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Word Against Egypt

46 That which came as the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet (A)concerning the nations.

To (B)Egypt, concerning the military force of (C)Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at (D)Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck down in the (E)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

(F)Arrange the shield and large shield,
And draw near for the battle!
Harness the horses,
And [a]mount the steeds,
And take your stand with helmets on!
(G)Polish the spears,
Put on the (H)scale-armor!
Why have I seen it?
They are shattered;
They are (I)drawing back,
And their (J)mighty men are crushed
And have fled to refuge,
Without facing back;
[b](K)Terror is on every side!”
Declares Yahweh.
Let not the (L)swift man flee,
Nor the mighty man escape;
In the north beside the river Euphrates
They have (M)stumbled and fallen.
Who is this that (N)rises like the Nile,
Like the rivers whose waters toss about?
Egypt rises like the Nile,
Even like the rivers whose waters toss about;
And He has said, “I will (O)rise and cover that land;
I will surely (P)cause the city to perish, as well as its inhabitants.”
Go up, you horses, and [c](Q)drive madly, you chariots,
That the mighty men may go forth:
[d]Ethiopia and [e](R)Put, who seize the shield,
And the [f](S)Lydians, who seize and bend the bow.
10 Indeed, (T)that day belongs to Lord Yahweh of hosts,
A day of (U)vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His adversaries;
And the (V)sword will devour and be satiated
And [g]drink its fill of their blood;
For there will be a (W)sacrifice to Lord Yahweh of hosts
In the land of the north by the river Euphrates.
11 Go (X)up to Gilead and obtain balm,
(Y)O virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain have you multiplied [h]remedies;
There is (Z)no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of your (AA)disgrace,
And the earth is full of your (AB)outcry;
For one (AC)warrior has stumbled over [i]another,
And both of them have fallen down together.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:4 Or go up, you horsemen
  2. Jeremiah 46:5 Heb Magor-missabib
  3. Jeremiah 46:9 Lit act like madmen
  4. Jeremiah 46:9 Or Cush, cf. Gen 10:6
  5. Jeremiah 46:9 Libya (or Somaliland)
  6. Jeremiah 46:9 Heb Ludim
  7. Jeremiah 46:10 Lit be saturated with
  8. Jeremiah 46:11 Lit healings
  9. Jeremiah 46:12 Lit warrior

Prophecies against the Nations

46 This is[a] the message from the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

Prophecies against Egypt: Its Defeat at Carchemish

To Egypt: Concerning the army of King Pharaoh Neco of Egypt, which was encamped by the Euphrates River at Carchemish and which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of the reign of[b] Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah.

“Prepare buckler and shield,
    and advance into the battle!
Harness the horses!
    Riders, mount up!
Take your[c] positions with your[d] helmets!
    Polish lances,
    and put on armor!
Why am I seeing this?[e]
They’re terrified,
    they have turned back.
Their warriors are crushed,
    and they take flight.
They don’t look back.
    Terror is on every side,”
        declares the Lord.
“The swift cannot flee,
    nor can the strong escape.
In the north, beside the Euphrates River,
    they stumble and fall.
Who is this, rising like the Nile,
    like rivers whose waters surge?
Egypt is rising like the Nile,
    like rivers whose waters surge.
He says, ‘I’ll rise and cover the land.[f]
    I’ll destroy the city and its inhabitants.’
Horses, get up!
Chariots, drive furiously!
Let the warriors go forward,
    Ethiopia and Put, who carry shields,
        and the Lydians who handle and bend the bow.
10 That day belongs to the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.
    It is a day of vengeance to take vengeance on his foes.
The sword will devour and be satisfied,
    and will drink its fill of their blood.
For the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies
    will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north,
        by the Euphrates river.
11 Go up to Gilead and get balm,[g]
    virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain you multiply remedies,
    but there is no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of your disgrace,
    and your cry of distress fills the earth.
Indeed, one warrior stumbles over another,
    and both of them fall down together.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:1 The Heb. lacks This is
  2. Jeremiah 46:2 The Heb. lacks the reign of
  3. Jeremiah 46:4 The Heb. lacks your
  4. Jeremiah 46:4 The Heb. lacks your
  5. Jeremiah 46:5 The Heb. lacks this
  6. Jeremiah 46:8 Or earth
  7. Jeremiah 46:11 Balm was a spice with medicinal uses.