20 Egypt is a beautiful young cow,(A)
but a horsefly from the north is coming against her.[a](B)
21 Even her mercenaries among her
are like stall-fed calves.
They too will turn back;
together they will flee;
they will not take their stand,
for the day of their calamity is coming on them,
the time of their punishment.(C)
22 Egypt will hiss like a slithering snake,[b]
for the enemy will come with an army;
with axes they will come against her
like those who cut trees.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 46:20 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read is coming, coming
  2. Jeremiah 46:22 Lit Her sound, she will go like a snake

20 “Egypt is a beautiful heifer,
    but a gadfly is coming
    against her from the north.(A)
21 The mercenaries(B) in her ranks
    are like fattened calves.(C)
They too will turn and flee(D) together,
    they will not stand their ground,
for the day(E) of disaster is coming upon them,
    the time(F) for them to be punished.
22 Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent
    as the enemy advances in force;
they will come against her with axes,
    like men who cut down trees.(G)

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20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.

21 Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.

22 The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.

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