Dual Panel1The Lord <03068> spoke <01697> to <0413> Jeremiah <03414> about the nations <01471>.
2He spoke about <05921> Egypt <04714> and the army <02428> of Pharaoh Necho <06549> king <04428> of Egypt <04714> which <0834> was encamped <01961> along <05921> the Euphrates <06578> River <05104> at Carchemish <03751>. Now this was the army that <0834> King <04428> Nebuchadnezzar <05019> of Babylon <0894> defeated <05221> in the fourth <07243> year <08141> that Jehoiakim <03079> son <01121> of Josiah <02977> was ruling <04428> over Judah <03063>.
3“Fall into ranks <06186> with your shields <06793> ready! Prepare to march into <05066> battle <04421>!
4Harness <0631> the horses <05483> to the chariots! Mount <05927> your horses <06571>! Put on your helmets <03553> and take <03320> your positions! Sharpen <04838> you spears <07420>! Put on <03847> your armor <05630>!
5What <04069> do I see <07200>?” says <05002> the Lord <03068>. “The soldiers <01368> are terrified <02844>. They <01992> are retreating <0268> <05472>. They have been defeated <03807>. They are overcome <05439> with terror <04032>; they desert <05127> quickly <04498> without <03808> looking back <06437>.
6But even the swiftest <07031> cannot <0408> get away <05127>. Even the strongest <01368> cannot <0408> escape <04422>. There in the north <06828> by <03027> <05921> the Euphrates <06578> River <05104> they stumble <03782> and fall <05307> in defeat.
7“Who <04310> is this <02088> that rises <05927> like the Nile <02975>, like its streams <04325> <05104> turbulent <01607> at flood stage?
8Egypt <04714> rises <05927> like the Nile <02975>, like its streams <05104> turbulent <01607> at flood <04325> stage. Egypt says <0559>, ‘I will arise <05927> and cover <03680> the earth <0776>. I will destroy <06> cities <05892> and the people who inhabit <03427> them.’
9Go ahead and charge into battle <05927>, you horsemen <05483>! Drive furiously <01984>, you charioteers <07393>! Let the soldiers <01368> march out <03318> into battle, those from Ethiopia <03568> and Libya <06316> who carry <08610> shields <04043>, and those from Lydia <03866> who are armed <01869> <08610> with the bow <07198>.
10But that <01931> day <03117> belongs to the Lord <0136> God <03069> who rules over all <06635>. It is the day <03117> when he will pay back <05358> <05360> his enemies <06862>. His sword <02719> will devour <0398> them until its appetite is satisfied <07646>! It will drink <07301> their blood <01818> until <07301> it is full <07301>! For <03588> the Lord <0136> God <03069> who rules over all <06635> will offer <02077> them up as a sacrifice <02077> in the land <0776> of the north <06828> by <0413> the Euphrates <06578> River <05104>.
11Go up <05927> to Gilead <01568> and get <03947> medicinal ointment <06875>, you dear poor people <01323> <01330> of Egypt <04714>. But it will prove useless <07723> no matter how much <07235> medicine <07499> you use; there will be no <0369> healing <08585> for you.
12The nations <01471> will hear <08085> of your devastating defeat <07036>. your cries of distress <06682> will echo throughout <04390> the earth <0776>. In the panic of their flight one soldier <01368> will trip over <03782> another <01368> and both <08147> of them will fall down <05307> defeated.”
13The Lord <03068> spoke <01696> to <0413> the prophet <05030> Jeremiah <03414> about Nebuchadnezzar <05019> coming <0935> to attack <05221> the land <0776> of Egypt <04714>.
14“Make an announcement <05046> throughout Egypt <04714>. Proclaim <08085> it in Migdol <04024>, Memphis <05297>, and Tahpanhes <08471>. ‘Take your positions <03320> and prepare <03559> to do battle. For <03588> the enemy army <02719> is destroying <0398> all the nations around <05439> you.’
15Why <04069> will your soldiers <047> be defeated <05502>? They will not <03808> stand <05975> because <03588> I, the Lord <03068>, will thrust <01920> them down <01920>.
16I will make many <07235> stumble <03782>. They will fall <05307> over one <0376> another <07453> in <0413> their hurry to flee. They will say <0559>, ‘Get up <06965>! Let’s go back <07725> to <0413> our own people <05971>. Let’s go back to <0413> our homelands <04138> <0776> because the enemy <02719> is coming <06440> to destroy <03238> us.’
17There <08033> at home they will say <07121>, ‘Pharaoh <06547> king <04428> of Egypt <04714> is just a big noise <07588>! He has let the most opportune moment <04150> pass by <05674>.’
18I the King <04428>, whose name <08034> is the Lord <03068> who rules over all <06635>, swear <05002> this: I swear as surely as I <0589> live <02416> that <03588> a conqueror is coming. He will be as imposing as Mount Tabor <08396> is among the mountains <02022>, as Mount Carmel <03760> is against the backdrop of the sea <03220>.
19Pack <06213> your bags <03627> for exile <01473>, you inhabitants <03427> of poor dear Egypt <04714>. For <03588> Memphis <05297> will be laid <01961> waste <08047>. It will lie in ruins <03341> and be uninhabited <03427> <0369>.
20Egypt <04714> is like a beautiful <03304> young cow <05697>. But northern <06828> armies will attack <0935> her like swarms of stinging flies <07171>.
21Even <01571> her mercenaries <07916> will prove to be like pampered, well-fed <04770> calves <05695>. For <03588> they <01992> too <01571> will turn <06437> and run away <05127>. They will not <03808> stand <05975> their ground when <03588> the time <03117> for them to be destroyed <0343> comes <0935>, the time <06256> for <05921> them to be punished <06486>.
22Egypt will run away <01980>, hissing <06963> like a snake <05175>, as the enemy comes marching up <01980> in force <02428>. They will come <0935> against her with axes <07134> as if they were woodsmen chopping down <02404> trees <06086>.
23The population of Egypt is like a vast, impenetrable forest <03293>. But I, the Lord <03068>, affirm <05002> that <03588> the enemy will cut <03772> them down <03772>. For <03588> those who chop <02713> them down <02713> will be more numerous <07231> than locusts <0697>. They <01992> will be too numerous <0369> to count <04557>.
24Poor dear <01323> Egypt <04714> will be put to shame <03001>. She will be handed over <03027> <05414> to the people <05971> from the north <06828>.”
25The Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> who rules over all <06635> says <0559>, “I will punish <06485> Amon, the god of Thebes <04996>. I will punish Egypt <04714>, its gods <0430>, and its kings <04428>. I will punish Pharaoh <06547> and all who trust <0982> in him.
26I will hand <03027> <05414> them over <03027> <05414> to Nebuchadnezzar <05019> and his troops <05650>, who want to kill <01245> them. But later <0310> on, people will live <07931> in Egypt again as <03651> they did in former <06924> times <03117>. I, the Lord <03068>, affirm <05002> it!”
27“You <0859> descendants of Jacob <03290>, my servants <05650>, do not <0408> be afraid <03372>; do not <0408> be terrified <02865>, people of Israel <03478>. For <03588> I will rescue <03467> you and your descendants from the faraway <07350> lands <0776> where you are captives <07628>. The descendants <02233> of Jacob <03290> will return <07725> to their land and enjoy peace <08252>. They will be secure <07599> and no <0369> one will terrify <02729> them.
28I, the Lord <03068>, tell <05002> you <0859> not <0408> to be afraid <03372>, you descendants of Jacob <03290>, my servant <05650>, for <03588> I <0589> am with <0854> you. Though <03588> I completely <03617> destroy <06213> all <03605> the nations <01471> where <08033> <0834> I scatter <05080> you, I will not <03808> completely destroy <03617> <06213> you. I will indeed discipline <03256> you but only in due measure <04941>. I will not <03808> allow <05352> <05352> you to go entirely unpunished <05352> <05352>.”