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Babylonia Will Strike Egypt

13 The word that the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:(A)

14 Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol;
    proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes;
Say, “Take your stations and be ready,
    for the sword shall devour those around you.”(B)
15 Why has Apis[a] fled?
    Why did your bull not stand?
    Because the Lord thrust him down.
16 Your multitude stumbled[b] and fell,
    and one said to another,
“Come, let us go back to our own people
    and to the land of our birth,
    because of the destroying sword.”(C)
17 Give Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the name
    “Braggart who missed his chance.”(D)

18 As I live, says the King,
    whose name is the Lord of hosts,
one is coming
    like Tabor among the mountains
    and like Carmel by the sea.(E)
19 Pack your bags for exile,
    sheltered daughter Egypt!
For Memphis shall become a waste,
    a ruin, without inhabitant.(F)

20 A beautiful heifer is Egypt—
    a gadfly from the north lights upon her.(G)
21 Even her mercenaries in her midst
    are like fatted calves;
they, too, have turned and fled together;
    they did not stand,
for the day of their calamity has come upon them,
    the time of their punishment.(H)

22 She makes a sound like a snake gliding away,
    for her enemies march in force
and come against her with axes,
    like those who fell trees.(I)
23 They shall cut down her forest,
            says the Lord,
    though it is impenetrable,
because they are more numerous
    than locusts;
    they are without number.(J)
24 Daughter Egypt shall be put to shame;
    she shall be handed over to a people from the north.(K)

25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: See, 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.(L) 26 I will hand them over to those who seek their life, to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and his servants. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, says the Lord.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 46.15 Gk: Heb mighty ones
  2. 46.16 Gk: Heb the stumblers multiplied

13 This is the word the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to defeat the land of Egypt:(A)

14 Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol!(B)
Proclaim it in Memphis and in Tahpanhes!
Say, “Take positions! Prepare yourself,
for the sword devours all around you.”(C)
15 Why have your strong ones been swept away?
Each has not stood,
for the Lord has thrust him down.
16 He continues to stumble.(D)
Indeed, each falls over the other.
They say, “Get up! Let’s return to our people
and to our native land,
away from the oppressor’s sword.”(E)
17 There they will cry out,
“Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise;
he let the opportune moment pass.”
18 As I live—
this is the King’s declaration;
the Lord of Armies is his name(F)
the king of Babylon[a] will come like Tabor among the mountains
and like Carmel by the sea.
19 Get your bags ready for exile,
inhabitant of Daughter Egypt!(G)
For Memphis will become a desolation,
uninhabited ruins.
20 Egypt is a beautiful young cow,(H)
but a horsefly from the north is coming against her.[b](I)
21 Even her mercenaries among her
are like stall-fed calves.
They too will turn back;
together they will flee;
they will not take their stand,
for the day of their calamity is coming on them,
the time of their punishment.(J)
22 Egypt will hiss like a slithering snake,[c]
for the enemy will come with an army;
with axes they will come against her
like those who cut trees.(K)
23 They will cut down her forest—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
though it is dense,
for they are more numerous than locusts;
they cannot be counted.(L)
24 Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,
handed over to a northern people.(M)

25 The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says, “I am about to punish Amon, god of Thebes,(N) along with Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods, and her kings—Pharaoh and those trusting in him. 26 I will hand them over to those who intend to take their lives(O)—to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his officers. But after this,(P) Egypt[d] will be inhabited again as in ancient times.”

This is the Lord’s declaration.

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Footnotes

  1. 46:18 Lit He
  2. 46:20 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read is coming, coming
  3. 46:22 Lit Her sound is like a snake as it goes
  4. 46:26 Lit it

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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