Jeremiah 46
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Judgment on Egypt
46 The word of the Lord that came to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the nations.
2 Concerning Egypt, about the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the River Euphrates at Carchemish and which King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah:(A)
3 Prepare buckler and shield,
and advance for battle!(B)
4 Harness the horses;
mount the steeds!
Take your stations with helmets on,
whet the lances,
put on coats of mail!
5 Why do I see them terrified?
They have fallen back;
their warriors are beaten down
and have fled in haste.
They do not look back—
terror is all around!
says the Lord.(C)
6 The swift cannot flee away,
nor can the warrior escape;
in the north by the River Euphrates
they have stumbled and fallen.(D)
7 Who is this, rising like the Nile,
like rivers whose waters surge?(E)
8 Egypt rises like the Nile,
like rivers whose waters surge.
It said, “Let me rise; let me cover the earth;
let me destroy cities and their inhabitants.”(F)
9 Advance, O horses,
and dash madly, O chariots!
Let the warriors go forth:
Cush and Put, who carry the shield,
the Ludim, who draw[a] the bow.(G)
10 That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts,
a day of retribution,
to gain vindication from 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 land of the north by the River Euphrates.(H)
11 Go up to Gilead, and take balm,
O virgin daughter Egypt!
In vain you have used many medicines;
there is no healing for you.(I)
12 The nations have heard of your shame,
and the earth is full of your cry,
for warrior has stumbled against warrior;
both have fallen together.(J)
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:(K)
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.”(L)
15 Why has Apis[b] fled?
Why did your bull not stand?
Because the Lord thrust him down.
16 Your multitude stumbled[c] 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.”(M)
17 Give Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the name
“Braggart who missed his chance.”(N)
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.(O)
19 Pack your bags for exile,
sheltered daughter Egypt!
For Memphis shall become a waste,
a ruin, without inhabitant.(P)
20 A beautiful heifer is Egypt—
a gadfly from the north lights upon her.(Q)
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.(R)
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.(S)
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.(T)
24 Daughter Egypt shall be put to shame;
she shall be handed over to a people from the north.(U)
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.(V) 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.(W)
God Will Save Israel
27 But as for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob,
and do not be dismayed, O Israel,
for I am going to save you from far away
and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
and no one shall make him afraid.(X)
28 As for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob,
says the Lord,
for I am with you.
I will make an end of all the nations
among which I have banished you,
but I will not make an end of you!
I will chastise you in just measure,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.(Y)
Jeremiah 46
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Prophecies Against the Nations
46 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the nations:(A)
Prophecies against Egypt
2 About Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco, Egypt’s king,(B) which was defeated at Carchemish(C) on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Judah’s King Jehoiakim son of Josiah:(D)
3 Deploy small shields(E) and large;
draw near for battle!
4 Harness the horses;
mount the steeds;[a]
take your positions with helmets on!
Polish the lances;
put on armor!(F)
5 Why have I seen this?
They are terrified,
they are retreating,
their warriors are crushed,
they flee headlong,
they never look back,
terror is on every side!(G)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
6 The swift cannot flee,
and the warrior cannot escape!
In the north by the bank of the Euphrates River,
they stumble and fall.(H)
7 Who is this, rising like the Nile,(I)
like rivers whose waters churn?
8 Egypt rises like the Nile,
and its waters churn like rivers.
He boasts, “I will go up, I will cover the earth;
I will destroy cities with their residents.”
9 Rise up, you cavalry!
Race furiously, you chariots!
Let the warriors go out—
Cush and Put,(J)
who are able to handle shields,
and the Ludim,(K)
who are able to handle and string the bow.(L)
10 That day belongs to the Lord, the God of Hosts,
a day of vengeance to avenge Himself
against His adversaries.
The sword will devour and be satisfied;
it will drink its fill of their blood,
because it will be a sacrifice(M) to the Lord, the God of Hosts,
in the northern land by the Euphrates River.
11 Go up to Gilead and get balm,(N)
Virgin Daughter Egypt!
You have multiplied remedies in vain;
there is no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of your dishonor,(O)
and your outcry fills the earth,
because warrior stumbles against warrior
and together both of them have fallen.
13 This is the word the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to defeat the land of Egypt:(P)
14 Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol!(Q)
Proclaim it in Memphis and in Tahpanhes!
Say: Take positions! Prepare yourself,
for the sword devours all around you.(R)
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.(S)
Indeed, each falls over the other.
They say, “Get up! Let’s return to our people
and to the land of our birth,
away from the sword that oppresses.”(T)
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;
Yahweh of Hosts is His name.(U)
He will come like Tabor among the mountains
and like Carmel by the sea.
19 Get your bags ready for exile,
inhabitant of Daughter Egypt!(V)
For Memphis will become a desolation,
uninhabited ruins.
20 Egypt is a beautiful young cow,(W)
but a horsefly from the north is coming against her.[b](X)
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.(Y)
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.(Z)
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.(AA)
24 Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,
handed over to a northern people.(AB)
25 The Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to punish Amon, god of Thebes,(AC) along with Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods, and her kings—Pharaoh and those trusting in him. 26 I will hand them over to those who want to take their lives(AD)—to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this,(AE) it will be inhabited again as in ancient times.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Reassurance for Israel
27 But you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid,(AF)
and do not be discouraged, Israel,
for without fail I will save you from far away
and your descendants, from the land of their captivity!
Jacob will return and have calm and quiet
with no one to frighten him.
28 And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
for I will be with you.(AG)
I will bring destruction on all the nations
where I have banished you,
but I will not bring destruction on you.
I will discipline you with justice,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.(AH)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 46:4 Or mount up, riders
- Jeremiah 46:20 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read is coming, coming
- Jeremiah 46:22 Lit Her sound, she will go like a snake
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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