Jeremiah 46:13-26

13 The word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of 1Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt:
14 "Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in 2Migdol; proclaim in 3Memphis and 4Tahpanhes; say, 5'Stand ready and be prepared, for 6the sword shall devour around you.'
15 Why are your mighty ones face down? They do not stand[a] because the LORD thrust them down.
16 He made many stumble, 7and they fell, and they said one to another, 'Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, 8because of the sword of the oppressor.'
17 Call the name of 9Pharaoh, king of Egypt, 'Noisy one who lets the hour go by.'
18 10"As I live, declares the King, 11whose name is the LORD of hosts, like 12Tabor among the mountains and like 13Carmel by the sea, shall one come.
19 14Prepare yourselves baggage for exile, O 15inhabitants of Egypt! For 16Memphis shall become a waste, a ruin, 17without inhabitant.
20 "A beautiful 18heifer is Egypt, but a biting fly 19from the north has come upon her.
21 Even her hired soldiers in her midst are like 20fattened calves; yes, they have turned and fled together; they did not stand, for the day of their calamity has come upon them, 21the time of their punishment.
22 "She makes 22a sound like a serpent gliding away; for her enemies march in force and come against her with axes 23like those who fell trees.
23 24They shall cut down her forest, declares the LORD, though it is impenetrable, because 25they are more numerous than locusts; they are without number.
24 The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame; she shall be delivered into the hand of 26a people from the north."
25 The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, said: "Behold, I am bringing punishment upon 27Amon of 28Thebes, and Pharaoh and Egypt 29and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him.
26 30I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. 31Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited 32as in the days of old, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 46:13-26 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 32

  • 1. Jeremiah 43:10, 11; Jeremiah 44:30; [Isaiah 19:4; Ezekiel 29:10]
  • 2. See Jeremiah 44:1
  • 3. See Jeremiah 44:1
  • 4. See Jeremiah 44:1
  • 5. [ver. 3, 4]
  • 6. [ver. 10]
  • 7. Leviticus 26:37
  • 8. Jeremiah 50:16
  • 9. [Isaiah 30:7]
  • 10. See Jeremiah 4:2
  • 11. Jeremiah 48:15; Jeremiah 51:57; Isaiah 47:4; Isaiah 48:2
  • 12. Judges 4:6
  • 13. 1 Kings 18:42, 44
  • 14. [Ezekiel 12:3]
  • 15. [Jeremiah 48:18]
  • 16. See Jeremiah 44:1
  • 17. See Jeremiah 4:7
  • 18. [Hosea 10:11]
  • 19. ver. 6, 10, 24; See Jeremiah 1:13
  • 20. Amos 6:4; Malachi 4:2
  • 21. Jeremiah 50:27
  • 22. [Isaiah 29:4]
  • 23. [Isaiah 10:34; Isaiah 14:8]
  • 24. [See ver. 22 above]
  • 25. [Judges 6:5; Judges 7:12]
  • 26. [See ver. 20 above]
  • 27. [Nahum 3:8]
  • 28. Ezek. 30:14, 15, 16
  • 29. See Jeremiah 43:12
  • 30. Jeremiah 44:30; Ezekiel 30:4; Ezekiel 32:11
  • 31. Ezekiel 29:13, 14; See Isaiah 19:22-25
  • 32. Isaiah 51:9

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew He does not stand
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.