American Standard Version ASV
Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
1 The word of Jehovah which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.
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The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the nations:
2 Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh-neco king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.
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About Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco, Egypt's king, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Judah's King Jehoiakim son of Josiah:
3 Prepare ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.
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Deploy small shields and large; draw near for battle!
4 Harness the horses, and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.
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Harness the horses; mount the steeds; take your positions with helmets on! Polish the lances; put on armor!
5 Wherefore have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: terror is on every side, saith Jehovah.
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Why have I seen [this]? They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are crushed, they flee headlong, they never look back, terror is on every side! [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration.
6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled and fallen.
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The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the bank of the Euphrates River, they stumble and fall.
7 Who is this that riseth up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?
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Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn?
8 Egypt riseth up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he saith, I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and the inhabitants thereof.
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Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers. He boasts: I will go up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities with their residents.
9 Go up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Put, that handle the shield; and the Ludim, that handle and bend the bow.
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Rise up, you cavalry! Race furiously, you chariots! Let the warriors go forth- Cush and Put, who are able to handle shields, and the Ludim, who are able to handle and string the bow.
10 For that day is [a day] of the Lord, Jehovah 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, Jehovah of hosts, hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
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That day belongs to the Lord, the God of Hosts, a day of vengeance to avenge Himself against His adversaries. The sword will devour and be satisfied; it will drink its fill of their blood, because it will be a sacrifice to the Lord, the God of Hosts, in the northern land by the Euphrates River.
11 Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain dost thou use many medicines; there is no healing for thee.
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Go up to Gilead and get balm, Virgin Daughter Egypt! You have multiplied remedies in vain; there is no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of thy shame, and the earth is full of thy cry; for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, they are fallen both of them together.
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The nations have heard of your dishonor, and your outcry fills the earth, because warrior stumbles against warrior and together both of them have fallen.
13 The word that Jehovah spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.
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[This is] the word the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to defeat the land of Egypt:
14 Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand forth, and prepare thee; for the sword hath devoured round about thee.
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Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol! Proclaim it in Memphis and in Tahpanhes! Say: Take positions! Prepare yourself, for the sword devours all around you.
15 Why are thy strong ones swept away? they stood not, because Jehovah did drive them.
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Why have your strong ones been swept away? Each has not stood, for the Lord has thrust him down.
16 He made many to stumble, yea, they fell one upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.
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He continues to stumble. Indeed, each falls over the other. They say: Get up! Let's return to our people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword that oppresses.
17 They cried there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath let the appointed time pass by.
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There they will cry out: Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise; he let the opportune moment pass.
18 As I live, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.
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As I live- [this is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the King's declaration; the Lord of Hosts is His name. He will come like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea.
19 O thou daughter that dwellest in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity; for Memphis shall become a desolation, and shall be burnt up, without inhabitant.
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Pack your bags for exile, inhabitant of Daughter Egypt! For Memphis will become a desolation, uninhabited ruins.
20 Egypt is a very fair heifer; [but] destruction out of the north is come, it is come.
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Egypt is a beautiful young cow, but a horsefly from the north is coming against her.
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 is come upon them, the time of their visitation.
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Even her mercenaries among her are like stall-fed calves. They too will turn back; together they will flee; they will not take their stand, for the day of their calamity is coming on them, the time of their punishment.
22 The sound thereof shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.
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Egypt will hiss like a slithering snake, for [the enemy] will come with an army; with axes they will come against her like those who cut trees.
23 They shall cut down her forest, saith Jehovah, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.
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They will cut down her forest- [this is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration- though it is dense, for they are more numerous than locusts; they cannot be counted.
24 The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.
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Daughter Egypt will be put to shame, handed over to a northern people.
25 Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saith: Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and them that trust in him:
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The Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "I am about to punish Amon, [god] of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods, and her kings-Pharaoh and those trusting in him.
26 and I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants; and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith Jehovah.
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I will hand them over to those who want to take their lives-to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, it will be inhabited again as in ancient times." [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration.
27 But fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
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But you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged, Israel, for without fail I will save you from far away and your descendants, from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return and have calm and quiet with no one to frighten him.
28 Fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah; for I am with thee: for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee; but I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished.
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And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid- [this is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration- for I will be with you. I will bring destruction on all the nations where I have banished you, but I will not bring destruction on you. I will discipline you with justice, but I will by no means leave you unpunished.
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