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13 The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt.

14 “Declare in Egypt,
    publish in Migdol,
    and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes:
say, ‘Stand up, and prepare;
    for the sword has devoured around you.’
15 Why are your strong ones swept away?
    They didn’t stand, because Yahweh pushed them.
16 He made many to stumble.
    Yes, they fell on one another.
They said, ‘Arise! Let’s go again to our own people,
    and to the land of our birth,
    from the oppressing sword.’
17 They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise;
    he has let the appointed time pass by.’

18 “As I live,” says the King,
    whose name is Yahweh of Armies,
“surely like Tabor among the mountains,
    and like Carmel by the sea,
    so he will come.
19 You daughter who dwells in Egypt,
    furnish yourself to go into captivity;
for Memphis will become a desolation,
    and will be burned up,
    without inhabitant.

20 “Egypt is a very beautiful heifer;
    but destruction out of the north has come.
    It has come.
21 Also her hired men in the middle of her are like calves of the stall;
    for they also are turned back.
    They have fled away together.
They didn’t stand,
    for the day of their calamity has come on them,
    the time of their visitation.
22 Its sound will go like the serpent;
    for they will march with an army,
    and come against her with axes, as wood cutters.
23 They will cut down her forest,” says Yahweh,
    “though it can’t be searched;
because they are more than the locusts,
    and are innumerable.
24 The daughter of Egypt will be disappointed;
    she will be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.”

25 Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him. 26 I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants. Afterwards it will be inhabited, as in the days of old,” says Yahweh.

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Defeat of Egypt Foretold

13 The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, about Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon coming to strike the land of Egypt.

14 Declare in Egypt and publish in Migdol,
    and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes;
say, “Stand fast and prepare yourself,
    for the sword will devour those about you.”
15 Why have your valiant men become prostrate?
    They do not stand because the Lord has thrust them down.
16 He made many to fall.
    Indeed, each one has fallen upon another.
Then they said, “Arise and let us go back
    to our own people and to the land of our nativity,
    away from the oppressing sword.”
17 They cried there,
    “Pharaoh king of Egypt is a tumult.
    He has let the time appointed pass by!”

18 As I live, says the King
    whose name is the Lord of Hosts,
surely as Tabor is among the mountains,
    and as Carmel by the sea, so he shall come.
19 O daughter dwelling in Egypt,
    prepare your baggage for captivity,
for Memphis will become desolate,
    it will even be burned down without an inhabitant.

20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer,
    but destruction comes,
    it comes out of the north.
21 Also her mercenaries are in her midst
    like fat bulls,
for they also have turned back and have fled away together.
    They did not stand their ground
because the day of their calamity has come upon them,
    even the time of their punishment.
22 Its sound goes along like a serpent,
    for they march on as an army,
and come against her with axes,
    as choppers of wood.
23 They have cut down her forest,
    says the Lord.
    Surely it will not be found any more,
even though they are now more numerous than the grasshoppers,
    and are innumerable.
24 The daughter of Egypt has been humiliated;
    she has been delivered into the hand of the people of the north.

25 The Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: See, I will punish Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods and their kings, even Pharaoh and all those who trust in him. 26 And I shall deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of his servants. But afterwards it will be inhabited, as in the days of old, says the Lord.

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