Study Desk

Heare folowe the wordes of the Lorde to the prophete Ieremie, which he spake against [all] the gentiles.

These wordes folowing preached he in the Egyptians, concerning the hoast of Pharao Necho kyng of Egypt, when he was in Charchamis beside the water of Euphrates, what tyme as Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon slue hym, in the fourth yere of Iehoakim the sonne of Iosias kyng of Iuda.

Make redy buckler and shielde, and go foorth to fight.

Harnesse your horses, and set your selues vpon them, set your sallets fast on, bryng foorth speares, scoure your swordes, and put on your brestplates.

But alas, howe happeneth it that I see you so afraide? why shrinke ye backe? Their worthyes are slayne, yea they runne so fast away that none of them looketh behinde hym: fearefulnesse is fallen vpon euery one of them saith the Lorde.

The lightest of foote shall not flee away, and the worthyes shal not escape: towarde the north by the water of Euphrates they dyd stumble and fall.

But what is he this that swelleth vp as it were a fludde, roaring and raging lyke the streames of water?

It is Egypt that ryseth vp lyke the fludde, and casteth out the waters with so great noyse: And he saide, I wyll go vp and wyll couer the earth, I wyll destroy the citie with them that are therin.

Get you vp ye horses, roule foorth ye charets, come foorth worthyes, ye Ethiopians, ye Libyans with your bucklers, ye Lydians with your bowes.

But this day of the Lorde God of hoastes, is a day of vengeaunce, that he may auenge him of his enemies: The sworde shall deuour, it shalbe satisfied and bathed in their blood, for the Lord God of hoastes shall haue a slayne offering towarde the north, by the water of Euphrates.

Go vp vnto Gilead, and bryng triacle O virgin thou daughter of Egypt: but in vayne shalt thou go to surgerie, for thy wounde shall not be stopped.

The heathen haue hearde of thy shame, and the lande is full of thy confusion, for one strong man did stumble vpon another, and they are fallen both together.

These are the wordes that the Lord spake to the prophete Ieremie, concerning the comming of Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon, whiche was sent to destroy the lande of Egypt:

Preache out thorowe the lande of Egypt, and cause it to be proclaymed at Migdol, Noph, and Thaphnis, and say: stande styll, make thee redye, for the sworde shall consume thee rounde about.

Howe happeneth it that thy mightie worthyes are fallen? why stoode they not fast? euen because the Lorde thrust them downe.

The slaughter was great, for one fell euer still vpon another: and they sayde, Up, let vs go agayne to our owne people, and to our owne naturall countrey, from the cruel sworde.

They dyd crye euen there, Pharao the kyng of Egypt is a kyng of troublesomnesse: he hath ouerpast the appointed tyme.

As I liue (saith the kyng whose name is the Lorde of hoastes) so surely as Thabor standeth among the mountaynes, and Charmel in the sea: euen so assuredly shall this mischiefe come [vppon Egypt.]

O thou daughter of Egypt, make redye thy geare to flit: for Noph shalbe voyde and desolate, so that no man shal dwell therein.

The lande of Egypt is lyke a goodly faire calfe: but destruction shall come out of the north [I say] it commeth.

Her waged souldiers that be with her are lyke fat calues, they also shall flee away together and not abyde: for the day of their slaughter, and the tyme of their visitation shall come vpon them.

The crye of them shall make a noyse as the hissing of serpentes: for they shall enter in with their hoastes, and come against her with axes, as it were hewers downe of wood.

And they shall cut downe her wood saith the Lorde, they shalbe innumerable: for they shalbe mo in number then the grashoppers, so that no man shalbe able to tell them.

The daughter of Egypt is confounded, and deliuered into the handes of the people of the north.

Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel: Beholde, I wyll visite that restlesse people of Alexandria, Pharao, & Egypt, yea both their gods and their kinges, euen Pharoa and all them that put their trust in hym:

Yea I wyl deliuer them into the handes of those that seeke after their liues, [namely] into the power of Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon, and into the power of his seruauntes: and after all these thinges, it shalbe inhabited as aforetyme, saith the Lorde.

Be not thou afraide O my seruaunt Iacob, feare not thou O Israel: for lo, I wyll helpe thee from farre, and thy seede from the lande of their captiuitie: Iacob also shall come againe and be in rest, he shall prosper, and no man shall do hym harme.

Feare thou not (O Iacob my seruaunt) saith the Lorde, for I am with thee, and wyll destroy all nations among whom I haue scattered thee: neuerthelesse I wyll not consume thee, but chasten thee and correct thee, yea and that with discretion, neither wyll I vtterly destroy thee.