2
To Egypt, concerning the army of PharaohNecoking of Egypt, which was by the EuphratesRiver at Carchemish, whichNebuchadnezzarking of Babylondefeated in the fourthyear of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:
5
"Why have I seen it? They are terrified, They are drawingback, And their mightymen are defeated And have takenrefuge in flight, Withoutfacingback; Terror is on everyside!" Declares the LORD.
8
Egyptrises like the Nile, Even like the rivers whose waterssurge about; And He has said, "I will rise and cover that land; I will surely destroy the city and its inhabitants."
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Go up, you horses, and drivemadly, you chariots, That the mightymen may marchforward: Ethiopia and Put, that handle the shield, And the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
10
For that day belongs to the LordGOD of hosts, A day of vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His foes; And the sword will devour and be satiated And drink its fill of their blood; For there will be a slaughter for the LordGOD of hosts, In the land of the north by the riverEuphrates.
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The nations have heard of your shame, And the earth is full of your cry of distress; For one warrior has stumbled over another, And both of them have fallendowntogether.
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"Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol, Proclaim also in Memphis and Tahpanhes; Say, 'Take your stand and get yourself ready, For the sword has devoured those around you.'
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"They have repeatedlystumbled; Indeed, they have fallenoneagainstanother. Then they said, 'Get up! And let us goback To our own people and our nativeland Away from the sword of the oppressor.'
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"As I live," declares the King Whose name is the LORD of hosts, "Surely one shall come who looms up like Tabor among the mountains, Or like Carmel by the sea.
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"Make your baggageready for exile, O daughterdwelling in Egypt, For Memphis will become a desolation; It will even be burneddown and bereft* of inhabitants.
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"Also her mercenaries in her midst Are like fattenedcalves, For even they too have turnedback and have fled away together; They did not stand their ground. For the day of their calamity has come upon them, The time of their punishment.
23
"They have cutdown her forest," declares the LORD; "Surely it will no more be found, Even though they are now morenumerousthanlocusts And are withoutnumber.
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"The daughter of Egypt has beenput to shame, Given over to the power of the people of the north."
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25
The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says, "Behold, I am going to punishAmon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her gods and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who trust in him.
26
"I shall give them over to the power of those who are seeking their lives, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzarking of Babylon and into the hand of his officers. Afterwards*, however, it will be inhabited as in the days of old," declares the LORD.
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"But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear, Nor be dismayed, O Israel! For, see, I am going to save you from afar, And your descendants from the land of their captivity; And Jacob will return and be undisturbed And secure, with noone making him tremble.
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"O Jacob My servant, do not fear," declares the LORD, "For I am with you. For I will make a fullend of all the nationsWhere* I have driven you, Yet I will not make a fullend of you; But I will correct you properly And by nomeansleave you unpunished."