JeremiahChapter 46
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1This is the LORD's message about the nations. It came to Jeremiah the prophet. 2This message was about Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon beat that army at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. It happened in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah. 3"Get your shields ready, small and large!
March out to battle! 4Hitch up the horses!
Get on your horses!
Take your places with your helmets on!
Shine your spears!
Put on your armor! 5Why am I seeing this?
They are terrified. They are pulling back.
Their soldiers are beaten.
They run away fast and don't look back.
Terror is on every side!" says the LORD. 6"The fast runners can't get away.
The soldiers can't escape!
In the north by the Euphrates River
they trip and fall. 7Who is this rising like the Nile,
like rivers with churning waters? 8Egypt rises like the Nile.
Its waters churn like rivers.
Egypt brags, 'I will rise and cover the earth.
I will destroy the cities and their people.' 9Charge, you horses!
Race wildly, you chariots!
Let the soldiers march out.
Let the men of Cush and Put carry their shields.
Let the men of Lydia pull back their bows. 10For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts.
It is a day to pay back his enemies.
The sword will eat until it is full.
It will drink their blood until it has had enough.
For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice
in the land of the north by the Euphrates River. 11Go up to Gilead and get healing balm,
you Virgin Daughter of Egypt!
You try many medicines, but they are no use.
There is no healing for you. 12The nations have heard of your shame.
Your cries fill the earth.
One soldier trips over another,
and both of them fall down together." 13The LORD gave this message to Jeremiah the prophet. It was about Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon coming to attack the land of Egypt. 14"Announce it in Egypt.
Tell it in Migdol.
Tell it in Memphis and Tahpanhes:
'Take your places and get ready,
for the sword is eating up those around you.' 15Why have your soldiers been knocked down?
They can't stand,
for the LORD has pushed them down. 16They keep tripping.
Yes, they fall over one another.
They say, 'Get up! Let's go back to our own people.
Let's go back to the land where we were born.
Let's get away from the sword of the enemy.' 17There they will cry out,
'Pharaoh king of Egypt is just a lot of noise.
He has let his chance go by.' 18As surely as I live, says the King,
whose name is the LORD of Hosts,
one will come who is like Mount Tabor among the mountains,
like Mount Carmel by the sea. 19Pack your bags to be taken away,
you daughter living in Egypt!
For Memphis will be wiped out.
It will be destroyed, and no one will live there. 20Egypt is a beautiful young cow.
But a biting fly from the north is coming against her. 21Even the hired soldiers in her army are like fat calves.
They too will turn around.
They will all run away together.
They will not stand and fight.
For the day of their disaster is coming on them.
It is the time for them to be punished. 22Egypt will hiss like a snake slithering away.
For the enemy will march in with great force.
They will come against her with axes,
like men who cut down trees. 23They will chop down her forest, says the LORD,
even though it is thick.
There are more of them than locusts.
No one can count them. 24The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame.
She will be handed over to the people of the north." 25The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says, "Look, I am about to punish Amon, the god of Thebes. I will punish Pharaoh and Egypt, with her gods and her kings. I will punish those who trust in Pharaoh. 26I will hand them over to those who want to kill them. I will give them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But later, people will live in Egypt again as in the old days, says the LORD. 27But you, Jacob my servant, do not be afraid.
Do not lose heart, Israel.
For I will surely save you from a land far away.
I will save your children from the land where they are captives!
Jacob will come back and have peace and rest.
No one will make him afraid. 28Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant, says the LORD,
for I am with you.
I will completely destroy all the nations
where I have scattered you.
But I will not completely destroy you.
I will correct you fairly.
I will not let you go unpunished."