New Living Translation NLT
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 The following messages were given to Jeremiah the prophet from the LORD concerning foreign nations.
1
This is the word of ADONAI that came to Yirmeyahu the prophet concerning the nations.
2 This message concerning Egypt was given in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, the king of Judah, on the occasion of the battle of Carchemish when Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, and his army were defeated beside the Euphrates River by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
2
Concerning Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh N'kho, king of Egypt, stationed by the Euphrates River in Kark'mish, which N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel attacked in the fourth year of Y'hoyakim son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y'hudah:
3 “Prepare your shields, and advance into battle!
3
"Prepare breastplate and shield! Advance to battle!
4 Harness the horses, and mount the stallions. Take your positions. Put on your helmets. Sharpen your spears, and prepare your armor.
4
Harness the horses! Riders, mount! [Troops,] fall in! Helmets in place! Polish the spears! Coats of mail on!
5 But what do I see? The Egyptian army flees in terror. The bravest of its fighting men run without a backward glance. They are terrorized at every turn,” says the LORD .
5
"Why do I see them retreating in panic, their heroes routed, fleeing headlong, not looking back, terror all around?" asks ADONAI.
6 “The swiftest runners cannot flee; the mightiest warriors cannot escape. By the Euphrates River to the north, they stumble and fall.
6
"The swift cannot flee, nor the heroes escape. In the north, by the Euphrates River, they have stumbled and fallen."
7 “Who is this, rising like the Nile at floodtime, overflowing all the land?
7
Who is this, rising up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge out in flood?
8 It is the Egyptian army, overflowing all the land, boasting that it will cover the earth like a flood, destroying cities and their people.
8
It is Egypt, rising up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge out in flood, saying, "I will surge out and cover the earth, destroying the city along with its people."
9 Charge, you horses and chariots; attack, you mighty warriors of Egypt! Come, all you allies from Ethiopia, Libya, and Lydia who are skilled with the shield and bow!
9
Charge, horses! Full speed ahead, chariots! Let the warriors attack! - Kush and Put, bearing their shields, and the Ludim, strung bows in hand.
10 For this is the day of the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, a day of vengeance on his enemies. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, yes, until it is drunk with your blood! The Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, will receive a sacrifice today in the north country beside the Euphrates River.
10
For on that day Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot will have a day of vengeance for avenging himself on his enemies. The sword will destroy, have its fill, be made drunk on their blood. Yes, Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot decrees slaughter in the land to the north by the Euphrates River.
11 “Go up to Gilead to get medicine, O virgin daughter of Egypt! But your many treatments will bring you no healing.
11
Go up to Gil'ad for its healing resin, virgin daughter of Egypt. You try many medicines, all in vain; for you there is no cure.
12 The nations have heard of your shame. The earth is filled with your cries of despair. Your mightiest warriors will run into each other and fall down together.”
12
The nations have heard about your disgrace; your shrieks fill the earth as warrior trips over warrior, both falling down together.
13 Then the LORD gave the prophet Jeremiah this message about King Nebuchadnezzar’s plans to attack Egypt.
13
This word ADONAI spoke to Yirmeyahu the prophet concerning how N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel would come and attack the land of Egypt:
14 “Shout it out in Egypt! Publish it in the cities of Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes! Mobilize for battle, for the sword will devour everyone around you.
14
"Proclaim in Egypt, announce in Migdol, announce in Nof and Tachpanches; say: 'Take your stand! Get ready! For all around you the sword is destroying.
15 Why have your warriors fallen? They cannot stand, for the LORD has knocked them down.
15
Why has your strong one been overthrown? He failed to stand because ADONAI pushed him down.
16 They stumble and fall over each other and say among themselves, ‘Come, let’s go back to our people, to the land of our birth. Let’s get away from the sword of the enemy!’
16
He caused many to trip; yes, they fell all over each other.'" Then they said, "Let's get up, let's return to our own people, back to the land where we were born, away from the sword that destroys."
17 There they will say, ‘Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is a loudmouth who missed his opportunity!’
17
They cried there, "Pharaoh king of Egypt makes noise, but he lets the right time [for action] slip by."
18 “As surely as I live,” says the King, whose name is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “one is coming against Egypt who is as tall as Mount Tabor, or as Mount Carmel by the sea!
18
"As I live," says the king, whose name is ADONAI-Tzva'ot, "when he comes, he will be [as mighty] as Tavor among the mountains, as Karmel next to the sea.
19 Pack up! Get ready to leave for exile, you citizens of Egypt! The city of Memphis will be destroyed, without a single inhabitant.
19
"Daughter living in Egypt, prepare what you need for exile; for Nof will become a ruin, laid waste, without inhabitant.
20 Egypt is as sleek as a beautiful heifer, but a horsefly from the north is on its way!
20
Egypt is a beautiful female calf; but a horsefly from the north has come to attack her.
21 Egypt’s mercenaries have become like fattened calves. They, too, will turn and run, for it is a day of great disaster for Egypt, a time of great punishment.
21
Her mercenaries too, that she had with her, were like well-fed calves in a stable; but they too have withdrawn in retreat, they all ran away without standing their ground. For their day of disaster has come over them, the time for them to be punished.
22 Egypt flees, silent as a serpent gliding away. The invading army marches in; they come against her with axes like woodsmen.
22
Egypt hisses like a snake, as the enemy's army marches ahead, attacking her with their axes like lumbermen chopping trees.
23 They will cut down her people like trees,” says the LORD, “for they are more numerous than locusts.
23
They cut down her forest," says ADONAI, "for they cannot be numbered; yes, there are more of them than locusts, far too many to count.
24 Egypt will be humiliated; she will be handed over to people from the north.”
24
The daughter of Egypt is put to shame, handed over to the people from the north."
25 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes, and all the other gods of Egypt. I will punish its rulers and Pharaoh, too, and all who trust in him.
25
ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: "I will punish Amon from No, Pharaoh, and Egypt with her gods and kings - that is, Pharaoh and those who trust in him;
26 I will hand them over to those who want them killed—to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his army. But afterward the land will recover from the ravages of war. I, the LORD, have spoken!
26
I will hand them over to those who seek their lives, to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel and to his servants. But afterwards, Egypt will be inhabited, as in the past," says ADONAI.
27 “But do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel. For I will bring you home again from distant lands, and your children will return from their exile. Israel will return to a life of peace and quiet, and no one will terrorize them.
27
"Yet don't be afraid, Ya'akov my servant; don't be distressed, Isra'el. For I will save you from faraway places, and your offspring from the lands where they are held captive. Ya'akov will return and be at peace, quiet, with no one to make him afraid.
28 Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, for I am with you,” says the LORD . “I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished.”
28
Don't be afraid, Ya'akov my servant," says ADONAI, "for I am with you. I will finish off all the nations where I have scattered you. However, you I will not finish off, I will discipline you as you deserve, but not completely destroy you."
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.