The word which came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which
dwell in the land of Egypt
Or, "unto all the Jews" F20; the word came to him, that it might be delivered to them; or, "against all the Jews" F21; they having gone into Egypt contrary to the will of God, and committing idolatry; and the word or sermon is full of threatenings and judgments denounced upon them: which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the
country of Pathros:
this prophecy was delivered after the Jews were come to Tahpanhes, or Daphne; see ( Jeremiah 43:7 ) ; and had divided themselves, and were settled in different parts of the kingdom: some continued at Tahpanhes, where were the king's court and palace: others went to Migdol, a place near the Red sea, just at the entrance into Egypt, from the land of Canaan, ( Exodus 14:2 ) ; called, by Herodotus, Magdolus F23; and by Adrichomius F24 said to be distant about a mile and a quarter from Pelusium, or Sin, the strength of Egypt, ( Ezekiel 30:15 ) ; others took up their residence at Noph, generally thought to be the city of Memphis. The Targum calls it Mappas; the same which is now called Grand Cairo; or, however, this city is near the place where Memphis stood: others dwelt in the country of Pathros, which perhaps had its name from Pathrusim, a son of Mizraim, ( Genesis 10:13 Genesis 10:14 ) . It is thought by Bochart and others to be the country of Thebais in Egypt, the same with the Nomos Phanturites, or Phaturites, of Pliny F25; and in this country Jeremiah seems to have been when this word came to him, ( Jeremiah 44:15 ) ; and from hence sent or carried it to the other places: saying; as follows: