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Messages Concerning Egypt

46 The word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. Concerning Egypt: Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, the king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, the king of Judah.

“Prepare small shield and shield,
    and approach for the battle!
Harness the horses and mount the steeds!
    And take your stand with helmets!
Polish the spears!
    Put on the body armor!
Why do I see them terrified?
    They are turning back
and their warriors are beaten down.
    And they have fled to a place of refuge
and they do not turn back.
    Terror is from all around,” declares[a] Yahweh.
The swift cannot flee,
    and the warrior cannot escape.
They have stumbled and they have fallen,
    by the bank of the Euphrates River.
Who is this that rises like the Nile,
    like the rivers whose waters surge?
Egypt rises like the Nile,
    even like the rivers whose waters surge.
And he says, “Let me rise,
    let me cover the earth,
let me destroy cities,
    and the inhabitants in them.”
Go up, O horses,
    and drive madly, O chariots,[b]
and let the warriors go forth;
    Cush and Put, who wield the small shield,
    and Lud, who wield and bend the bow.
10 For that day is to the Lord Yahweh of hosts
    a day of retribution,
    to take revenge on his foes.
And the sword will devour and be satisfied,
    and it will drink its fill of their blood,
for a sacrifice is for the Lord Yahweh of hosts
    in the land of the north by the Euphrates River.
11 Go up to Gilead and take balm,
    O virgin of the daughter of Egypt.
In vain[c] you make use of many medicines;
    there is no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard your shame,
    and your cry of lament fills the earth.
For warrior has stumbled against warrior,
    together they have fallen, the two of them.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:5 Literally “a declaration of”
  2. Jeremiah 46:9 Hebrew “chariot”
  3. Jeremiah 46:11 Literally “To the vanity”

Judgment on Egypt

46 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet (A)concerning the nations.

About Egypt. (B)Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in (C)the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

(D)“Prepare buckler and shield,
    and advance for battle!
(E)Harness the horses;
    mount, O horsemen!
Take your stations with your helmets,
    (F)polish your spears,
    put on your armor!
Why have I seen it?
They are dismayed
    and have turned backward.
Their (G)warriors are beaten down
    and have fled in haste;
(H)they look not back—
    (I)terror on every side!
declares the Lord.

“The swift cannot flee away,
    nor the warrior escape;
(J)in the north by the river Euphrates
    (K)they have stumbled and fallen.

“Who is this, (L)rising like the Nile,
    like rivers (M)whose waters surge?
Egypt rises like the Nile,
    like rivers (N)whose waters surge.
He said, ‘I will rise, I will cover the earth,
    I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.’
(O)Advance, O horses,
    and rage, O chariots!
Let the warriors go out:
    men of Cush and (P)Put who handle the shield,
    (Q)men of Lud, skilled in handling the bow.
10 (R)That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts,
    (S)a day of vengeance,
    (T)to avenge himself on his foes.
(U)The sword shall devour and be sated
    and drink its fill of their blood.
For the Lord God of hosts holds (V)a sacrifice
    (W)in the north country (X)by the river Euphrates.
11 (Y)Go up to Gilead, and take (Z)balm,
    O virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain you have used many medicines;
    (AA)there is no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of your shame,
    and the earth is full of your cry;
(AB)for warrior has stumbled against warrior;
    they have both fallen together.”

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