Jeremiah 46:1-12
Expanded Bible
Messages to the Nations
46 The Lord spoke this word to Jeremiah the prophet about the nations [C chapters 46–51 are oracles against the foreign nations; see also Is. 13–23; Ezek. 25–32; Amos 1–2; Nah.; Obad.]:
2 This message is to Egypt. It is about the army of Neco king of Egypt [C ruled 610–595 bc], which ·was defeated at [L struck] the city of Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. This was in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah [C 605 bc]. This is the Lord’s message to Egypt:
3 “Prepare your shields, large and small,
and ·march out [advance] for battle!
4 Harness the horses
and ·get on them [L mount the steeds]!
·Go to your places for battle [Take your station]
and put on your helmets!
·Polish [Burnish] your spears.
Put on your ·armor [coats of mail]!
5 What do I see?
That army is terrified,
and the soldiers ·are running away [have turned back].
Their warriors are defeated.
They ·run away [flee] quickly
without looking back.
There is terror on every side [6:5; 20:3, 10; 49:29]!” says the Lord.
6 “The fast runners cannot ·run away [flee];
the strong soldiers cannot escape.
They stumble and fall
in the north, by the Euphrates River.
7 Who is this, rising up like the Nile River,
like ·strong, fast rivers [rivers whose waters surge]?
8 Egypt rises up like the Nile River,
like ·strong, fast rivers [rivers whose waters surge].
Egypt says, ‘I will rise up and cover the earth.
I will destroy cities and the people in them!’
9 ·Horsemen [or Horses], ·charge into battle [advance]!
·Chariot drivers [or Chariots], drive hard!
·March on [L Go out], brave soldiers—
soldiers from the countries of Cush [C Ethiopia] and Put [C Libya] who carry shields,
soldiers from Lydia [C from eastern Asia Minor] who ·use [L grasp and draw] bows.
10 “But that day belongs to the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
At that time he will give ·those people [his foes] the punishment they deserve.
The sword will ·kill [L devour] until it is ·finished [satisfied; sated],
until it ·satisfies its thirst for [L gets satiated/drunk with] their blood.
The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will offer a sacrifice
in the land of the north, by the Euphrates River [C Babylon].
11 “Go up to Gilead and get some balm [8:22],
·people [L virgin daughter] of Egypt!
You have prepared many medicines,
·but they will not work [in vain];
you will not be healed.
12 The nations have heard of your ·shame [humiliation],
and your cries fill all the earth.
One warrior has ·run into [L stumbled over] another;
both of them have fallen down together!”
Jeremiah 46:1-12
Amplified Bible
Defeat of Pharaoh Foretold
46 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the [Gentile] nations.
2 Concerning Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon [a]defeated [decisively] in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah:(A)
3
“Line up the [b]buckler (small shield) and [large] shield,
And advance for battle!
4
“Harness the horses,
And mount, you riders!
Take your stand with your helmets!
Polish the spears,
Put on the coats of mail!
5
“Why have I seen it?
They are terrified
And have turned back,
And their warriors are beaten down.
They take flight in haste
Without looking back;
Terror is on every side!”
Says the Lord.(B)
6
Do not let the swift man run,
Nor the mighty man escape;
In the north by the river Euphrates
They have stumbled and fallen.
7
Who is this that rises up like the Nile [River],
Like the rivers [in the delta of Egypt] whose waters surge about?
8
Egypt rises like the Nile,
Even like the rivers whose waters surge about.
And [c]He has said, “I will rise, I will cover that land;
I will certainly destroy the city and its inhabitants.”
9
Charge, you horses,
And drive like madmen, you chariots!
Let the warriors go forward:
Ethiopia and Put (Libya) who handle the shield,
And the Lydians who handle and bend the bow.
10
For that day belongs to the Lord God of hosts,
A day of vengeance, that He may avenge Himself on His adversaries.
And the sword will devour and be satiated
And drink its fill of their blood;
For the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice [like that of a great sin offering]
In the north country by the river Euphrates.
11
Go up to Gilead and obtain [healing] balm,
O Virgin Daughter of Egypt!
In vain you use many medicines;
For you there is no healing or remedy.
12
The nations have heard of your disgrace and shame,
And your cry [of distress] has filled the earth.
For warrior has stumbled against warrior,
And both of them have fallen together.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 46:2 This stunning defeat by the Babylonian army cost Egypt all of its lands west of the Euphrates.
- Jeremiah 46:3 In ancient warfare these shields usually were round, worn on the forearm and used mainly as weapons with which to strike an enemy. Large, oblong shields were used to protect the entire body.
- Jeremiah 46:8 This may be viewed as an ironic declaration by God: the Nile rises and floods Egypt providing irrigation, and God says He will do the same thing, but in a sense destroying Egypt (see v 10).
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