אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר־ה' אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא עַל־הַגּוֹיִם

This is the word of the Lord that was with Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

לְמִצְרַיִם — עַל־חֵיל פַּרְעֹה נְכוֹ מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה עַל־נְהַר־פְּרָת בְּכַרְכְּמִשׁ אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל בִּשְׁנַת הָרְבִיעִית לִיהוֹיָקִים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה

A prophecy concerning Egypt: Concerning the army of Pharaoh Nekho, the Hebrew title for the king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River in Karkemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Yehoyakim son of Yoshiyahu, king of Judah:

עִרְכוּ מָגֵן וְצִנָּה וּגְשׁוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה

In his vision, the prophet heard the call for battle: Prepare buckler and shield [tzinna], and advance to the battle. The tzinna was a large shield that covered the warrior on three sides.

אִסְרוּ הַסּוּסִים וַעֲלוּ הַפָּרָשִׁים וְהִתְיַצְּבוּ בְּכוֹבָעִים מִרְקוּ הָרְמָחִים לִבְשׁוּ הַסִּרְיֹנוֹת

Harness the horses, mount the horsemen upon them, and stand in helmets, which were not dissimilar to modern helmets; metal hats worn by soldiers for protection; polish the spears, don the body armor.

מַדּוּעַ רָאִיתִי הֵמָּה חַתִּים נְסוֹגִים אָחוֹר וְגִבּוֹרֵיהֶם יֻכַּתּוּ וּמָנוֹס נָסוּ וְלֹא הִפְנוּ מָגוֹר מִסָּבִיב! נְאֻם־ה'

Why have I seen them, the Egyptians, dismayed, broken in spirit, panicked, and retreating back, and their mighty are crushed, and they flee and do not turn back to face their enemies? Only terror is all around – the utterance of the Lord.

אַל יָנוּס הַקַּל וְאַל־יִמָּלֵט הַגִּבּוֹר צָפוֹנָה עַל־יַד נְהַר־פְּרָת כָּשְׁלוּ וְנָפָלוּ

The swift of the Egyptians shall not flee, as they cannot escape from trouble, and the mighty shall not escape; in the north by the Euphrates River they have stumbled and fallen.

מִי־זֶה כַּיְאֹר יַעֲלֶה כַנְּהָרוֹת יִתְגָּעֲשׁוּ מֵימָיו!

The prophet poetically describes the massive Egyptian army advancing to war: Who is this who rises like the Nile, and whose waters rage like the rivers?

מִצְרַיִם כַּיְאֹר יַעֲלֶה וְכַנְּהָרוֹת יִתְגֹּעֲשׁוּ מָיִם וַיֹּאמֶר אַעֲלֶה אֲכַסֶּה־אֶרֶץ אֹבִידָה עִיר וְיֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ

The answer is that the nation of Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters rage like the rivers. The land of Egypt survives on the annual rising of the Nile and its tributaries, which irrigate the earth. Similarly, its people are personified by a river that rages up and overflows as though it seeks to flood the world. And he says: I will rise up, I will cover the earth, I will eradicate the city and its inhabitants.

עֲלוּ הַסּוּסִים וְהִתְהֹלְלוּ הָרֶכֶב וְיֵצְאוּ הַגִּבּוֹרִים — כּוּשׁ וּפוּט תֹּפְשֵׂי מָגֵן וְלוּדִים תֹּפְשֵׂי דֹּרְכֵי קָשֶׁת

A call for an assault: Horses, rise, and chariots, rage, and let the mighty go out: Kush, which is probably in the region of Ethiopia, and Put, possibly the place called Punt by the Egyptians, who grasp bucklers. The Egyptians were assisted by military divisions from neighboring countries. And Ludim, who grasp and draw the bow. These Ludim were not from Lod in Asia Minor, but were members of a different nation that lived near Egypt. Together these foreign divisions formed a relatively large army, which included archery units, similar to modern-day light artillery.

וְהַיּוֹם הַהוּא לַה' אֱלוֹהִים צְבָאוֹת יוֹם נְקָמָה לְהִנָּקֵם מִצָּרָיו וְאָכְלָה חֶרֶב וְשָׂבְעָה וְרָוְתָה מִדָּמָם כִּי זֶבַח לַה' אֱלוֹהִים צְבָאוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ צָפוֹן אֶל־נְהַר־פְּרָת

That day will be for the Lord, God of hosts, a day of vengeance to exact vengeance from His Egyptian adversaries, and the sword will consume them and be satisfied, and it will be satiated with their blood, for there is a slaughter for the Lord, God of hosts, in the land of the north by the Euphrates River.

עֲלִי גִלְעָד וּקְחִי צֳרִי בְּתוּלַת בַּת־מִצְרָיִם לַשָּׁוְא הִרְבֵּית רְפֻאוֹת תְּעָלָה אֵין לָךְ

The prophet addresses the wounded Egypt: Go up to Gilad and take balm, maiden daughter of Egypt; yet even when you try to make use of various aids, in vain you amassed remedies; there is no cure for you.

שָׁמְעוּ גוֹיִם קְלוֹנֵךְ וְצִוְחָתֵךְ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ כִּי־גִבּוֹר בְּגִבּוֹר כָּשָׁלוּ יַחְדָּיו נָפְלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם

The nations heard your shame, and your scream filled the land, for the mighty with the mighty stumbled. The powerful warriors of Egypt ran into each other as they fled, and together both of them fell.

הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא לָבוֹא נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל לְהַכּוֹת אֶת־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

The following prophecy describes the wars between Egypt and Babylon, which would apparently occur at a later stage. The matter that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the coming of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon to smite the land of Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar’s original intent was realized many years after he attained the throne. Not only did he wage battles against the Egyptians, but he even reached Egypt to conquer the land. According to external sources, this event occurred roughly twenty years after the destruction of the First Temple.

הַגִּידוּ בְמִצְרַיִם וְהַשְׁמִיעוּ בְמִגְדּוֹל וְהַשְׁמִיעוּ בְנֹף וּבְתַחְפַּנְחֵס אִמְרוּ הִתְיַצֵּב וְהָכֵן לָךְ כִּי־אָכְלָה חֶרֶב סְבִיבֶיךָ

Tell in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol, and proclaim in Nof and in Tahpanhes, three Egyptian cities. Say to the Egyptian army: Stand, and prepare yourself for battle, for the sword has consumed around you.

מַדּוּעַ נִסְחַף אַבִּירֶיךָ ! לֹא עָמַד — כִּי ה' הֲדָפוֹ

Why were your stallions swept away with their riders? It, your cavalry, did not stand, because the Lord cast it down. Your defeat was decreed by Heaven.

הִרְבָּה כּוֹשֵׁל גַּם־נָפַל אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ קוּמָה וְנָשֻׁבָה אֶל־עַמֵּנוּ וְאֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתֵּנוּ מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב הַיּוֹנָה

He, God, increased stumbling; moreover, each man fell upon his neighbor, and they, the members of the Egyptian military, and especially the foreign divisions that came to their assistance, said: Arise, and let us return to our people and to the land of our birth from before the sword of the oppressor, the sword of affliction that causes suffering and pain. Since the war is lost, we have no reason to remain here.

קָרְאוּ שָׁם פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם שָׁאוֹן הֶעֱבִיר הַמּוֹעֵד

They called there, near the battlefield: Pharaoh king of Egypt is nothing but bluster, much noise and no substance; he passed the appointed time for the battle. The great wars at the time required battle tactics, but they did not involve any overall strategy. In fact, the date on which a decisive battle would be held was often fixed ahead of time. Here Pharaoh is mocked because he was not even able to arrive at the designated time.

חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם־הַמֶּלֶךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ כִּי כְּתָבוֹר בֶּהָרִים וּכְכַרְמֶל בַּיָּם יָבוֹא

As I live – the utterance of the King, the Lord of hosts is His name – for it, your fate, is clearly seen, just like Tavor is prominent among the mountains; although Tavor is not a tall mountain, its shape stands out against the surrounding backdrop, and like Carmel, which is recognizable in that it reaches all the way to the sea.

כְּלֵי גוֹלָה עֲשִׂי לָךְ יוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּת־מִצְרָיִם כִּי נֹף לְשַׁמָּה תִהְיֶה וְנִצְּתָה מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב

Prepare for yourself tools of exile, she who dwells with the daughter of Egypt. Egyptians, who have dwelled in security, prepare for yourselves the items you need for wandering, as the important city of Nof will become desolation and will be destroyed, without inhabitants.

עֶגְלָה יְפֵה־פִיָּה מִצְרָיִם קֶרֶץ מִצָּפוֹן בָּא בָא

Egypt is a very fair calf; slaughter from the north is surely coming. It is time for the slaughter of that very fair calf.

גַּם־שְׂכִרֶיהָ בְקִרְבָּהּ כְּעֶגְלֵי מַרְבֵּק כִּי־גַם־הֵמָּה הִפְנוּ נָסוּ יַחְדָּיו לֹא עָמָדוּ כִּי יוֹם אֵידָם בָּא עֲלֵיהֶם עֵת פְּקֻדָּתָם

Its mercenaries that are in its midst too, upon whom they rely, are fated to be like fattened calves, for they too have turned, fled together, they have not stood; for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their reckoning, punishment, has arrived.

קוֹלָהּ כּנָּחָשׁ יֵלֵךְ כִּי בְחַיִל יֵלֵכוּ וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת בָּאוּ לָהּ כְּחֹטְבֵי עֵצִים

Its sound, of Egypt, goes forth, is heard, hissing like a serpent, with groaning and bitter murmurs, for they, the enemy soldiers, will go forth in force, and with axes they have come to it, like hewers of wood. Some units of the Babylonian army used unconventional weapons of this kind.

כָּרְתוּ יַעְרָהּ נְאֻם־ה' כִּי לֹא יֵחָקֵר כִּי רַבּוּ מֵאַרְבֶּה וְאֵין לָהֶם מִסְפָּר

They, the enemy, have cut down its forest – the utterance of the Lord – for it, the army of the enemy, cannot be estimated; it cannot be examined and its size ascertained, as they outnumber locusts and they are innumerable.

הֹבִישָׁה בַּת־מִצְרָיִם נִתְּנָה בְּיַד עַם־ צָפוֹן

The daughter of Egypt is shamed, she has humiliated and disappointed herself, as she has been delivered into the hand of the people of the north.

אָמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִנְנִי פוֹקֵד אֶל אָמוֹן מִנֹּא וְעַל־פַּרְעֹה וְעַל־מִצְרַיִם וְעַל־אֱלֹהֶיהָ וְעַל־מְלָכֶיהָ וְעַל־פַּרְעֹה וְעַל הַבֹּטְחִים בּוֹ

The Lord of hosts, God of Israel, said: Behold, I am reckoning with the idol Amon of Noh. For a time, Amon was the chief god of Egypt, while Noh was an important city that was sometimes called Noh Amon, which means Noh of the god Amon. And I will reckon with Pharaoh and with Egypt, and with its gods and with its kings, and with Pharaoh and with those who trust in him. I will perform a reckoning with all these people and entities.

וּנְתַתִּים בְּיַד מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשָׁם וּבְיַד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל וּבְיַד עֲבָדָיו וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן תִּשְׁכֹּן כִּימֵי־קֶדֶם נְאֻם־ה'

I will deliver them into the hand of the seekers of their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants. The Egyptians will be routed in their battles with the Babylonians and will lose their independence for many years, but thereafter, many years later, it, Egypt, will dwell as in days of old, and it will once again be a kingdom in its own right – the utterance of the Lord.

וְאַתָּה אַל־תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב וְאַל־תֵּחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁעֲךָ מֵרָחוֹק וְאֶת־זַרְעֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם וְשָׁב יַעֲקוֹב וְשָׁקַט וְשַׁאֲנַן וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד

At the conclusion of the prophecies to Egypt, the prophet addresses Israel, who experienced the clashes of the great empires: But you, do not fear, My servant Jacob, and do not be dismayed, Israel, from all these events, for behold, I am saving you from afar, in your distant, extended exile and your descendants I will rescue from the land of their captivity. After returning from its exiles, Jacob will return and be calm and tranquil, live in peace, and none will make him tremble.

אַתָּה אַל־תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב נְאֻם־ה' כִּי אִתְּךָ אָנִי כִּי אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה בְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הִדַּחְתִּיךָ שָּׁמָּה וְאֹתְךָ לֹא־אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה וְיִסַּרְתִּיךָ לַמִּשְׁפָּט וְנַקֵּה לֹא אֲנַקֶּךָּ

You, do not fear, My servant Jacob – the utterance of the Lord – for I am with you; for I will engender annihilation of all the nations where I banished you. I will destroy all the nations of your places of exile, including Egypt and Babylon, which are currently at the height of their greatness and glory, but I will not engender annihilation of you. Yet this does not mean that you will not be harmed at all, as I will chastise you with justice, you will be punished, but I will not eradicate you. I will not destroy you; whereas the other nations will be lost, your continued existence is assured. Alternatively, this last clause means: I will afflict you with justice and you will not be entirely acquitted. In chapter 50, Jeremiah will prophesy the end of the Babylonian Empire.