Judgment on Egypt

1The word of Jehovah which was to Jeremiah the prophet against the nations;

2To Egypt against the army of Pharaoh-Necho, king of Egypt, that was upon the river Phrath in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel smote in the fourth year to Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah.

3Prepare the covering and the shield, and approach to the war.

4Harness the horses, and come up, ye horsemen, and stand in the helmets; polish the spears, and put on the coats of mail.

5Wherefore did I see them terrified, drawing back behind? and their strong ones shall be broken, and they fled a flight, and they turned not: fear being round about, says Jehovah.

6The swift shall not flee away, and the strong shall not escape: to the north upon the hand of the river Phrath they stumbled and fell.

7Who this as a river he shall come up, as the rivers his waters shall be moved?

8Egypt as a river will come up, and as rivers the waters will be moved; and he will say, I will go up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and those dwelling in it.

9Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and the strong ones shall come forth: Cush and Phut seizing the shield; and the Ludims, bending the bow.

10And that the day to the Lord Jehovah of armies, a day of vengeance to be avenged of his adversaries: and the sword consumed and was satiated, and drunk their blood to the full; for a sacrifice to the Lord Jehovah of armies in the land of the north by the river Phrath.

11Go up to Gilead, and take balsam, O virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou bring up many healings; none to thee.

12The nations heard thy shame, and thy outcry filled the land: for the strong stumbled against the strong; they two fell together.

13The word which Jehovah spake to Jeremiah the prophet, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel to come to strike the land of Egypt.

14Announce ye in Egypt, and cause to be heard in the tower, and cause to be heard in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand, and prepare for thyself; for the sword consumed round about thee.

15Wherefore were thy powerful cast down, not to stand? for Jehovah thrust them away.

16He multiplied the faltering, also a man fell to his neighbor: and they will say, Arise, and we will turn back to our people, and to the land of our birth, from the face of the oppressing sword.

17They called there, Pharaoh king of Egypt an uproar; he passed by the appointment.

18I live, says the King, Jehovah of armies his name, For as Tabor in the mountains, and as Carmel in the sea, he shall come.

19Make to thee instruments of captivity, thou daughter dwelling in Egypt: for Noph shall be for a waste and desolate from not being inhabited.

20Egypt a heifer, fair of mouth; destruction came; from the north it came.

21Also her hirelings in the midst of her as calves of the stall; for also they turned, they fled together: they stood not, for the day of their calamity came upon them, the time of their reviewing.

22Her voice shall go as the serpent; for with an army in the sand they shall go, and with axes they came to her, as they hewing wood.

23They cut down her forest, says Jehovah, for it shall not be searched out, for they were many above the locust, and no number to them.

24The daughter of Egypt was ashamed; she was given into the hand of the people of the north.

25Jehovah of armies, God of Israel, said, Behold me reviewing for the multitude of No, and upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, and upon her gods, and upon her kings; and upon Pharaoh and upon those trusting in him: 26And I gave them into the hand of those seeking their souls, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, and into the hand of his servants: and after this she shall be inhabited as the days of old, says Jehovah.

27And thou shalt not fear, O my servant Jacob, and thou shalt not be terrified, O Israel: for behold me saving thee from far off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob turned back, and rested and was quiet, and none making afraid.

28Thou shalt not fear, O my servant Jacob, says Jehovah: for I am with thee; for I will make a completion among all nations where I thrust thee away there: and I will not make a completion with thee, and I will correct thee for judgment; and acquitting, I will not let thee go unpunished.