Jeremia 46 | New International Reader’s Version

A message about Egypt

1 A message from the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet. It was about the nations. 2 Here is what the LORD says about Egypt. Here is his message against the army of Pharaoh Necho. He was king of Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, won the battle over Necho’s army. That happened at Carchemish on the River Euphrates. It was in the fourth year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah. He was the son of Josiah. The message says, 3 ‘Egyptians, prepare your shields! Prepare large and small shields alike! March out for battle! 4 Get the horses and chariots ready to ride! Take up your battle positions! Put on your helmets! Shine up your spears! Put on your armour! 5 What do I see? The Egyptians are terrified. They are pulling back. Their soldiers are losing. They run away as fast as they can. They do not look back. There is terror on every side,’ announces the LORD. 6 ‘Those who run fast can’t get away. Those who are strong can’t escape. In the north by the River Euphrates they trip and fall. 7 ‘Who is this that rises like the River Nile? Who rises like rivers of rushing waters? 8 Egypt rises like the River Nile. It rises like rivers of rushing waters. Egypt says, “I will rise and cover the earth. I’ll destroy cities and their people.” 9 Charge, you horses! Drive fast, you chariot drivers! March on, you soldiers! March on, you men of Cush and Put who carry shields. March on, you men of Lydia who shoot arrows. 10 But that day belongs to me. I am the LORD who rules over all. It is a day for me to pay back my enemies. My sword will eat until it is satisfied. It will drink until it is not thirsty for blood anymore. I am the Lord. I am the LORD who rules over all. I will offer a sacrifice. I will offer it in the land of the north by the River Euphrates. 11 ‘People of Egypt, go up to Gilead and get some healing lotion. You may try many medicines, but you will not be healed. There isn’t any healing for you. 12 The nations will hear about your shame. Your cries of pain will fill the earth. One soldier will trip over another. Both of them will fall down together.’ 13 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, was coming to attack Egypt. Here is the message the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about it. He said, 14 ‘Egyptians, here is what I want you to announce in your land. Announce it in the city of Migdol. Also announce it in Memphis and Tahpanhes. Say, “Take up your battle positions! Get ready! The sword eats up those around you.” 15 Why are your soldiers lying on the ground? They can’t stand, because I bring them down. 16 They will trip again and again. They will fall over one another. They will say, “Get up. Let’s go back home. Let’s return to our own people and our own lands. Let’s get away from the swords that will bring us great harm.” 17 The Egyptian soldiers will cry out, “Pharaoh, our king, is only a loud noise. He has missed his chance to win the battle.” 18 ‘I am the King. My name is the LORD Who Rules Over All. Someone will come who is like Mount Tabor among the mountains. He is like Mount Carmel by the Mediterranean Sea. And that is just as sure as I am alive,’ announces the King. 19 ‘So pack your belongings, you who live in Egypt. You will be taken away from your land. Memphis will be completely destroyed. Its buildings will be broken down. No one will live there. 20 ‘Egypt is like a beautiful young cow. But Nebuchadnezzar is coming against her from the north. He will bite her like a fly. 21 Hired soldiers are in Egypt’s army. They are like fat calves. All of them will turn and run away. They will not hold their positions. The day of trouble is coming on them. The time for them to be punished is near. 22 The Egyptians will hiss like a snake that is trying to get away. A powerful army will advance against them. Their enemies will come against them with axes. They will be like those who cut down trees. 23 Egypt is like a thick forest. But they will chop it down,’ announces the LORD. ‘There are more of their enemies than there are locusts. In fact, they can’t even be counted. 24 The nation of Egypt will be put to shame. It will be handed over to the people of the north.’ 25 The LORD who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, ‘I am about to punish Amon, the god of Thebes. I will also punish Pharaoh. I will punish Egypt and its gods and kings. And I will punish those who depend on Pharaoh. 26 I will hand them over to those who want to kill them. I will give them to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and his officers. But later, many people will live in Egypt again as in times past,’ announces the LORD. 27 ‘People of Jacob, do not be afraid. You are my servant. Israel, do not be terrified. I will bring you safely out of a place far away. I will bring your children back from the land where they were taken. Your people will have peace and security again. And no one will make them afraid. 28 People of Jacob, do not be afraid. You are my servant. I am with you,’ announces the LORD. ‘I will completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will correct you. But I will be fair. I will not let you go without any punishment.’

English Standard Version

Judgment on Egypt

1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. 2 About Egypt. 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 the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 3 “Prepare buckler and shield, and advance for battle! 4 Harness the horses; mount, O horsemen! Take your stations with your helmets, polish your spears, put on your armor! 5 Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down and have fled in haste; they look not back— terror on every side! declares the Lord. 6 “The swift cannot flee away, nor the warrior escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. 7 “Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge? 8 Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, ‘I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.’ 9 Advance, O horses, and rage, O chariots! Let the warriors go out: men of Cush and Put who handle the shield, men of Lud, skilled in handling the bow. 10 That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on 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 north country by the river Euphrates. 11 Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you. 12 The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for warrior has stumbled against warrior; they have both fallen together.” 13 The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt: 14 “Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes; say, ‘Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour around you.’ 15 Why are your mighty ones face down? They do not stand* because the Lord thrust them down. 16 He made many stumble, and they fell, and they said one to another, ‘Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.’ 17 Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, ‘Noisy one who lets the hour go by.’ 18 “As I live, declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea, shall one come. 19 Prepare yourselves baggage for exile, O inhabitants of Egypt! For Memphis shall become a waste, a ruin, without inhabitant. 20 “A beautiful heifer is Egypt, but a biting fly from the north has come upon her. 21 Even her hired soldiers in her midst are like fattened calves; yes, they have turned and fled together; they did not stand, for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their punishment. 22 “She makes a sound like a serpent gliding away; for her enemies march in force and come against her with axes like those who fell trees. 23 They shall cut down her forest, declares the Lord, though it is impenetrable, because they are more numerous than locusts; they are without number. 24 The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame; she shall be delivered into the hand of a people from the north.” 25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: “Behold, 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. 26 I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, declares the Lord. 27 “But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel, for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid. 28 Fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, for I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.”

Jeremia 46 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

A message about Egypt

Judgment on Egypt