The Judgment on Egypt
1The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;
2Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.
3Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.
4Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines.
5Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.
6Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.
7Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?
8Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.
9Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
10For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
11Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.
12The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together.
13The word that the LORD spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.
14Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee.
15Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.
16He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.
17They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed.
18As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.
19O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.
20Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.
21Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.
22The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.
23They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable.
24The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.
25The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him: 26And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD.
27But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
28Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Judgment on Egypt
1 The word of Yahweh which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.
2 Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.
3 Prepare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!
4 Harness the horses, and get up, you horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.
5 Why have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled apace, and don’t look back: terror is on every side, says Yahweh.
6 Don’t let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled and fallen.
7 Who is this who rises up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?
8 Egypt rises up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he says, I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and its inhabitants.
9 Go up, you horses; and rage, you chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.
10 For that day is of the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
11 Go up into Gilead, and take balm, virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain do you use 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 the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, they are fallen both of them together.
13 The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt.
14 Declare in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes: say, Stand forth, and prepare; for the sword has devoured around you.
15 Why are your strong ones swept away? they didn’t stand, because Yahweh pushed them.
16 He made many to stumble, yes, they fell one on another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our birth, from the oppressing sword.
17 They cried there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by.
18 As I live, says the King, whose name is Yahweh of Armies, surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.
19 You daughter who dwells in Egypt, furnish yourself to go into captivity; for Memphis shall become a desolation, and shall be burnt up, without inhabitant.
20 Egypt is a very beautiful heifer; but destruction out of the north has come, it has come.
21 Also her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall; for they also are turned back, they are fled away together, they didn’t stand: for the day of their calamity has come on them, the time of their visitation.
22 The sound of it shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as wood cutters.
23 They shall cut down her forest, says Yahweh, though it can’t be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.
24 The daughter of Egypt shall be disappointed; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.
25 Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him: 26 and I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants; and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, says Yahweh.
27 But don’t you be afraid, Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, Israel: for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
28 Don’t you be afraid, O Jacob my servant, says Yahweh; for I am with you: for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you; but I will not make a full end of you, but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.
Judgment on Egypt
1 This is the word of the LORD about the nations—the word that came to Jeremiah the prophet 2 concerning Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah:
3 “Deploy your shields, small and large;
advance for battle!
4 Harness the horses; mount the steeds;
take your positions with helmets on!
Polish your spears;
put on armor!
5 Why am I seeing this?
They are terrified,
they are retreating;
their warriors are defeated,
they flee in haste without looking back;
terror is on every side!”
declares the LORD.
6 “The swift cannot flee,
and the warrior cannot escape!
In the north by the River Euphrates
they stumble and fall.
7 Who is this, rising like the Nile,
like rivers whose waters churn?
8 Egypt rises like the Nile,
and its waters churn like rivers,
boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth;
I will destroy the cities and their people.’
9 Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots!
Let the warriors come forth—
Cush a and Put carrying their shields,
men of Lydia drawing the bow.
10 For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts,
a day of vengeance against His foes.
The sword will devour until it is satisfied,
until it is quenched with their blood.
For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice
in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
11 Go up to Gilead for balm,
O Virgin Daughter of Egypt!
In vain you try many remedies,
but for you there is no healing.
12 The nations have heard of your shame,
and your outcry fills the earth,
because warrior stumbles over warrior
and both of them have fallen together.”
13 This is 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 “Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol;
proclaim it in Memphis b and Tahpanhes:
‘Take your positions and prepare yourself,
for the sword devours those around you.’
15 Why have your warriors been laid low?
They cannot stand, for the LORD has thrust them down.
16 They continue to stumble;
indeed, they have fallen over one another.
They say, ‘Get up! Let us return to our people
and to the land of our birth,
away from the sword of the oppressor.’
17 There they will cry out:
‘Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise;
he has let the appointed time pass him by.’
18 As surely as I live, declares the King,
whose name is the LORD of Hosts,
there will come one who is like Tabor among the mountains
and like Carmel by the sea.
19 Pack your bags for exile,
O daughter dwelling in Egypt!
For Memphis will be laid waste,
destroyed and uninhabited.
20 Egypt is a beautiful heifer,
but a gadfly from the north is coming against her.
21 Even the mercenaries among her
are like fattened calves.
They too will turn back;
together they will flee, they will not stand their ground,
for the day of calamity is coming upon them—
the time of their punishment.
22 Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, c
for the enemy will advance in force;
with axes they will come against her
like woodsmen cutting down trees.
23 They will chop down her forest, declares the LORD,
dense though it may be,
for they are more numerous than locusts;
they cannot be counted.
24 The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame;
she will be delivered into the hands of the people of the north.”
25 The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, d along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh. 26 I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.
27 But you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid,
and do not be dismayed, O Israel.
For I will surely save you out of a distant place,
your descendants from the land of their captivity!
Jacob will return to quiet and ease,
with no one to make him afraid.
28 And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid,
declares the LORD, for I am with you.
Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have banished you,
I will not completely destroy you.
Yet I will discipline you justly,
and will by no means leave you unpunished.”
Footnotes:
9 a That is, the upper Nile region
14 b LXX; Hebrew Noph ; also in verse 19
22 c Hebrew nachash ; translated in most cases as snake
25 d Hebrew Amon of No
The Judgment on Egypt
1That which hath been the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations,
2For Egypt, concerning the force of Pharaoh-Necho king of Egypt, that hath been by the river Phrat, in Carchemish, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath smitten, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
3'Set ye in array shield and buckler, And draw nigh to battle.
4Gird the horses, and go up, ye horsemen, And station yourselves with helmets, Polish the javelins, put on the coats of mail.
5Wherefore have I seen them dismayed -- They are turned backward, And their mighty ones are beaten down, And to a refuge they have fled, and not turned the face? Fear is round about -- an affirmation of Jehovah.
6The swift do not flee, nor do the mighty escape, Northward, by the side of the river Phrat, They have stumbled and fallen.
7Who is this? as a flood he cometh up, As rivers do his waters shake themselves!
8Egypt, as a flood cometh up, And as rivers the waters shake themselves. And he saith, I go up; I cover the land, I destroy the city and the inhabitants in it.
9Go up, ye horses; and boast yourselves, ye chariots, And go forth, ye mighty, Cush and Phut handling the shield, And Lud handling -- treading the bow.
10And that day is to the Lord Jehovah of Hosts A day of vengeance, To be avenged of His adversaries, And the sword hath devoured, and been satisfied, And it hath been watered from their blood, For a sacrifice is to the Lord Jehovah of Hosts, In the land of the north, by the river Phrat.
11Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt, In vain thou hast multiplied medicines, Healing there is none for thee.
12Nations have heard of thy shame, And thy cry hath filled the land, For the mighty on the mighty did stumble, Together they have fallen -- both of them!'
13The word that Jehovah hath spoken unto Jeremiah the prophet concerning the coming in of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, to smite the land of Egypt:
14'Declare ye in Egypt, and sound in Migdol, Yea, sound in Noph, and in Tahpanhes say: Station thyself, yea, prepare for thee, For a sword hath devoured around thee,
15Wherefore hath thy bull been swept away? He hath not stood, because Jehovah thrust him away.
16He hath multiplied the stumbling, Yea one hath fallen upon his neighbour, And they say: Rise, and we turn back to our people, And unto the land of our birth, Because of the oppressing sword.
17They have cried there: Pharaoh king of Egypt is a desolation, Passed by hath the appointed time.
18I live -- an affirmation of the King, Jehovah of Hosts is His name, Surely as Tabor is among mountains, And as Carmel by the sea -- he cometh in,
19Goods for removal make for thee, O inhabitant, daughter of Egypt, For Noph becometh a desolation, And hath been burnt up, without inhabitant.
20A heifer very fair is Egypt, Rending from the north doth come into her.
21Even her hired ones in her midst are as calves of the stall, For even they have turned, They have fled together, they have not stood, For the day of their calamity hath come on them, The time of their inspection.
22Its voice as a serpent goeth on, For with a force they go, And with axes they have come in to her, As hewers of trees.
23They have cut down her forest, An affirmation of Jehovah -- for it is not searched, For they have been more than the grasshopper, And they have no numbering.
24Ashamed hath been the daughter of Egypt, She hath been given into the hand of the people of the north.
25Said hath Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Lo, I am seeing after Amon of No, And after Pharaoh, and after Egypt, And after her gods, and after her kings, And after Pharaoh, and after those trusting in him, 26And I have given them into the hand of those seeking their life, And into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, And into the hand of his servants, And afterwards it is inhabited, As in days of old -- an affirmation of Jehovah.
27And thou, thou dost not fear, my servant Jacob, Nor art thou dismayed, O Israel, For lo, I am saving thee from afar, And thy seed from the land of their captivity, And Jacob hath turned back, And hath been at rest, and been at ease, And there is none disturbing.
28Thou, thou dost not fear, My servant Jacob, An affirmation of Jehovah -- for with thee I am, For I make an end of all the nations Whither I have driven thee, And of thee I do not make an end, And I have reproved thee in judgment, And do not entirely acquit thee!'