3 “Get your large and small shields ready. March out for battle.
4 Get the horses ready. Soldiers, get on your horses. Go to your places for battle. Put your helmets on. Sharpen your spears. Put your armor on.
5 What do I see? That army is afraid. The soldiers are running away. Their brave soldiers are defeated. They run away in a hurry. They don’t look back. There is danger all around.” This is what the Lord said.
6 “Fast men cannot run away. Strong soldiers cannot escape. They will all stumble and fall. This will happen in the north, by the Euphrates River.
7 Who is coming like the Nile River? Who is coming like that strong, fast river?
8 It is Egypt that comes like the rising Nile River. It is Egypt that comes like that strong, fast river. Egypt says, ‘I will come and cover the earth. I will destroy the cities and the people in them.’
9 Horse soldiers, charge into battle. Chariot drivers, drive fast. March on, brave soldiers. Soldiers from Cush and Put, carry your shields. Soldiers from Lydia, use your bows.