Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.
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The LORD spoke this message to the prophet Jeremiah about the nations.
2 About Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphra'tes at Car'chemish and which Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah:
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This is the message about Egypt, about the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated his army at Carchemish along the Euphrates River during the fourth year that Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was king of Judah.
3 "Prepare buckler and shield, and advance for battle!
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"Get your large and small shields ready; advance into battle.
4 Harness the horses; mount, O horsemen! Take your stations with your helmets, polish your spears, put on your coats of mail!
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Harness your horses. Mount up, you horsemen. Take your positions, and put on your helmets. Polish your spears. Put on your armor.
5 Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down, and have fled in haste; they look not back--terror on every side! says the LORD.
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"What do I see in them? They are terrified. They are retreating. Their warriors are defeated. They flee without looking back. Terror is all around them," declares the LORD.
6 The swift cannot flee away, nor the warrior escape; in the north by the river Euphra'tes they have stumbled and fallen.
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"The infantry can't flee. The warriors can't escape. They stumble and fall in the north by the Euphrates River.
7 "Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge?
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Who is this, rising like the Nile River, like streams that flow swiftly?
8 Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.
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Egypt is like the rising Nile River, like a river quickly overflowing its banks. Egypt says, 'I will rise; I will cover the earth. I will destroy cities and the people in them.'
9 Advance, O horses, and rage, O chariots! Let the warriors go forth: men of Ethiopia and Put who handle the shield, men of Lud, skilled in handling the bow.
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Go into battle, you horsemen. Drive wildly, you chariot drivers. March into battle, you warriors, you warriors from Sudan and Put who carry shields, you warriors from Lydia who use bows and arrows.
10 That day is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his foes. The sword shall devour and be sated, and drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord GOD of hosts holds a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphra'tes.
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That day belongs to the Almighty LORD of Armies. It is a day of vengeance when he will take revenge on his enemies. His sword will devour until it has had enough, and it will drink their blood until it's full. The Almighty LORD of Armies will offer them as sacrifices in the north by the Euphrates River.
11 Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you.
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Go to Gilead, and get medicine, dear people of Egypt. You have used many medicines without results; you can't be cured.
12 The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for warrior has stumbled against warrior; they have both fallen together."
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The nations have heard of your shame; your cry fills the earth. One warrior will stumble over another, and both will fall together."
13 The word which the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon to smite the land of Egypt:
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The LORD spoke this message to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who will defeat Egypt.
14 "Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Memphis and Tah'panhes; Say, 'Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour round about you.'
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"Tell this in Egypt; announce this in Migdol. Make it known in Memphis and in Tahpanhes. Say, 'Take your positions, and get ready. Swords will kill those around you.'
15 Why has Apis fled? Why did not your bull stand? Because the LORD thrust him down.
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Why should your soldiers be cut down? They can't stand because the LORD will push them down.
16 Your multitude stumbled and fell, and they said one to another, 'Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.'
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They have repeatedly stumbled, and now they have fallen. They say to each other, 'Get up! Let's go back to our people, to the land where we were born, and escape our enemy's sword.'
17 Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, 'Noisy one who lets the hour go by.'
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There they will cry, 'Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is a big windbag. He has missed his chance.'
18 "As I live, says the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, shall one come.
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"As I live," declares the king, whose name is the LORD of Armies, "someone who is like Mount Tabor among the mountains will come. Someone who is like Mount Carmel by the sea will come.
19 Prepare yourselves baggage for exile, O inhabitants of Egypt! For Memphis shall become a waste, a ruin, without inhabitant.
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Pack your bags, inhabitants of Egypt, because you will be taken away as captives. Memphis will become a dreary wasteland, a pile of rubble where no one lives.
20 "A beautiful heifer is Egypt, but a gadfly from the north has come upon her.
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"Egypt is like a beautiful cow, but a horsefly from the north will attack it.
21 Even her hired soldiers in her midst are like fatted calves; yea, they have turned and fled together, they did not stand; for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their punishment.
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Egypt's hired soldiers are like fattened calves. They will turn and run away together. They won't stand their ground. The day of destruction is coming. At that time they will be punished.
22 "She makes a sound like a serpent gliding away; for her enemies march in force, and come against her with axes, like those who fell trees.
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Egypt will hiss like a snake as it slithers away. Its enemies will come with full force. They will attack it with axes like those who chop wood.
23 They shall cut down her forest, says the LORD, though it is impenetrable, because they are more numerous than locusts; they are without number.
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They will cut down the forest," declares the LORD, "since Egypt can't be found. They are more numerous than locusts; they can't be counted.
24 The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame, she shall be delivered into the hand of a people from the north."
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The people of Egypt will be put to shame. They will be handed over to the people from the north."
25 The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, said: "Behold, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him.
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The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says, "I'm going to punish Amon, who is the god of Thebes. I will also punish Pharaoh, Egypt, its gods, its kings, and whoever trusts Pharaoh.
26 I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon and his officers. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, says the LORD.
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I'll hand them over to those who want to kill them, to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his officers. Afterward, they will live in peace as they did long ago," declares the LORD.
27 "But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel; for lo, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid.
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"Don't be afraid, my servant Jacob. Don't be terrified, Israel. I'm going to rescue you and your descendants from a faraway land, from the land where you are captives. Then Jacob's descendants will again have undisturbed peace, and no one will make them afraid.
28 Fear not, O Jacob my servant, says the LORD, for I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will chasten you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished."
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Don't be afraid, my servant Jacob," declares the LORD. "I am with you. I will completely destroy all the nations where I scattered you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will correct you with justice. I won't let you go entirely unpunished."
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.