Jeremiah

¹ This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations:

² This is the message against 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 son of Josiah king of Judah:

³ and march out for battle!

⁴ mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears, put on your armor!

⁵ They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated. They flee in haste without looking back, and there is terror on every side,” declares the Lord.

⁶ nor the strong escape. In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.

⁷ like rivers of surging waters?

⁸ like rivers of surging waters. She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy cities and their people.’

⁹ Drive furiously, O charioteers! March on, O warriors— men of Cush and Put who carry shields, men of Lydia who draw the bow.

¹⁰ a day of vengeance, for vengeance on his foes. The sword will devour till it is satisfied, till it has quenched its thirst with blood. For the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will offer sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.

¹¹ O Virgin Daughter of Egypt. But you multiply remedies in vain; there is no healing for you.

¹² your cries will fill the earth. One warrior will stumble over another; both will fall down together.”

¹³ This is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to attack Egypt:

¹⁴ proclaim it also in Memphis and Tahpanhes: ‘Take your positions and get ready, for the sword devours those around you.’

¹⁵ They cannot stand, for the Lord will push them down.

¹⁶ they will fall over each other. They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back to our own people and our native lands, away from the sword of the oppressor.’

¹⁷ ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise; he has missed his opportunity.’

¹⁸ whose name is the Lord Almighty, “one will come who is like Tabor among the mountains, like Carmel by the sea.

¹⁹ you who live in Egypt, for Memphis will be laid waste and lie in ruins without inhabitant.

²⁰ but a gadfly is coming against her from the north.

²¹ are like fattened calves. They too will turn and flee together, they will not stand their ground, for the day of disaster is coming upon them, the time for them to be punished.

²² as the enemy advances in force; they will come against her with axes, like men who cut down trees.

²³ declares the Lord, “dense though it be. They are more numerous than locusts, they cannot be counted.

²⁴ handed over to the people of the north.”

²⁵ The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes, on Pharaoh, on Egypt and her gods and her kings, and on those who rely on Pharaoh.

²⁶ I will hand them over to those who seek their lives, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited as in times past,” declares the Lord.

²⁷ do not be dismayed, O Israel. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.

²⁸ for I am with you,” declares the Lord. “Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”