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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 the prophet Jeremiah concerning the nations.

Concerning Egypt, about the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the River Euphrates at Carchemish and which King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah:(A)

Prepare buckler and shield,
    and advance for battle!(B)
Harness the horses;
    mount the steeds!
Take your stations with helmets on,
    whet the lances,
    put on coats of mail!
Why do I see them terrified?
    They have fallen back;
their warriors are beaten down
    and have fled in haste.
They do not look back—
    terror is all around!
            says the Lord.(C)
The swift cannot flee away,
    nor can the warrior escape;
in the north by the River Euphrates
    they have stumbled and fallen.(D)

Who is this, rising like the Nile,
    like rivers whose waters surge?(E)
Egypt rises like the Nile,
    like rivers whose waters surge.
It said, “Let me rise; let me cover the earth;
    let me destroy cities and their inhabitants.”(F)
Advance, O horses,
    and dash madly, O chariots!
Let the warriors go forth:
    Cush and Put, who carry the shield,
    the Ludim, who draw[a] the bow.(G)
10 That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts,
    a day of retribution,
    to gain vindication from his foes.
The sword shall devour and be sated
    and drink its fill of their blood.
For the Lord God of hosts holds a sacrifice
    in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.(H)
11 Go up to Gilead, and take balm,
    O virgin daughter Egypt!
In vain you have used many medicines;
    there is no healing for you.(I)
12 The nations have heard of your shame,
    and the earth is full of your cry,
for warrior has stumbled against warrior;
    both have fallen together.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 46.9 Cn: Heb who grasp, who draw