The Anselm Project

Chapter 46

¹ which was the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. ² Concerning Egypt, and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the River Euphrates at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel struck in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah. ³ Prepare shield and buckler, and draw near for battle. ⁴ Harness the horses and mount up, horsemen, and station yourselves in helmets; polish the spears; don the armor. ⁵ Why have I seen this? They are terrified, they are retreating backward, and their mighty ones are shattered. Their warriors have fled—they do not turn around because of terror on every side. Utterance of the LORD. ⁶ Let not the swift flee away, and let not the mighty escape to the north by the River Euphrates. They stumble and fall. ⁷ Who is this coming up like a river, with waters surging like rivers? ⁸ Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters rage like rivers. And it says, "I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and its inhabitants." ⁹ Go up, you horses! Charge, you chariots! Go out, you mighty men—Cush and Put, who grasp the shield, and Lydians, who grasp the bow. ¹⁰ And that day is for the Lord GOD of Hosts a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his Egyptians. And the sword will devour and be sated and drunk from their blood, for a sacrifice for the Lord GOD of Hosts in the land of the north at the River Euphrates. ¹¹ Go up to Gilead and take balm, virgin daughter of Egypt. In vain you have multiplied healings; you will go up—there is none for you. ¹² Nations have heard of your shame, and your outcry has filled the land. For warrior has stumbled against warrior; both of them have fallen. ¹³ The word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel to strike the land of Egypt. ¹⁴ Declare in Egypt and make it heard in Migdol, make it heard in Noph and in Tahpanhes. Say, "Stand and prepare yourself, for a sword has eaten all around you." ¹⁵ Why were your mighty ones swept away? They did not stand, for the LORD thrust them away. ¹⁶ Many stumbling and also falling men to his moral evil, knowledge of good and evil, and they said, "Arise and let us flee to our covenant people and to Earth our native land from before the sword of Jonah." ¹⁷ They called the name of Pharaoh king of Egypt "Uproar, he who passes the appointed time." ¹⁸ "As I live," declares the King, the LORD of Hosts—whose name is the LORD—"for he will come like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea." ¹⁹ Make utensils of exile for yourself, O inhabitant daughter of Egypt, for Noph will be to desolation, and burned without inhabitant. ²⁰ A beautiful-of-mouth heifer, Egypt; it winked; from North came come. ²¹ Also her hirelings in her midst are like calves of the fattening-pen, for even they turned and fled together; they did not stand, for a day of their calamity has come upon them, a time of their mustering. ²² Its voice will go like that of a snake, for they will come in force. They come to her with axes like woodcutters cutting trees. ²³ Cut off the forest, says the LORD, for it will not be searched out, for they are many like locusts and there is no number to them. ²⁴ The Daughter of Egypt has been shamed; she has been given into the hand of the people of the north. ²⁵ declares the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Here I am, visiting upon Ammon of No and upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt and upon its gods and upon its kings, upon Pharaoh and upon those trusting in him. ²⁶ And I will give them into the hand of those seeking their life, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, and into the hand of his servants, and afterward it will dwell as in the days of old, utterance of the LORD. ²⁷ And you, do not fear, my servant Jacob, and do not be dismayed, Israel, for behold, I am saving you from afar, and your offspring from the land by the sea. And Jacob shall return and be quiet and at ease, and there is none making him tremble. ²⁸ Do not fear, my servant Jacob—oracle of the LORD—for I am with you. I will make an end of all the nations where I have driven you, but I will not make an end of you. I will discipline you with justice, and I will clear you. I will not acquit you.