1This is the word of the Lord that came to the prophet Jeremiah about the nations:
Prophecies against Egypt
2About Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco, Egypt’s king, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in the fourth year of Judah’s King Jehoiakim son of Josiah:
3Deploy small shields and large;
approach for battle!
4Harness the horses;
mount the steeds;
take your positions with helmets on!
Polish the lances;
put on armor!
5Why have I seen this?
They are terrified,
they are retreating,
their warriors are crushed,
they flee headlong,
they never look back,
terror is on every side!
This is the Lord’s declaration.
6The swift cannot flee,
and the warrior cannot escape!
In the north by the bank of the Euphrates River,
they stumble and fall.
7Who is this, rising like the Nile,
with waters that churn like rivers?
8Egypt rises like the Nile,
and its waters churn like rivers.
He boasts, “I will go up, I will cover the earth;
I will destroy cities with their residents.”
9Rise up, you cavalry!
Race furiously, you chariots!
Let the warriors march out —
Cush and Put,
who are able to handle shields,
and the men of Lud,
who are able to handle and string the bow.
10That day belongs to the Lord, the God of Armies,
a day of vengeance to avenge himself
against his adversaries.
The sword will devour and be satisfied;
it will drink its fill of their blood,
because it will be a sacrifice to the Lord, the God of Armies,
in the northern land by the Euphrates River.
11Go up to Gilead and get balm,
Virgin Daughter Egypt!
You have multiplied remedies in vain;
there is no healing for you.
12The nations have heard of your dishonor,
and your cries fill the earth,
because warrior stumbles against warrior
and together both of them have fallen.
13This is the word the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to defeat the land of Egypt:
14Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol!
Proclaim it in Memphis and in Tahpanhes!
Say, “Take positions! Prepare yourself,
for the sword devours all around you.”
15Why have your strong ones been swept away?
Each has not stood,
for the Lord has thrust him down.
16He continues to stumble.
Indeed, each falls over the other.
They say, “Get up! Let’s return to our people
and to our native land,
away from the oppressor’s sword.”
17There they will cry out,
“Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise;
he let the opportune moment pass.”
18As I live —
this is the King’s declaration;
the Lord of Armies is his name —
the king of Babylon will come like Tabor among the mountains
and like Carmel by the sea.
19Get your bags ready for exile,
inhabitant of Daughter Egypt!
For Memphis will become a desolation,
uninhabited ruins.
20Egypt is a beautiful young cow,
but a horsefly from the north is coming against her.
21Even her mercenaries among her
are like stall-fed calves.
They too will turn back;
together they will flee;
they will not take their stand,
for the day of their calamity is coming on them,
the time of their punishment.
22Egypt will hiss like a slithering snake,
for the enemy will come with an army;
with axes they will come against her
like those who cut trees.
23They will cut down her forest —
this is the Lord’s declaration —
though it is dense,
for they are more numerous than locusts;
they cannot be counted.
24Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,
handed over to a northern people.
25The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says, “I am about to punish Amon, god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods, and her kings — Pharaoh and those trusting in him. 26I will hand them over to those who intend to take their lives — to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited again as in ancient times.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Reassurance for Israel
27But you, my servant Jacob, do not be afraid,
and do not be discouraged, Israel,
for without fail I will save you from far away,
and your descendants from the land of their captivity!
Jacob will return and have calm and quiet
with no one to frighten him.
28And you, my servant Jacob, do not be afraid —
this is the Lord’s declaration —
for I will be with you.
I will bring destruction on all the nations
where I have banished you,
but I will not bring destruction on you.
I will discipline you with justice,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.