Judgment on Egypt

46 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet (A)concerning the nations.

About Egypt. (B)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 (C)the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

(D)“Prepare buckler and shield,
    and advance for battle!
(E)Harness the horses;
    mount, O horsemen!
Take your stations with your helmets,
    (F)polish your spears,
    put on your armor!
Why have I seen it?
They are dismayed
    and have turned backward.
Their (G)warriors are beaten down
    and have fled in haste;
(H)they look not back—
    (I)terror on every side!
declares the Lord.

“The swift cannot flee away,
    nor the warrior escape;
(J)in the north by the river Euphrates
    (K)they have stumbled and fallen.

“Who is this, (L)rising like the Nile,
    like rivers (M)whose waters surge?
Egypt rises like the Nile,
    like rivers (N)whose waters surge.
He said, ‘I will rise, I will cover the earth,
    I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.’
(O)Advance, O horses,
    and rage, O chariots!
Let the warriors go out:
    men of Cush and (P)Put who handle the shield,
    (Q)men of Lud, skilled in handling the bow.
10 (R)That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts,
    (S)a day of vengeance,
    (T)to avenge himself on his foes.
(U)The sword shall devour and be sated
    and drink its fill of their blood.
For the Lord God of hosts holds (V)a sacrifice
    (W)in the north country (X)by the river Euphrates.
11 (Y)Go up to Gilead, and take (Z)balm,
    O virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain you have used many medicines;
    (AA)there is no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of your shame,
    and the earth is full of your cry;
(AB)for warrior has stumbled against warrior;
    they have both fallen together.”

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Prophecies Against the Nations

46 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the nations:(A)

Prophecies against Egypt

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)

Deploy small shields(E) and large;
draw near for battle!
Harness the horses;
mount the steeds;[a]
take your positions with helmets on!
Polish the lances;
put on armor!(F)
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.
The swift cannot flee,
and the warrior cannot escape!
In the north by the bank of the Euphrates River,
they stumble and fall.(H)

Who is this, rising like the Nile,(I)
like rivers whose waters churn?
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.”
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.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:4 Or mount up, riders