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 homelandsbecause 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 mercenarieswill 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 axesas if they were woodsmen chopping down trees.