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 The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:

14 “Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol,
    and proclaim in Memphis and in Tahpanhes,
say, ‘Take your stand and be prepared,
    for the sword will devour those all around you.’
15 Why are your bulls defeated?
    He did not stand because Yahweh thrust him down.
16 He multiplied the ones[a] stumbling.
    Furthermore, each one fell to his neighbor,
and said, ‘Stand up, and let us return to our people
    and to the land of our birth,
    because of[b] the presence[c] of the sword of the oppressor.’
17 They will call there,
‘Pharaoh, the king of Egypt is but a roar,
    he missed the opportunity.’[d]
18 As I live,”[e] declares[f] the king,
    Yahweh of hosts is his name,
“one will come like Tabor among the mountains
    and like Carmel by the sea.
19 Pack your baggage for exile,
    O inhabitants[g] of the daughter of Egypt,
for Memphis will become as a horror,
    and it will be destroyed, without[h] inhabitant.
20 Egypt is a beautiful heifer,
    but a gadfly from the north will come against her.
21 Even her mercenaries in her midst are like calves of fattening,
    for they also have turned away,
    they have fled together.
They stand not,
    for the day of their calamity has come,
    the time of their punishment.
22 Her sound is like a snake that glides away,
    for they march in force.
And with axes they come to her
    like those who chop trees.
23 They will cut down her forest,” declares[i] Yahweh,
    “for it is impenetrable.[j]
Yes, they are more numerous than locusts,[k]
    and they are without number.[l]
24 The daughter of Egypt will be ashamed,
    she will be given into the hand of the people of the north.”

25 Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, said, “Look, I am going to punish Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, and her gods, and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who trust in him. 26 And I will give them into the hand of the seekers of their lives,[m] and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and into the hand of his troops. But afterward[n] it will be inhabited, as in days of old,” declares[o] Yahweh.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:16 Hebrew “one”
  2. Jeremiah 46:16 Literally “from”
  3. Jeremiah 46:16 Literally “face”
  4. Jeremiah 46:17 Literally “he has allowed to pass over the appointed time”
  5. Jeremiah 46:18 Literally “Life I”
  6. Jeremiah 46:18 Literally “a declaration of”
  7. Jeremiah 46:19 Hebrew “inhabitant”
  8. Jeremiah 46:19 Literally “from there is not”
  9. Jeremiah 46:23 Literally “a declaration of”
  10. Jeremiah 46:23 Literally “it cannot be searched out”
  11. Jeremiah 46:23 Hebrew “locust”
  12. Jeremiah 46:23 Literally “there is not to them a number”
  13. Jeremiah 46:26 Hebrew “life”
  14. Jeremiah 46:26 Literally “after thus”
  15. Jeremiah 46:26 Literally “a declaration of”