The Lord Predicts that Nebuchadnezzar Will Attack and Plunder Egypt

13 The Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about Nebuchadnezzar coming to attack the land of Egypt.

14 “Make an announcement throughout Egypt.

Proclaim it in Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes.

‘Take your positions and prepare to do battle.

For the enemy army is destroying all the nations around you.’

15 Why will your soldiers be defeated?

They will not stand because I, the Lord, will thrust them down.

16 I will make many stumble.

They will fall over one another in their hurry to flee.

They will say, ‘Get up!

Let’s go back to our own people.

Let’s go back to our homelands

because the enemy is coming to destroy us.’

17 There at home they will say, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is just a big noise!

He has let the most opportune moment pass by.’

18 I the King, whose name is the Lord who rules over all, swear this:

I swear as surely as I live that a conqueror is coming.

He will be as imposing as Mount Tabor is among the mountains,

as Mount Carmel is against the backdrop of the sea.

19 Pack your bags for exile,

you inhabitants of poor dear Egypt.

For Memphis will be laid waste.

It will lie in ruins and be uninhabited.

20 Egypt is like a beautiful young cow.

But northern armies will attack her like swarms of stinging flies.

21 Even her mercenaries

will prove to be like pampered, well-fed calves.

For they too will turn and run away.

They will not stand their ground

when the time for them to be destroyed comes,

the time for them to be punished.

22 Egypt will run away, hissing like a snake,

as the enemy comes marching up in force.

They will come against her with axes

as if they were woodsmen chopping down trees.

23 The population of Egypt is like a vast, impenetrable forest.

But I, the Lord, affirm that the enemy will cut them down.

For those who chop them down will be more numerous than locusts.

They will be too numerous to count.

24 Poor dear Egypt will be put to shame.

She will be handed over to the people from the north.”

25 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes. I will punish Egypt, its gods, and its kings. I will punish Pharaoh and all who trust in him. 26 I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar and his troops, who want to kill them. But later on, people will live in Egypt again as they did in former times. I, the Lord, affirm it!”