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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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Babylonia Will Strike Egypt

13 The word that the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:(A)

14 Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol;
    proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes;
Say, “Take your stations and be ready,
    for the sword shall devour those around you.”(B)
15 Why has Apis[a] fled?
    Why did your bull not stand?
    Because the Lord thrust him down.
16 Your multitude stumbled[b] and fell,
    and one said to another,
“Come, let us go back to our own people
    and to the land of our birth,
    because of the destroying sword.”(C)
17 Give Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the name
    “Braggart who missed his chance.”(D)

18 As I live, says the King,
    whose name is the Lord of hosts,
one is coming
    like Tabor among the mountains
    and like Carmel by the sea.(E)
19 Pack your bags for exile,
    sheltered daughter Egypt!
For Memphis shall become a waste,
    a ruin, without inhabitant.(F)

20 A beautiful heifer is Egypt—
    a gadfly from the north lights upon her.(G)
21 Even her mercenaries in her midst
    are like fatted calves;
they, too, have turned and fled together;
    they did not stand,
for the day of their calamity has come upon them,
    the time of their punishment.(H)

22 She makes a sound like a snake gliding away,
    for her enemies march in force
and come against her with axes,
    like those who fell trees.(I)
23 They shall cut down her forest,
            says the Lord,
    though it is impenetrable,
because they are more numerous
    than locusts;
    they are without number.(J)
24 Daughter Egypt shall be put to shame;
    she shall be handed over to a people from the north.(K)

25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: See, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes and Pharaoh and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him.(L) 26 I will hand them over to those who seek their life, to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and his servants. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, says the Lord.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 46.15 Gk: Heb mighty ones
  2. 46.16 Gk: Heb the stumblers multiplied