Jeremiah 46

1 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

This is the word of Yahweh that 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 Perath in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.

For Egypt: “This is about the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt that was at Carchemish by the Euphrates river. This was the army that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah:

3 "Prepare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.

Get the small shields and the large shields ready, and go forward to fight.

4 Harness the horses, and get up, you horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.

Put the harness on the horses; mount up on the horses and take your stand with your helmets on; polish the spears and put on your armor.

5 Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled in haste, and do not look back: terror is on every side," says the LORD.

What am I seeing here? They are filled with terror and are running away, for their soldiers are defeated. They are running for safety and are not looking back. Terror is all around—this is Yahweh's declaration—

6 "Do not let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Perath have they stumbled and fallen.

the swift cannot run away, and the soldiers cannot escape. They stumble in the north and fall beside the Euphrates River.

7 Who is this who rises up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?

Who is this who rises like the Nile, whose waters toss up and down 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.'

Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers of water that rise and fall. Egypt says, 'I will go up and I will cover the earth. I will destroy cities and their 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.

Go up, horses. Be angry, you chariots. Let the soldiers go out, Cush and Put, men skillful with a shield, and Ludim, men skillful at bending their bows.'

10 For that day is of the Lord, the LORD of hosts, 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, the LORD of hosts, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Perath.

That day will be the day of vengeance for the Lord Yahweh of hosts, and he will avenge himself on his foes. The sword will devour and be satisfied. It will drink its fill of their blood. For there will be a sacrifice to the Yahweh Lord of hosts in the northern land by the Euphrates River.

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.

Go up to Gilead and obtain medicine, virgin daughter of Egypt. It is useless that you put much medicine on yourself. There is no cure 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."

The nations have heard of your disgrace. The earth is filled with your laments, for soldier stumbles against soldier; both of them fall together.”

13 The word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt.

This is the word that Yahweh told Jeremiah the prophet when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came and attacked 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.'

“Announce in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes. 'Take your station and prepare yourself, for the sword will devour those around you.'

15 Why are your strong ones swept away? They did not stand, because the LORD pushed them.

Why are your mighty ones face-down on the ground? They will not stand, because I, Yahweh, have pushed them to the ground.

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.'

He increases the numbers of those who stumble. Each soldier falls against the next one. They are saying, 'Get up. Let us go home. Let us go back to our own people, to our native land. Let us leave this sword that is beating us down.'

17 They cried there, 'Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by.'"

They proclaimed there, 'Pharaoh the king of Egypt is only a noise, one who has let his opportunity slip away.'

18 "As I live," says the King, "whose name is the LORD of hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.

As I live—declares the King, whose name is Yahweh of hosts— someone will come like Mount Tabor and Mount Carmel by the sea.

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.

Pack for yourselves baggage to carry into exile, you who live in Egypt. For Memphis will become a waste, it will lie in ruins and no one will live there.

20 Egypt is a very beautiful heifer; but a horsefly from the north is coming against her.

Egypt is a very beautiful young cow, but a stinging insect is coming from the north. It is coming.

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 did not stand: for the day of their calamity has come on them, the time of their visitation.

The hired soldiers in her midst are like a fattened bull, but they will also turn away and run away. They will not stand together, for the day of their disaster is coming against them, the time of their punishment.

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.

Egypt hisses like a snake and crawls away, for her enemies are marching against her. They are going toward her like woodcutters with axes.

23 They shall cut down her forest, says the LORD, though it can't be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.

They will cut down the forests—this is Yahweh's declaration—although it is very dense. For the enemies will be more numerous than locusts, unable to be counted.

24 The daughter of Egypt shall be disappointed; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north."

The daughter of Egypt will be made ashamed. She will be given into the hand of people from the north.”

25 "The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'Look, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him:

Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, says, “See, I am about to punish Amon of Thebes, Pharaoh, Egypt and her gods, her kings the Pharaohs, and those who trust in them.

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 the LORD.

I am giving them into the hand of the ones seeking their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his servants. Then after this Egypt will be inhabited as in previous days—this is Yahweh's declaration.

27 'But do not be afraid, Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, Israel: for, look, I will save you from afar, and your descendants from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

But you, my servant Jacob, do not fear. Do not be dismayed, Israel, for see, I am about to bring you back from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Then Jacob will return, find peace, and be secure, and there will be no one to terrify him.

28 Do not be afraid, O Jacob my servant,' says the LORD; '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.'"

You, my servant Jacob, do not fear—this is Yahweh's declaration—for I am with you, so I will bring complete destruction against all the nations where I scattered you. But I will not destroy you completely. Yet I will discipline you justly and will certainly not leave you unpunished.”