1 Y ahweh’s word which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning and against the nations.

2 O f 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.

Concerning and against Egypt: against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote and defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

3 P repare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!

Put in order the buckler and shield, and advance for battle!

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

Harness the horses, and mount, you horsemen! Stand forth with your helmets! Polish the spears, put on the coats of mail!

5 W hy 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.

Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward, and their mighty warriors are beaten down. They flee in haste and look not back; terror is on every side! says the Lord.

6 D on’t let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled and fallen.

Let not the swift flee nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they stumble and fall.

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

Who is this that rises up like the Nile, like the branches whose waters surge and toss?

8 E gypt 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 the rivers whose waters surge and toss. She says, I will rise, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.

9 G o up, you horses; and rage, you chariots; and let the mighty men go out: Cush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.

Go up, you horses, and drive furiously, you chariots! Let the warriors go forth—men of Ethiopia and Put who handle the shield, men of Lud who are skilled in handling and stringing the bow.

10 F or 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.

But that day is a day of the Lord, the Lord of hosts—a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Himself on His adversaries. And the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated 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 Euphrates.

11 G o 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 into Gilead and take balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt! In vain do you use many medicines; for you there is no healing or remedy.

12 T he 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 and shame, and your cry has filled the earth. For warrior has stumbled against and thrown down warrior, and they have fallen both of them together.

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

The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the coming of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and his smiting of the land of Egypt:

14 D eclare in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes: say, Stand up, and prepare; for the sword has devoured around you.

Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol; and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes; say, Stand forth and get yourself ready, for the sword devours round about you.

15 W hy are your strong ones swept away? they didn’t stand, because Yahweh pushed them.

Why is your strong one swept and dragged away? He stood not, because the Lord drove him and thrust him down.

16 H e 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.

made many to stumble and fall; yes, they fell one upon another. And they said, Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword of the oppressor.

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

They cried there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is destroyed and is only a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by!

18 A s 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.

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.

19 Y ou daughter who dwells in Egypt, furnish yourself to go into captivity; for Memphis shall become a desolation, and shall be burnt up, without inhabitant.

O you daughter who dwells in Egypt and you who dwell with her, furnish yourselves to go into exile, for Memphis will be waste, desolate, and burned up, without inhabitant.

20 E gypt is a very beautiful heifer; but destruction out of the north has come, it has come.

Egypt is a very fair heifer, but destruction is coming—out of the north it is coming!

21 A lso her hired men in the middle 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.

Also her hired troops in the midst of her are like fatted calves, for they also are turned back and are fleeing together; they do not stand, because the day of their calamity is coming upon them, the time of their visitation (their inspection and punishment).

22 T he sound of it shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as wood cutters.

The sound is like the rustling of an escaping serpent, for her foes advance with a mighty army and come against her with axes, like those who fell trees and cut wood.

23 T hey shall cut down her forest, says Yahweh, though it can’t be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.

They shall cut down her forest, says the Lord, though it is impenetrable, because they are more numerous than locusts and cannot be counted.

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

The Daughter of Egypt shall be disgraced; she shall be delivered into the hands of the people of the north.

25 Y ahweh 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:

The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says: Behold, I will visit punishment upon Amon of No or Thebes, and upon Pharaoh and Egypt, with her gods and her kings—even Pharaoh and all those who put their trust in.

26 a nd 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.

And I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hands of his servants. Afterward will be inhabited as in the days of old, says the Lord.

27 B ut don’t you be afraid, Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, Israel: for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and no one shall make him afraid.

But fear not, O My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel. For behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their exile; and Jacob will return and be quiet and at ease, and none will make him afraid.

28 D on’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.

Fear not, O Jacob My servant, says the Lord, for I am with you. For I will make a full and complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you; yet I will not make a full end of you. But I will chasten and correct you in just measure, and I will not hold you guiltless by any means or leave you unpunished.