1. The Lord spoke this word to Jeremiah the prophet about the nations:
2. This message is to Egypt. It is about the army of Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at the city of Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. This was in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah. This is the Lord’s message to Egypt:
3. “Prepare your shields, large and small,and march out for battle!
4. Harness the horsesand get on them!Go to your places for battleand put on your helmets!Polish your spears.Put on your armor!
5. What do I see?That army is terrified,and the soldiers are running away.Their warriors are defeated.They run away quicklywithout looking back.There is terror on every side!” says the Lord.
6. “The fast runners cannot run away;the strong soldiers cannot escape.They stumble and fallin the north, by the Euphrates River.
7. Who is this, rising up like the Nile River,like strong, fast rivers?
8. Egypt rises up like the Nile River,like strong, fast rivers.Egypt says, ‘I will rise up and cover the earth.I will destroy cities and the people in them!’