1The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. (Jer 1:5; Jer 25:13; Jer 25:15)2About Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: (2Ki 23:29; 2Ch 35:20; Jer 25:1; Jer 36:1; Jer 45:1)3“Prepare buckler and shield, and advance for battle! (Jer 51:11)4Harness the horses; mount, O horsemen! Take your stations with your helmets, polish your spears, put on your armor! (Jer 46:3; Na 3:2)5Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down and have fled in haste; they look not back— terror on every side! declares the Lord. (2Sa 1:19; 2Sa 1:25; Jer 6:25; Jer 46:21; Jer 47:3)6“The swift cannot flee away, nor the warrior escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. (Jer 46:2; Da 11:19)7“Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge? (Isa 8:7; Jer 47:2; Eze 32:2; Da 11:22)8Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, ‘I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.’ (Jer 46:7)9Advance, O horses, and rage, O chariots! Let the warriors go out: men of Cush and Put who handle the shield, men of Lud, skilled in handling the bow. (Jud 5:22; Isa 66:19; Eze 27:10; Na 3:2)10That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his foes. The sword shall devour and be sated and drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord God of hosts holds a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. (Isa 1:24; Isa 13:9; Isa 34:5; Isa 34:6; Jer 46:2; Jer 46:6; Jer 46:14; Jer 50:15; Joe 1:15)11Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you. (Jer 8:22; Eze 30:21)12The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for warrior has stumbled against warrior; they have both fallen together.” (Jer 46:6)13The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt: (Isa 19:4; Jer 43:10; Jer 44:30; Eze 29:10)14“Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes; say, ‘Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour around you.’ (Jer 44:1; Jer 46:3; Jer 46:10)15Why are your mighty ones face down? They do not stand[1] because the Lord thrust them down.16He made many stumble, and they fell, and they said one to another, ‘Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.’ (Le 26:37; Jer 50:16)17Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, ‘Noisy one who lets the hour go by.’ (Isa 30:7)18“As I live, declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea, shall one come. (Jud 4:6; 1Ki 18:42; 1Ki 18:44; Isa 47:4; Isa 48:2; Jer 4:2; Jer 48:15; Jer 51:57)19Prepare yourselves baggage for exile, O inhabitants of Egypt! For Memphis shall become a waste, a ruin, without inhabitant. (Jer 4:7; Jer 44:1; Jer 48:18; Eze 12:3)20“A beautiful heifer is Egypt, but a biting fly from the north has come upon her. (Jer 1:13; Jer 46:6; Jer 46:10; Jer 46:24; Ho 10:11)21Even her hired soldiers in her midst are like fattened calves; yes, they have turned and fled together; they did not stand, for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their punishment. (Jer 50:27; Am 6:4; Mal 4:2)22“She makes a sound like a serpent gliding away; for her enemies march in force and come against her with axes like those who fell trees. (Isa 10:34; Isa 14:8; Isa 29:4)23They shall cut down her forest, declares the Lord, though it is impenetrable, because they are more numerous than locusts; they are without number. (Jud 6:5; Jud 7:12; Jer 46:22)24The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame; she shall be delivered into the hand of a people from the north.” (Jer 46:20)25The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: “Behold, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him. (Jer 43:12; Eze 30:14; Eze 30:16; Na 3:8)26I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, declares the Lord. (Isa 19:22; Isa 51:9; Jer 44:30; Eze 29:13; Eze 30:4; Eze 32:11)27“But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel, for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid. (Isa 43:5; Jer 30:10)28Fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, for I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.” (Jer 10:24; Jer 46:27)
Jeremiah 46
New International Version
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 River Euphrates 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 armour!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 Cush[1] 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.’