Jeremiah 46:16-26

16 "They have repeatedly 1stumbled; Indeed, they have fallen one against another. Then they said, 'Get up! And 2let us go back To our own people and our native land Away from the 3sword of the oppressor.'
17 "They cried there, 'Pharaoh king of Egypt is but 4a big noise; He has let the appointed time pass by!'
18 "As I live," declares the 5King Whose name is the LORD of hosts, "Surely one shall come who looms up like 6Tabor among the mountains, Or like 7Carmel by the sea.
19 "Make your baggage ready for 8exile, O 9daughter dwelling in Egypt, For 10Memphis will become a desolation; It will even be burned down and bereft * of inhabitants.
20 "Egypt is a pretty 11heifer, But a horsefly is coming 12from the north -it is coming!
21 "Also her 13mercenaries in her midst Are like fattened 14calves, For even they too have turned back and have fled away together; They did not stand their ground. For the day of their calamity has come upon them, The time of their 15punishment.
22 "Its sound moves along like a serpent; For they move on like an army And come to her as woodcutters with axes.
23 "They have cut down her 16forest," declares the LORD; "Surely it will no more be found, Even though they are now more numerous than 17locusts And are without number.
24 "The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame, Given over to the power of the 18people of the north."
25 The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says, "Behold, I am going to punish Amon of 19Thebes, and 20Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her 21gods and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who 22trust in him.
26 "I shall give them over to the power of those who are 23seeking their lives, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of his officers. 24Afterwards *, however, it will be inhabited as in the days of old," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 46:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 46

This chapter contains two prophecies relating to Egypt; one concerning the overthrow of Pharaohnecho, king of it, which was quickly accomplished; and the other concerning the destruction of the land, fulfilled many years after, and both by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and the chapter is concluded with a word of comfort to the people of Israel. It begins with a general title to prophecies in this and the five following chapters, Jer 46:1; then follows a particular prophecy of the route of Pharaoh's army; of the place where, and time when, Jer 46:2; the preparations of the Egyptians for the battle, with a variety of warlike instruments, Jer 46:3,4; the consternation, flight, and destruction of them, Jer 46:5,6; notwithstanding their confidence of getting the victory, Jer 46:7-9; the reason of it, because it was the day of the Lord's vengeance on them, and therefore their ruin was inevitable, Jer 46:10,11; the consequence of which was shame and confusion, Jer 46:12; next follows another prophecy of the destruction of the land itself by Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 46:13; the places that should be destroyed, Jer 46:14,19,25; the multitude that should be slain, Jer 46:15-17; a description of the calamity; the instrument, manner, and consequence of it, Jer 46:20-24; the certainty of it, Jer 46:18,25,26; and the whole is closed with a promise of the return of the Jews, and of their salvation; though they should not be without divine corrections, Jer 46:27,28.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Leviticus 26:36, 37; Jeremiah 46:6
  • 2. Jeremiah 51:9
  • 3. Jeremiah 50:16
  • 4. Exodus 15:9, 10; 1 Kings 20:10, 11; Isaiah 19:11-16
  • 5. Jeremiah 48:15; Malachi 1:14
  • 6. Joshua 19:22; Judges 4:6; Psalms 89:12
  • 7. Joshua 12:22; 1 Kings 18:42
  • 8. Isaiah 20:4
  • 9. Jeremiah 48:18
  • 10. Jeremiah 46:14; Ezekiel 30:13
  • 11. Hosea 10:11
  • 12. Jeremiah 1:14; Jeremiah 47:2
  • 13. 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Kings 7:6; Jeremiah 46:5
  • 14. Isaiah 34:7
  • 15. Jeremiah 48:44; Hosea 9:7; Obadiah 13; Micah 7:4
  • 16. Jeremiah 21:14
  • 17. Judges 6:5; Judges 7:12; Joel 2:25
  • 18. Jeremiah 1:15
  • 19. Ezekiel 30:14-16; Nahum 3:8
  • 20. Jeremiah 44:30
  • 21. Exodus 12:12; Jeremiah 43:12, 13; Ezekiel 30:13; Zephaniah 2:11
  • 22. Isaiah 20:5
  • 23. Jeremiah 44:30; Ezekiel 32:11
  • 24. Ezekiel 29:8-14

Footnotes 10

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