“ Egypt will be more empty than any other land. Its cities will be completely destroyed.

埃及地在荒凉的国中必成为荒凉；埃及城在荒废的城中也变为荒废。

埃及成为荒凉中最荒凉的国，它的城镇变为荒废中最荒废的城镇。

埃及成为荒凉中最荒凉的国，它的城镇变为荒废中最荒废的城镇。

埃及要变成荒地中的荒地，她的城邑要沦为废墟中的废墟。

埃及必成为荒地中的荒地，它的城必成为废城中的废城。

埃及地在荒涼的國中必成為荒涼；埃及城在荒廢的城中也變為荒廢。

埃及成為荒涼中最荒涼的國，它的城鎮變為荒廢中最荒廢的城鎮。

埃及成為荒涼中最荒涼的國，它的城鎮變為荒廢中最荒廢的城鎮。

埃及要變成荒地中的荒地，她的城邑要淪為廢墟中的廢墟。

埃及必成為荒地中的荒地，它的城必成為廢城中的廢城。

埃及在荒涼的列邦中必成為荒涼；埃及城在荒廢的城市中必變成了荒廢。

彼必荒蕪、列於荒蕪之國、其邑毀壞、列於毀壞之邑、

列邦諸邑、俱至荒蕪、埃及與助之者亦然。

伊及地荒蕪、與他地荒蕪無異、伊及諸邑傾圮、與他邦之邑傾圮無異、

“‘ They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

And they shall be desolated in the midst of desolated countries, and their cities shall be in the midst of cities that are laid waste.

Egypt will be desolate, surrounded by desolate nations, and its cities will be in ruins, surrounded by other ruined cities.

They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

“ They will be desolate In the midst of the desolated lands; And her cities will be In the midst of the devastated cities.

“ They shall be desolate in the midst of the desolate countries, And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are laid waste.

And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.

They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries[ that are] desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities[ that are] wasted.

They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will be among ruined cities.

“ They will be desolate in the middle of the countries that are desolate. Her cities will be among the cities that are wasted.

Egypt will be more empty than any other land. Its destroyed cities will lie empty for 40 years. I will scatter the people of Egypt among the nations. I will send them to other countries.”

He sent me to Judah’s kings and officials. He told me to go to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. He wanted me to tell them they would be destroyed. Then people would be shocked because of them. They would make fun of them. They would use their name in a curse. And that’s how things still are today.Here is a list of the other kings and nations he sent me to. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt his attendants, his officials, all his peopleall the people from other lands who lived there all the kings of Uz the Philistine kings of Ashkelon, Gaza and Ekron the Philistines still living in AshdodEdom, Moab, Ammonall the kings of Tyre and Sidon the kings of the islands and other lands along the Mediterranean SeaDedan, Teman, Buz all the other places far away in the eastall the kings of Arabia all the other kings of people who live in the desertall the kings of Zimri, Elam and Mediaall the kings in the north, near and far So he sent me to all the kingdoms on the face of the earth, one after the other. They will all drink from the cup of the Lord’ s anger. After they drink, the king of Babylon will drink from it too.

“ Son of man, weep over the huge army of Egypt. Tell the Egyptians they will go down into the earth below. The women singers from the other mighty nations will go down into the grave along with them and others.Tell them,‘ Are you any better than others? Since you are not, go down there. Lie down with those who have not been circumcised.’They will fall dead among those who were killed by swords. Nebuchadnezzar is ready to use his sword against them. Let Egypt be dragged off together with its huge armies.The mighty leaders who are already in the place of the dead will talk about Egypt. They will also speak about the nations that were going to help it. They will say,‘ They have come down here. They are lying down with those who had not been circumcised. They are here with those who were killed by swords.’“ Assyria is there with its whole army. Its king is surrounded by the graves of all its people who were killed by swords.Their graves are deep down in the pit. Assyria’s army lies around the grave of its king. All those who spread terror while they were alive are now dead. They were killed by swords.“ Elam is also there. Its huge armies lie around the grave of its king. All those who spread terror while they were alive are now dead. They were killed by swords. They had not been circumcised. They went down into the earth below. Their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave.A bed is made for Elam’s king among the dead. His huge armies lie around his grave. They had not been circumcised. They were killed by swords. They had spread terror while they were alive. So now their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave. They lie down among the dead.“ Meshek and Tubal are also there. Their huge armies lie around the graves of their kings. None of them had been circumcised. They had spread their terror while they were alive. So they were killed by swords.But they do not lie down with the other dead soldiers of long ago. Those soldiers and their weapons had gone down into the place of the dead. Their swords had been placed under their heads. Their shields rest on their bones. The soldiers of Meshek and Tubal do not lie down with them. This is true even though they had also spread terror while they were alive.“ Pharaoh Hophra, you too will be broken. You will lie down among those who had not been circumcised. You will be there with those who were killed by swords.“ Edom is also there. So are its kings and all its princes. In spite of their power, they lie down with those who were killed by swords. They lie down with those who had not been circumcised. They are there with others who went down into the grave.“ All the princes of the north are there too. So are all the people of Sidon. They went down into the grave in dishonor. While they were alive, they used their power to spread terror. They had never been circumcised. But now they lie down there with those who were killed by swords. Their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave.“ Pharaoh and his whole army will see all of them. That will comfort him even though his huge armies were killed by swords.” This is what the Lord and King announces.“ I let Pharaoh spread terror while he was alive. But now he and his huge armies will be buried with those who had not been circumcised. They will lie down there with those who were killed by swords,” announces the Lord and King.

A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet. It was about the nations.Here is what the Lord says about Egypt. Here is his message against the army of Pharaoh Necho. He was king of Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, won the battle over Necho’s army. That happened at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. It was in the fourth year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah. He was the son of Josiah. The message says,“ Egyptians, prepare your shields! Prepare large and small shields alike! March out for battle!Get the horses and chariots ready to ride! Take up your battle positions! Put on your helmets! Shine up your spears! Put on your armor!What do I see? The Egyptians are terrified. They are pulling back. Their soldiers are losing. They run away as fast as they can. They do not look back. There is terror on every side,” announces the Lord.“ Those who run fast can’t get away. Those who are strong can’t escape. In the north by the Euphrates River they trip and fall.“ Who is this that rises like the Nile River? Who rises like rivers of rushing waters?Egypt rises like the Nile River. It rises like rivers of rushing waters. Egypt says,‘ I will rise and cover the earth. I’ll destroy cities and their people.’Charge, you horses! Drive fast, you chariot drivers! March on, you soldiers! March on, you men of Cush and Put who carry shields. March on, you men of Lydia who shoot arrows.But that day belongs to me. I am the Lord who rules over all. It is a day for me to pay back my enemies. My sword will eat until it is satisfied. It will drink until it is not thirsty for blood anymore. I am the Lord. I am the Lord who rules over all. I will offer a sacrifice. I will offer it in the land of the north by the Euphrates River.“ People of Egypt, go up to Gilead and get some healing lotion. You may try many medicines, but you will not be healed. There isn’t any healing for you.The nations will hear about your shame. Your cries of pain will fill the earth. One soldier will trip over another. Both of them will fall down together.”Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, was coming to attack Egypt. Here is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about it. He said,“ Egyptians, here is what I want you to announce in your land. Announce it in the city of Migdol. Also announce it in Memphis and Tahpanhes. Say,‘ Take up your battle positions! Get ready! The sword eats up those around you.’Why are your soldiers lying on the ground? They can’t stand, because I bring them down.They will trip again and again. They will fall over one another. They will say,‘ Get up. Let’s go back home. Let’s return to our own people and our own lands. Let’s get away from the swords that will bring us great harm.’The Egyptian soldiers will cry out,‘ Pharaoh, our king, is only a loud noise. He has missed his chance to win the battle.’“ I am the King. My name is the Lord Who Rules Over All. Someone will come who is like Mount Tabor among the mountains. He is like Mount Carmel by the Mediterranean Sea. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the King.“ So pack your belongings, you who live in Egypt. You will be taken away from your land. Memphis will be completely destroyed. Its buildings will be broken down. No one will live there.“ Egypt is like a beautiful young cow. But Nebuchadnezzar is coming against her from the north. He will bite her like a fly.Hired soldiers are in Egypt’s army. They are like fat calves. All of them will turn and run away. They will not hold their positions. The day of trouble is coming on them. The time for them to be punished is near.The Egyptians will hiss like a snake that is trying to get away. A powerful army will advance against them. Their enemies will come against them with axes. They will be like those who cut down trees.Egypt is like a thick forest. But they will chop it down,” announces the Lord.“ There are more of their enemies than there are locusts. In fact, they can’t even be counted.The nation of Egypt will be put to shame. It will be handed over to the people of the north.”The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,“ I am about to punish Amon, the god of Thebes. I will also punish Pharaoh. I will punish Egypt and its gods and kings. And I will punish those who depend on Pharaoh.I will hand them over to those who want to kill them. I will give them to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and his officers. But later, many people will live in Egypt again as in times past,” announces the Lord.“ People of Jacob, do not be afraid. You are my servant. Israel, do not be terrified. I will bring you safely out of a place far away. I will bring your children back from the land where they were taken. Your people will have peace and security again. And no one will make them afraid.People of Jacob, do not be afraid. You are my servant. I am with you,” announces the Lord.“ I will completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will correct you. But I will be fair. I will not let you go without any punishment.”