is his message against the army of Pharaoh Necho. He was king of Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, won the battle over Necho’s army. That happened at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. It was in the fourth year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah. He was the son of Josiah. The message says,
3“Egyptians, prepare your shields!
Prepare large and small shields alike!
March out for battle!
4Get the horses and chariots ready to ride!
Take up your battle positions!
Put on your helmets!
Shine up your spears!
Put on your armor!
5What do I see?
The Egyptians are terrified.
They are pulling back.
Their soldiers are losing.
They run away as fast as they can.
They do not look back.
There is terror on every side,” announces the Lord.
6“Those who run fast can’t get away.
Those who are strong can’t escape.
In the north by the Euphrates River
they trip and fall.
7“Who is this that rises like the Nile River?
Who rises like rivers of rushing waters?
8Egypt rises like the Nile River.
It rises like rivers of rushing waters.
Egypt says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth.
I’ll destroy cities and their people.’
9Charge, you horses!
Drive fast, you chariot drivers!
March on, you soldiers!
March on, you men of Cush and Put who carry shields.
March on, you men of Lydia who shoot arrows.
10But that day belongs to me.
I am the Lord who rules over all.
It is a day for me to pay back my enemies.
My sword will eat until it is satisfied.
It will drink until it is not thirsty for blood anymore.
I am the Lord. I am the Lord who rules over all.
I will offer a sacrifice.
I will offer it in the land of the north
by the Euphrates River.
11“People of Egypt,
go up to Gilead and get some healing lotion.
You may try many medicines, but you will not be healed.
There isn’t any healing for you.
12The nations will hear about your shame.
Your cries of pain will fill the earth.
One soldier will trip over another.
Both of them will fall down together.”
13Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, was coming to attack Egypt. Here is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about it. He said,
14“Egyptians, here is what I want you to announce in your land.
Announce it in the city of Migdol.
Also announce it in Memphis and Tahpanhes.
Say, ‘Take up your battle positions! Get ready!
The sword eats up those around you.’
15Why are your soldiers lying on the ground?
They can’t stand, because I bring them down.
16They will trip again and again.
They will fall over one another.
They will say, ‘Get up. Let’s go back home.
Let’s return to our own people and our own lands.
Let’s get away from the swords
that will bring us great harm.’
17The Egyptian soldiers will cry out,
‘Pharaoh, our king, is only a loud noise.
He has missed his chance to win the battle.’
18“I am the King.
My name is the Lord Who Rules Over All.
Someone will come who is like Mount Tabor among the mountains.
He is like Mount Carmel by the Mediterranean Sea.
And that is just as sure as I am alive,”
announces the King.
19“So pack your belongings, you who live in Egypt.
You will be taken away from your land.
Memphis will be completely destroyed.
Its buildings will be broken down.
No one will live there.
20“Egypt is like a beautiful young cow.
But Nebuchadnezzar is coming against her from the north.
He will bite her like a fly.
21Hired soldiers are in Egypt’s army.
They are like fat calves.
All of them will turn and run away.
They will not hold their positions.
The day of trouble is coming on them.
The time for them to be punished is near.
22The Egyptians will hiss like a snake that is trying to get away.
A powerful army will advance against them.
Their enemies will come against them with axes.
They will be like those who cut down trees.
23Egypt is like a thick forest.
But they will chop it down,” announces the Lord.
“There are more of their enemies than there are locusts.
In fact, they can’t even be counted.
24The nation of Egypt will be put to shame.
It will be handed over to the people of the north.”
25The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, “I am about to punish Amon, the god of Thebes. I will also punish Pharaoh. I will punish Egypt and its gods and kings. And I will punish those who depend on Pharaoh. 26I will hand them over to those who want to kill them. I will give them to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and his officers. But later, many people will live in Egypt again as in times past,” announces the Lord.
27“People of Jacob, do not be afraid.
You are my servant.
Israel, do not be terrified.
I will bring you safely out of a place far away.
I will bring your children back
from the land where they were taken.
Your people will have peace and security again.
And no one will make them afraid.
28People of Jacob, do not be afraid.
You are my servant.
I am with you,”
announces the Lord.
“I will completely destroy all the nations
among which I scatter you.
But I will not completely destroy you.
I will correct you. But I will be fair.
I will not let you go without any punishment.”
