| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the nations: | 1This is the message from the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. |
| 2About Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco, Egypt's king, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Judah's King Jehoiakim son of Josiah: | 2To Egypt: Concerning the army of King Pharaoh Neco of Egypt, which was encamped by the Euphrates River at Carchemish and which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of the reign of Josiah's son Jehoiakim, king of Judah. |
| 3Deploy small shields and large; draw near for battle! | 3"Prepare buckler and shield, and advance into the battle! |
| 4Harness the horses; mount the steeds; take your positions with helmets on! Polish the lances; put on armor! | 4Harness the horses! Riders, mount up! Take your positions with your helmets! Polish lances, and put on armor! |
| 5Why have I seen this? They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are crushed, they flee headlong, they never look back, terror is on every side! This is the LORD's declaration. | 5Why am I seeing this? They're terrified, they have turned back. Their warriors are crushed, and they take flight. They don't look back. Terror is on every side," declares the LORD. |
| 6The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the bank of the Euphrates River, they stumble and fall. | 6"The swift cannot flee, nor can the strong escape. In the north, beside the Euphrates River, they stumble and fall. |
| 7Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn? | 7Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge? |
| 8Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers. He boasts, "I will go up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities with their residents." | 8Egypt is rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He says, 'I'll rise and cover the land. I'll destroy the city and its inhabitants.' |
| 9Rise up, you cavalry! Race furiously, you chariots! Let the warriors go out-- Cush and Put, who are able to handle shields, and the Ludim, who are able to handle and string the bow. | 9Horses, get up! Chariots, drive furiously! Let the warriors go forward, Ethiopia and Put, who carry shields, and the Lydians who handle and bend the bow. |
| 10That day belongs to the Lord, the GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance to avenge Himself against His adversaries. The sword will devour and be satisfied; it will drink its fill of their blood, because it will be a sacrifice to the Lord, the GOD of Hosts, in the northern land by the Euphrates River. | 10That day belongs to the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. It is a day of vengeance to take vengeance on his foes. The sword will devour and be satisfied, and will drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north, by the Euphrates river. |
| 11Go up to Gilead and get balm, Virgin Daughter Egypt! You have multiplied remedies in vain; there is no healing for you. | 11Go up to Gilead and get balm, virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you multiply remedies, but there is no healing for you. |
| 12The nations have heard of your dishonor, and your outcry fills the earth, because warrior stumbles against warrior and together both of them have fallen. | 12The nations have heard of your disgrace, and your cry of distress fills the earth. Indeed, one warrior stumbles over another, and both of them fall down together." |
| 13This is the word the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to defeat the land of Egypt: | 13This is the message that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to conquer the land of Egypt. |
| 14Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol! Proclaim it in Memphis and in Tahpanhes! Say: Take positions! Prepare yourself, for the sword devours all around you. | 14"Announce in Egypt, proclaim in Migdol. Proclaim also in Memphis and Tahpanhes. Say, 'Take your positions and be ready, for the sword will devour all around you.' |
| 15Why have your strong ones been swept away? Each has not stood, for the LORD has thrust him down. | 15Why are your warriors prostrate? They don't stand because the LORD has brought them down. |
| 16He continues to stumble. Indeed, each falls over the other. They say, "Get up! Let's return to our people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword that oppresses." | 16They repeatedly stumble and fall. They say to each other, 'Get up! Let's go back to our people and to the land of our birth, away from the oppressor's sword.' |
| 17There they will cry out, "Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise; he let the opportune moment pass." | 17There they'll cry out, 'Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is just a big noise. He has let the appointed time pass by.' |
| 18As I live-- this is the King's declaration; Yahweh of Hosts is His name. He will come like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea. | 18As certainly as I'm alive and living," declares the King, whose name is the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "Indeed, one will come like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea. |
| 19Get your bags ready for exile, inhabitant of Daughter Egypt! For Memphis will become a desolation, uninhabited ruins. | 19Prepare your baggage for exile, daughter living in Egypt, for Memphis will become a desolate place. It will become a ruin without inhabitant. |
| 20Egypt is a beautiful young cow, but a horsefly from the north is coming against her. | 20Egypt is a beautiful calf, but a horsefly from the north is surely coming. |
| 21Even her mercenaries among her are like stall-fed calves. They too will turn back; together they will flee; they will not take their stand, for the day of their calamity is coming on them, the time of their punishment. | 21Even the mercenary troops in her ranks are like a fattened calf. They too will turn around, and will flee together. They won't stand, for the day of their disaster is coming on them, the time of their punishment. |
| 22Egypt will hiss like a slithering snake, for the enemy will come with an army; with axes they will come against her like those who cut trees. | 22Her cry will be like that of a fleeing serpent when they come in strength. They're coming to her with axes like woodcutters. |
| 23They will cut down her forest-- this is the LORD's declaration-- though it is dense, for they are more numerous than locusts; they cannot be counted. | 23They'll cut down her forest, though it's impenetrable," declares the LORD, "for they're more numerous than locusts, and there are too many of them to count. |
| 24Daughter Egypt will be put to shame, handed over to a northern people. | 24The daughter of Egypt will be put to shame, she will be given into the hands of the people from the north." |
| 25The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "I am about to punish Amon, god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods, and her kings--Pharaoh and those trusting in him. | 25The LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel says, "Look, I'm going to punish Amon of Thebes, Pharaoh, Egypt, its gods and its kings, Pharaoh, and those who trust in him. |
| 26I will hand them over to those who want to take their lives--to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, it will be inhabited again as in ancient times." This is the LORD's declaration. | 26I'll give them to those who are seeking their lives and to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his officers. Then afterwards, Egypt will be inhabited as in times past," declares the LORD. |
| 27But you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged, Israel, for without fail I will save you from far away and your descendants, from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return and have calm and quiet with no one to frighten him. | 27"As for you, my servant Jacob, don't be afraid, and Israel, don't be dismayed. For I'll deliver you from a distant place, and your descendants from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return. He will be undisturbed and secure, and no one will cause him to fear. |
| 28And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid-- this is the LORD's declaration-- for I will be with you. I will bring destruction on all the nations where I have banished you, but I will not bring destruction on you. I will discipline you with justice, and I will by no means leave you unpunished. | 28"As for you, my servant Jacob, don't be afraid, and Israel, don't be dismayed," declares the LORD, "for I am with you. Indeed, I'll make an end of all the nations where I scattered you; but I won't make an end of you! I'll discipline you justly, but I'll certainly not leave you unpunished." |
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