13 This is the [a]message which the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the (A)coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to (B)strike the land of Egypt:

14 “Declare in Egypt and proclaim in (C)Migdol,
Proclaim also in Memphis and (D)Tahpanhes;
Say, ‘Take your stand and get yourself ready,
For the (E)sword has devoured those around you.’
15 Why have your (F)powerful ones been cut down?
They do not stand because the Lord has (G)thrust them away.
16 They have repeatedly (H)stumbled;
Indeed, they have fallen, one against another.
Then they said, ‘Get up, and (I)let’s go back
To our own people and our native land,
Away from the [b](J)sword of the oppressor!’
17 [c]They shouted there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is nothing but (K)a big noise;
He has let the appointed time pass by!’
18 As I live,” declares the (L)King,
Whose name is the Lord of armies,
“One certainly shall come who is like (M)Tabor among the mountains,
Or like (N)Carmel by the sea.
19 Make your baggage ready for (O)exile,
(P)Daughter living in Egypt,
For (Q)Memphis will become a desolation;
It will be destroyed and [d]deprived of inhabitants.
20 Egypt is a pretty (R)heifer,
But a [e]horsefly is coming (S)from the north—it is coming!
21 Also her (T)mercenaries in her midst
Are like fattened (U)calves,
For they too have turned away and have fled together;
They did not stand their ground.
For the day of their disaster has come upon them,
The time of their (V)punishment.
22 Its sound moves along like a serpent;
For they move on [f]like an army
And come to her as woodcutters with axes.
23 They have cut down her (W)forest,” declares the Lord;
“Certainly it will no longer be found,
Even though [g]they are more numerous than (X)locusts
And are without number.
24 The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame,
Turned over to the [h]power of the (Y)people of the north.”

25 The Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Behold, I am going to punish Amon of (Z)Thebes, and (AA)Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her (AB)gods and her kings, indeed, Pharaoh and those who (AC)trust in him. 26 I shall hand them over to those who are (AD)seeking their lives, that is, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to his [i]officers. (AE)Afterward, however, it will be inhabited as in the days of old,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:13 Lit word
  2. Jeremiah 46:16 Lit oppressing sword
  3. Jeremiah 46:17 Some ancient versions Call the name of Pharaoh a big noise
  4. Jeremiah 46:19 Lit without
  5. Jeremiah 46:20 Or possibly mosquito
  6. Jeremiah 46:22 Or in force
  7. Jeremiah 46:23 I.e., trees of the forest, the Egyptians
  8. Jeremiah 46:24 Lit hand
  9. Jeremiah 46:26 Lit servants

13 This is the word that the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the military offensive of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar against the land of Egypt:

14 Tell Egypt, warn Migdol,
    alert Memphis and Tahpanhes!
Say: “Brace yourselves for what’s coming.
    War is breaking out from every side!”
15 Why have your mighty fallen?
    Why haven’t they stood their ground?
        Because the Lord has struck them down.
16 He’s tripped them up;
    they fall over each other and say,
    “Let’s get out of here
        and go home to our people,
        where we were born,
        far away from the oppressor’s sword.”[a]
17 There they call Pharaoh, Egypt’s king,
    Loudmouth—Nothing But Hot Air!
18 As I live, declares the king,
    whose name is the Lord of heavenly forces,
one is coming
    just as surely as Tabor is in the mountains
    and Carmel is by the sea.[b]
19 Get what you need for deportation,
    you inhabitants of Egypt.[c]
Memphis will be reduced to a wasteland,
    a ruin with no one left.
20 Egypt is a beautiful, yes, beautiful heifer,
    but a horsefly from the north
        is coming to bite her.[d]
21 Even her mercenaries
    are like well-fed calves;
        they too will retreat and run for cover;
        they won’t survive.
The day of disaster has come to haunt them,
    the time of their punishment.
22 Like the sound of a snake hissing
    as it slithers away
        is Egypt[e] as armies approach in force;
        they come against her with axes,
            like woodcutters.
23 They destroy her dense forest,
    though it is vast,
        because they outnumber locusts
        and can’t be counted,
            declares the Lord.
24 Daughter Egypt will be humiliated,
    handed over to people from the north.

25 This is what the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims: I’m going to punish Amon of Thebes, Egypt and its gods and kings, as well as Pharaoh and all who rely on him. 26 I will hand them over to those who seek to kill them, namely Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar and his servants. But afterward Egypt will dwell like it did a long time ago, declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:16 Heb uncertain
  2. Jeremiah 46:18 Heb uncertain
  3. Jeremiah 46:19 Or inhabitant, Daughter Egypt
  4. Jeremiah 46:20 Heb uncertain
  5. Jeremiah 46:22 Heb lacks is Egypt.

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

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

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

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

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

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13 The word that the Lord spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.

14 Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee.

15 Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the Lord did drive them.

16 He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.

17 They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed.

18 As I live, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.

19 O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.

20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.

21 Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.

22 The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.

23 They shall cut down her forest, saith the Lord, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable.

24 The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.

25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him:

26 And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the Lord.

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