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Jeremiah 46-47
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Jeremiah 46-47
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
VIII. Oracles Against the Nations[a]
Chapter 46
1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.
Against Egypt. 2 Concerning Egypt. Against the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates[b] by Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah:
3 Prepare buckler and shield!
move forward to battle!
4 Harness the horses,
charioteers, mount up!
Fall in, with helmets on;
polish your spears, put on your armor.
5 What do I see?
Are they panicking, falling apart?
Their warriors are hammered back,
They flee headlong
never making a stand.
Terror on every side—
oracle of the Lord!(A)
6 The swift cannot flee,
nor the warrior escape:
There up north, on the banks of the Euphrates
they stumble and fall.
7 Who is this? Like the Nile, it rears up;
like rivers, its waters surge.
8 Egypt rears up like the Nile,
like rivers, its waters surge.
“I will rear up,” it says, “and cover the earth,
destroying the city and its people.(B)
9 Forward, horses!
charge, chariots!
March forth, warriors,
Cush and Put, bearing shields,
Archers of Lud, stretching bows!”
10 Today belongs to the Lord God of hosts,
a day of vengeance, vengeance on his foes!
The sword devours and is sated, drunk with their blood:
for the Lord God of hosts holds a sacrifice
in the land of the north, on the River Euphrates.(C)
11 Go up to Gilead, procure balm,
Virgin daughter Egypt!
No use to multiply remedies;
for you there is no healing.(D)
12 The nations hear your cries,
your screaming fills the earth.
Warrior stumbles against warrior,
both collapse together.(E)
13 (F)The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet when Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, came to attack the land of Egypt:[c]
14 Proclaim in Egypt, announce in Migdol,
announce in Memphis and Tahpanhes!
Say: Fall in, get ready,
the sword has devoured your neighbors.(G)
15 Why has Apis[d] fled?
Your champion did not stand,
Because the Lord thrust him down;
16 he stumbled repeatedly then collapsed.
They said to each other,
“Get up! We must return to our own people,
To the land of our birth,
away from the destroying sword.”(H)
17 Give Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the name
“Braggart-missed-his-chance.”[e]
18 As I live, says the King
whose name is Lord of hosts,
Like Tabor above mountains,
like Carmel[f] above the sea, he comes.
19 Pack your bags for exile,
enthroned daughter Egypt;
Memphis shall become a wasteland,
an empty ruin.
20 Egypt is a beautiful heifer,
a horsefly from the north keeps coming.
21 Even the mercenaries in her ranks
are like fattened calves;
They too turn and flee together—
they do not stand their ground,
For their day of ruin comes upon them,
their time of punishment.
22 Her voice is like a snake!
Yes, they come in force;
They attack her with axes,
like those who fell trees.
23 They cut down her forest—oracle of the Lord—
impenetrable though it be;
More numerous than locusts,
they cannot be counted.
24 Shamed is daughter Egypt,
handed over to a people from the north.
25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, has said: See! I will punish Amon[g] of Thebes and Egypt, gods, kings, Pharaoh, and those who trust in him.(I) 26 I will hand them over to those who seek their lives, to Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, and to his officers. But later, Egypt shall be inhabited again, as in days of old—oracle of the Lord.(J)
27 But you, my servant Jacob, do not fear;
do not be dismayed, Israel!
Listen! I will deliver you from far-off lands;
your offspring, from the land of their exile.
Jacob shall again find rest,
secure, with none to frighten him.(K)
28 You, Jacob my servant, must not fear—oracle of the Lord—
for I am with you;
I will make an end of all the nations
to which I have driven you,
But of you I will not make an end:
I will chastise you as you deserve,
I cannot let you go unpunished.(L)
Chapter 47
Against the Philistines. 1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh attacked Gaza:(M)
2 Thus says the Lord:
[h] See: waters are rising from the north,
to become a torrent in flood;
They shall flood the land and all it contains,
the cities and their inhabitants.
People will howl and wail,
every inhabitant of the land.
3 At the noise of the pounding hooves of his steeds,
the clanking chariots, the rumbling wheels,
Parents do not turn back for their children;
their hands hang helpless,
4 Because of the day that is coming
to destroy all the Philistines
And cut off from Tyre and Sidon[i]
the last of their allies.
Yes, the Lord is destroying the Philistines,
the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.(N)
5 Baldness is visited upon Gaza,(O)
Ashkelon is reduced to silence;
Ashdod, remnant of their strength,
how long will you gash yourself?[j]
6 Ah! Sword of the Lord!
When will you find rest?
Return to your scabbard;
stop, be still!
7 How can it find rest
when the Lord has commanded it?
Against Ashkelon and the seacoast,
there he has appointed it.(P)
Footnotes
- 46:1–51:64 A collection of oracles against foreign nations constitutes the final section of the Hebrew text of Jeremiah; in the Greek text they follow 25:13. The oracles here appear to be arranged in loose chronological order: 46:2 mentions the fourth year of Jehoiakim; the oracles in 50:1–51:64 are evidently from the end of Jeremiah’s life.
- 46:2 Carchemish on the Euphrates: the western terminus of the Mesopotamian trade route, where Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Neco in 605 B.C., thus gaining undisputed control of Syria and Palestine.
- 46:13 In 601 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar advanced into Egypt itself, but finally had to withdraw to Syria.
- 46:15 Apis: the chief god of Memphis; the black bull honored as an incarnation of the god Ptah and, later, of the god Osiris.
- 46:17 “Braggart-missed-his-chance”: the Hebrew phrase may contain a pun on the Pharaoh’s name or royal title.
- 46:18 Tabor…Carmel: mountains in Palestine that seem to tower over their surroundings as Nebuchadnezzar towers over the nations in his path as he makes his way toward Egypt.
- 46:25 Amon: the sun-god worshiped at Thebes in Upper Egypt.
- 47:2–7 Nebuchadnezzar’s military campaign against Ashkelon in 604 B.C. may provide some historical background for this poem.
- 47:4 Tyre and Sidon: Phoenician seaports allied commercially with the Philistines and often rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar; cf. 27:1–4. After the capture of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar carried out a partially successful thirteen-year siege of Tyre. Caphtor: Crete and other Aegean islands, points of origin for the Philistines and other sea peoples; cf. Am 9:7.
- 47:5 Baldness…gash yourself: close-cropped hair, silence, and ritual slashing of the body express mourning and grief and here represent the mourner’s awareness that chaos has overcome order (cf. 41:5).
Jeremiah 46-47
New International Version
Jeremiah 46-47
New International Version
A Message About Egypt
46 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations:(A)
2 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:
3 “Prepare your shields,(G) both large and small,
and march out for battle!
4 Harness the horses,
mount the steeds!
Take your positions
with helmets on!
Polish(H) your spears,
put on your armor!(I)
5 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.
6 “The swift cannot flee(L)
nor the strong escape.
In the north by the River Euphrates(M)
they stumble and fall.(N)
7 “Who is this that rises like the Nile,
like rivers of surging waters?(O)
8 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)
9 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.”
A Message About the Philistines
47 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines(BS) before Pharaoh attacked Gaza:(BT)
2 This is what the Lord says:
“See how the waters are rising in the north;(BU)
they will become an overflowing torrent.
They will overflow the land and everything in it,
the towns and those who live in them.
The people will cry out;
all who dwell in the land will wail(BV)
3 at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds,
at the noise of enemy chariots(BW)
and the rumble of their wheels.
Parents will not turn to help their children;
their hands will hang limp.(BX)
4 For the day has come
to destroy all the Philistines
and to remove all survivors
who could help Tyre(BY) and Sidon.(BZ)
The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines,(CA)
the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.[b](CB)
5 Gaza will shave(CC) her head in mourning;
Ashkelon(CD) will be silenced.
You remnant on the plain,
how long will you cut(CE) yourselves?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 46:9 That is, the upper Nile region
- Jeremiah 47:4 That is, Crete
Ben Sira 20:18-30
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ben Sira 20:18-30
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
18 A slip on the floor is better than a slip of the tongue;[a]
in like manner the downfall of the wicked comes quickly.
19 A coarse person, an untimely story;
the ignorant are always ready to offer it.
20 A proverb spoken by a fool is unwelcome,
for he does not tell it at the proper time.
21 There is a person whose poverty prevents him from sinning,
but when he takes his rest he has no regrets.
22 There is a person who is destroyed through shame,
and ruined by foolish posturing.
23 There is one who promises a friend out of shame,
and so makes an enemy needlessly.
24 A lie is a foul blot in a person,
yet it is always on the lips of the ignorant.
25 A thief is better than an inveterate liar,
yet both will suffer ruin.
26 A liar’s way leads to dishonor,
and his shame remains ever with him.
27 The wise gain promotion with few words,[b]
the prudent please the great.
28 Those who work the land have abundant crops,
and those who please the great are pardoned their faults.
29 Favors and gifts blind the eyes;
like a muzzle over the mouth they silence reproofs.(A)
30 Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure—
what value has either?
Footnotes
- 20:18–26 The ill-timed speech brings disaster (vv. 18–20); human respect may lead to rash promises and enmity (vv. 22–23); lies bring dishonor and lasting disgrace (vv. 24–26).
- 20:27–31 Through prudent speech the wise gain honor and esteem among the great (vv. 27–28). They must beware, however, of accepting bribes, lest they share in evil through silence when they should reprove (vv. 29–31).
John 9:1-23
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
John 9:1-23
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
The Man Born Blind. 1 [a]As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth.(A) 2 [b]His disciples asked him,(B) “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.(C) 4 We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.(D) 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(E) 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes,(F) 7 and said to him, “Go wash[c] in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see.(G)
8 His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” 10 So they said to him, “[So] how were your eyes opened?” 11 He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.”
13 They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now Jesus had made clay[d] and opened his eyes on a sabbath.(H) 15 So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” 16 So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” [But] others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them.(I) 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”(J)
18 Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” 20 His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” 22 [e](K)His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Messiah, he would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.”(L)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 9:1–10:21 Sabbath healing of the man born blind. This sixth sign is introduced to illustrate the saying, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12; 9:5). The narrative of conflict about Jesus contrasts Jesus (light) with the Jews (blindness, Jn 9:39–41). The theme of water is reintroduced in the reference to the pool of Siloam. Ironically, Jesus is being judged by the Jews, yet the Jews are judged by the Light of the world; cf. Jn 3:19–21.
- 9:2 See note on Jn 5:14, and Ex 20:5, that parents’ sins were visited upon their children. Jesus denies such a cause and emphasizes the purpose: the infirmity was providential.
- 9:7 Go wash: perhaps a test of faith; cf. 2 Kgs 5:10–14. The water tunnel Siloam (= Sent) is used as a symbol of Jesus, sent by his Father.
- 9:14 In using spittle, kneading clay, and healing, Jesus had broken the sabbath rules laid down by Jewish tradition.
- 9:22 This comment of the evangelist (in terms used again in Jn 12:42; 16:2) envisages a situation after Jesus’ ministry. Rejection/excommunication from the synagogue of Jews who confessed Jesus as Messiah seems to have begun ca. A.D. 85, when the curse against the mînîm or heretics was introduced into the “Eighteen Benedictions.”
John 9:1-23
New International Version
John 9:1-23
New International Version
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(A) who sinned,(B) this man(C) or his parents,(D) that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.(E) 4 As long as it is day,(F) we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(G)
6 After saying this, he spit(H) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”(I) (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.(J)
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”(K) 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”(L)
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.(M) 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.(N) “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”(O)
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”(P) So they were divided.(Q)
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”(R)
18 They(S) still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders,(T) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(U) of the synagogue.(V) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(W)
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