Jeremiah 46:15

15 Why are your bulls defeated? He did not stand because Yahweh thrust him down.

Jeremiah 46:15 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 46:15

Why are thy valiant [men] swept away?
&c.] As with a mighty torrent, or a sweeping rain; so the word is used in ( Proverbs 28:3 ) ; to which the Chaldean army may be compared; which came with such irresistible force as to drive the Egyptians from their posts, so that they could not stand their ground. The Septuagint renders it,

``why does Apis flee from thee? thy choice ox does not continue.''
Which was the god of the Egyptians, they worshipped in the form of an ox; this could not protect them, though thought by them to be very mighty and powerful; so Aelianus F9 says Apis with the Egyptians is believed to be a most powerful deity; yet could not save them; but the word signifies their nobles, their mighty men of war, their generals and officers, at least their valiant soldiers; who yet were not able to stand the tide of power that came against them. The reason was, because the Lord did drive them;
by means of the Chaldeans; he dispirited them; he put them into a panic, and they fled from their posts; there is no standing against the Lord.
FOOTNOTES:

F9 De Animal. l. 11. c. 10.

Jeremiah 46:15 In-Context

13 The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:
14 "Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol, and proclaim in Memphis and in Tahpanhes, say, 'Take your stand and be prepared, for [the] sword will devour [those] all around you.'
15 Why are your bulls defeated? He did not stand because Yahweh thrust him down.
16 He multiplied [the] ones stumbling. Furthermore, each one fell to his neighbor, and said, 'Stand up, and let us return to our people and to the land of our birth, {because of} the {presence} of the sword of the oppressor.'
17 They will call there, 'Pharaoh, the king of Egypt [is but] a roar, {he missed the opportunity}.'
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.