13 This is the [a]message which the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the (A)coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to (B)strike the land of Egypt:

14 “Declare in Egypt and proclaim in (C)Migdol,
Proclaim also in Memphis and (D)Tahpanhes;
Say, ‘Take your stand and get yourself ready,
For the (E)sword has devoured those around you.’
15 Why have your (F)powerful ones been cut down?
They do not stand because the Lord has (G)thrust them away.
16 They have repeatedly (H)stumbled;
Indeed, they have fallen, one against another.
Then they said, ‘Get up, and (I)let’s go back
To our own people and our native land,
Away from the [b](J)sword of the oppressor!’
17 [c]They shouted there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is nothing but (K)a big noise;
He has let the appointed time pass by!’
18 As I live,” declares the (L)King,
Whose name is the Lord of armies,
“One certainly shall come who is like (M)Tabor among the mountains,
Or like (N)Carmel by the sea.
19 Make your baggage ready for (O)exile,
(P)Daughter living in Egypt,
For (Q)Memphis will become a desolation;
It will be destroyed and [d]deprived of inhabitants.
20 Egypt is a pretty (R)heifer,
But a [e]horsefly is coming (S)from the north—it is coming!
21 Also her (T)mercenaries in her midst
Are like fattened (U)calves,
For they too have turned away and have fled together;
They did not stand their ground.
For the day of their disaster has come upon them,
The time of their (V)punishment.
22 Its sound moves along like a serpent;
For they move on [f]like an army
And come to her as woodcutters with axes.
23 They have cut down her (W)forest,” declares the Lord;
“Certainly it will no longer be found,
Even though [g]they are more numerous than (X)locusts
And are without number.
24 The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame,
Turned over to the [h]power of the (Y)people of the north.”

25 The Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Behold, I am going to punish Amon of (Z)Thebes, and (AA)Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her (AB)gods and her kings, indeed, Pharaoh and those who (AC)trust in him. 26 I shall hand them over to those who are (AD)seeking their lives, that is, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to his [i]officers. (AE)Afterward, however, it will be inhabited as in the days of old,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:13 Lit word
  2. Jeremiah 46:16 Lit oppressing sword
  3. Jeremiah 46:17 Some ancient versions Call the name of Pharaoh a big noise
  4. Jeremiah 46:19 Lit without
  5. Jeremiah 46:20 Or possibly mosquito
  6. Jeremiah 46:22 Or in force
  7. Jeremiah 46:23 I.e., trees of the forest, the Egyptians
  8. Jeremiah 46:24 Lit hand
  9. Jeremiah 46:26 Lit servants

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