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.”
A Message About Egypt
1This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations:
2Concerning Egypt:
This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
3“Prepare your shields, both large and small,
and march out for battle!
4Harness the horses,
mount the steeds!
Take your positions
with helmets on!
Polish your spears,
put on your armor!
5What do I see?
They are terrified,
they are retreating,
their warriors are defeated.
They flee in haste
without looking back,
and there is terror on every side,”
declares the Lord.
6“The swift cannot flee
nor the strong escape.
In the north by the River Euphrates
they stumble and fall.
7“Who is this that rises like the Nile,
like rivers of surging waters?
8Egypt rises like the Nile,
like rivers of surging waters.
She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth;
I will destroy cities and their people.’
9Charge, you horses!
Drive furiously, you charioteers!
March on, you warriors—men of Cush46:9 That is, the upper Nile region and Put who carry shields,
men of Lydia who draw the bow.
10But that day belongs to the Lord, the Lord Almighty—
a day of vengeance, for vengeance on his foes.
The sword will devour till it is satisfied,
till it has quenched its thirst with blood.
For the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will offer sacrifice
in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
11“Go up to Gilead and get balm,
Virgin Daughter Egypt.
But you try many medicines in vain;
there is no healing for you.
12The nations will hear of your shame;
your cries will fill the earth.
One warrior will stumble over another;
both will fall down together.”
13This is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to attack Egypt:
14“Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol;
proclaim it also in Memphis and Tahpanhes:
‘Take your positions and get ready,
for the sword devours those around you.’
15Why will your warriors be laid low?
They cannot stand, for the Lord will push them down.
16They will stumble repeatedly;
they will fall over each other.
They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back
to our own people and our native lands,
away from the sword of the oppressor.’
17There they will exclaim,
‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise;
he has missed his opportunity.’
18“As surely as I live,” declares the King,
whose name is the Lord Almighty,
“one will come who is like Tabor among the mountains,
like Carmel by the sea.
19Pack your belongings for exile,
you who live in Egypt,
for Memphis will be laid waste
and lie in ruins without inhabitant.
20“Egypt is a beautiful heifer,
but a gadfly is coming
against her from the north.
21The mercenaries in her ranks
are like fattened calves.
They too will turn and flee together,
they will not stand their ground,
for the day of disaster is coming upon them,
the time for them to be punished.
22Egypt 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.
23They will chop down her forest,”
declares the Lord,
“dense though it be.
They are more numerous than locusts,
they cannot be counted.
24Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,
given into the hands of the people of the north.”
25The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes, on Pharaoh, on Egypt and her gods and her kings, and on those who rely on Pharaoh. 26I will give them into the hands of those who want to kill them—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited as in times past,” declares the Lord.
27“Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant;
do not be dismayed, Israel.
I will surely save you out of a distant place,
your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,
and no one will make him afraid.
28Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant,
for I am with you,” declares the Lord.
“Though I completely destroy 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.”
