Jeremiah 46

Messages Concerning Egypt

1The word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. 2Concerning Egypt: Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, the king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, the king of Judah.

3“Prepare small shield and shield,

and approach for the battle!

4Harness the horses and mount the steeds!

And take your stand with helmets!

Polish the spears!

Put on the body armor!

5Why do I see them terrified?

They are turning back

and their warriors are beaten down.

And they have fled to a place of refuge

and they do not turn back.

Terror is from all around,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.

6The swift cannot flee,

and the warrior cannot escape.

They have stumbled and they have fallen,

by the bank of the Euphrates River.

7Who is this that rises like the Nile,

like the rivers whose waters surge?

8Egypt rises like the Nile,

even like the rivers whose waters surge.

And he says, “Let me rise,

let me cover the earth,

let me destroy cities,

and the inhabitants in them.”

9Go up, O horses,

and drive madly, O chariots,#Hebrew “chariot”

and let the warriors go forth;

Cush and Put, who wield the small shield,

and Lud, who wield and bend the bow.

10For that day is to the Lord Yahweh of hosts

a day of retribution,

to take revenge on his foes.

And the sword will devour and be satisfied,

and it will drink its fill of their blood,

for a sacrifice is for the Lord Yahweh of hosts

in the land of the north by the Euphrates River.

11Go up to Gilead and take balm,

O virgin of the daughter of Egypt.

In vain#Literally “To the vanity” you make use of many medicines;

there is no healing for you.

12The nations have heard your shame,

and your cry of lament fills the earth.

For warrior has stumbled against warrior,

together they have fallen, the two of them.

13The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:

14“Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol,

and proclaim in Memphis and in Tahpanhes,

say, ‘Take your stand and be prepared,

for the sword will devour those all around you.’

15Why are your bulls defeated?

He did not stand because Yahweh thrust him down.

16He multiplied the ones#Hebrew “one” stumbling.

Furthermore, each one fell to his neighbor,

and said, ‘Stand up, and let us return to our people

and to the land of our birth,

because of#Literally “from” the presence#Literally “face” of the sword of the oppressor.’

17They will call there,

‘Pharaoh, the king of Egypt is but a roar,

he missed the opportunity.’#Literally “he has allowed to pass over the appointed time”

18As I live,”#Literally “Life I” declares#Literally “a declaration of” the king,

Yahweh of hosts is his name,

“one will come like Tabor among the mountains

and like Carmel by the sea.

19Pack your baggage for exile,

O inhabitants#Hebrew “inhabitant” of the daughter of Egypt,

for Memphis will become as a horror,

and it will be destroyed, without#Literally “from there is not” inhabitant.

20Egypt is a beautiful heifer,

but a gadfly from the north will come against her.

21Even her mercenaries in her midst are like calves of fattening,

for they also have turned away,

they have fled together.

They stand not,

for the day of their calamity has come,

the time of their punishment.

22Her sound is like a snake that glides away,

for they march in force.

And with axes they come to her

like those who chop trees.

23They will cut down her forest,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh,

“for it is impenetrable.#Literally “it cannot be searched out”

Yes, they are more numerous than locusts,#Hebrew “locust”

and they are without number.#Literally “there is not to them a number”

24The daughter of Egypt will be ashamed,

she will be given into the hand of the people of the north.”

25Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, said, “Look, I am going to punish Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, and her gods, and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who trust in him. 26And I will give them into the hand of the seekers of their lives,#Hebrew “life” and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and into the hand of his troops. But afterward#Literally “after thus” it will be inhabited, as in days of old,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.

27“But as for you, my servant Jacob, you must not be afraid,

and Israel, you must not be dismayed,

for look, I am going to save you from far,

and your offspring from the land of their captivity.

And Jacob will return,

and he will be quiet,

and he will be at ease,

and without one who makes him afraid.

28You must not be afraid, my servant Jacob,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh,

“for I am with you.

For I will make a complete destruction in all the nations where I scattered you,

but you I will not make a complete destruction,

though I will chastise you to the measure,

and I will certainly not leave you unpunished.”

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Jeremiah 46: LEB

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Jeremiah 46

Defeat of Pharaoh Foretold

1The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the [Gentile] nations.

2Concerning Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon #This stunning defeat by the Babylonian army cost Egypt all of its lands west of the Euphrates.defeated [decisively] in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah:

3“Line up the #In ancient warfare these shields usually were round, worn on the forearm and used mainly as weapons with which to strike an enemy. Large, oblong shields were used to protect the entire body.buckler (small shield) and [large] shield,

And advance for battle!

4Harness the horses,

And mount, you riders!

Take your stand with your helmets!

Polish the spears,

Put on the coats of mail!

5Why have I seen it?

They are terrified

And have turned back,

And their warriors are beaten down.

They take flight in haste

Without looking back;

Terror is on every side!”

Says the Lord.

6Do not let the swift man run,

Nor the mighty man escape;

In the north by the river Euphrates

They have stumbled and fallen.

7Who is this that rises up like the Nile [River],

Like the rivers [in the delta of Egypt] whose waters surge about?

8Egypt rises like the Nile,

Even like the rivers whose waters surge about.

And #This may be viewed as an ironic declaration by God: the Nile rises and floods Egypt providing irrigation, and God says He will do the same thing, but in a sense destroying Egypt (see v 10).He has said, “I will rise, I will cover that land;

I will certainly destroy the city and its inhabitants.”

9Charge, you horses,

And drive like madmen, you chariots!

Let the warriors go forward:

Ethiopia and Put (Libya) who handle the shield,

And the Lydians who handle and bend the bow.

10For that day belongs to the Lord God of hosts,

A day of vengeance, that He may avenge Himself on His adversaries.

And the sword will devour and be satiated

And drink its fill of their blood;

For the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice [like that of a great sin offering]

In the north country by the river Euphrates.

11Go up to Gilead and obtain [healing] balm,

O Virgin Daughter of Egypt!

In vain you use many medicines;

For you there is no healing or remedy.

12The nations have heard of your disgrace and shame,

And your cry [of distress] has filled the earth.

For warrior has stumbled against warrior,

And both of them have fallen together.

13The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt:

14“Declare in Egypt and proclaim in #Perhaps an island in the Nile, location uncertain.Migdol,

And proclaim in #See note 2:16.Memphis and in Tahpanhes;

Say, ‘Take your stand and get yourself ready,

For the sword has devoured those around you.’

15Why have your strong ones been cut down?

They do not stand because the Lord drove them away.

16He will make many stumble and fall;

Yes, they have fallen one on another.

Then 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.’

17They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is destroyed and is merely a loud noise;

He has let the appointed time [of opportunity] pass by!’

18As I live,” says the King,

Whose name is the Lord of hosts,

“Surely like #Tabor and Carmel are landmark mountains in Israel.Tabor among the mountains

Or like Carmel by the sea,

So shall he [the great king of Babylon] come.

19O you daughter who dwells in Egypt and you who dwell with her,

Prepare yourselves [with all you will need] to go into exile,

For Memphis will become desolate;

It will even be burned down and without inhabitant.

20Egypt is a very pretty heifer,

But a horsefly (Babylonia) is coming [against her] out of the north!

21Also her mercenaries in her army

Are like fattened calves,

For they too have turned back and have fled together;

They did not stand [their ground],

Because the day of their disaster has come upon them,

The time of their punishment.

22The sound [of Egypt fleeing from the enemy] is like [the rustling of] an escaping serpent,

For her foes advance with a mighty army

And come against her like woodcutters with axes.

23They have cut down her forest,” says the Lord;

“Certainly it will no longer be found,

Because they (the invaders) are more numerous than locusts

And cannot be counted.

24The Daughter of Egypt has been shamed,

Given over to the power of the people of the north [the Chaldeans of Babylonia].”

25The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says, “Behold, I am going to punish Amon [chief god of the sacred city] of Thebes [the capital of Upper Egypt], and Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her gods and her kings—even Pharaoh and those who put their trust in him [as a shield against Babylon]. 26I will put 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. Afterward Egypt will be #God, through His prophets, accurately foretold the future of the prominent nations of Old Testament times, often specifying the fate of particular rulers and major cities as well. The fulfillment of these prophecies is usually indicated in the textual references or the notes. The prophecies are specific; what was said of Babylon, for instance, would not have been applicable to Egypt or Ammon or Sidon. History records their fulfillment. If there was no other evidence that there is a God and that the Bible is inspired by Him, the fulfillment of prophecy in history should be sufficient proof for anyone capable of thinking it through. Nor are the prophecies against some nations recorded by only one writer, but a number of them, widely separated by time and circumstances.inhabited as in the days of old,” says the Lord.

27“But as for you, do not fear, O My servant Jacob,

Nor be dismayed, O Israel!

For behold, I will save you from [your captivity in] a distant land,

And your descendants from the land of their exile;

And Jacob will return and be quiet and secure,

And no one will make him afraid.

28Do not fear, 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 discipline and correct you appropriately

And by no means will I declare you guiltless or leave you unpunished.”

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