Jeremiah 46 Study Notes

46:14 Migdol was on the northeastern border of Egypt. Noph or Memphis was the ancient capital of Lower Egypt, situated twenty-five to thirty miles south of Cairo. Its kings were the pyramid builders. Tahpanhes or Daphne was a fortress southwest of the Pelusium near the northwest border of Egypt (see note at 2:16). Egypt was to take positions and prepare themselves. The battle with Babylon was about to begin.

46:15 The phrase why have your strong ones been swept away shows that the gods of Egypt could not stand in this hour of crisis.

46:16 They say introduces two sentences spoken by the foreign mercenaries supporting Egypt. They decided to get up and return home.

46:17 Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt had boasted of what he would do, but he was all noise. He let the opportune moment pass. This Pharaoh had promised to come to the aid of King Zedekiah during the final siege of Jerusalem (37:5-6), but it was only talk.

46:18 The title “King” is applied to the Lord. His sovereign declaration is that Nebuchadnezzar will come to Egypt. The Babylonian king will come like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea. Tabor rises 1,800 feet in the Plain of Esdraelon while Carmel by the Mediterranean Sea rises 1,700 feet on its western face. Neither peak is especially tall, but because of their isolated positions and their steep slopes, they stand out against their surroundings. So victorious Babylon would tower over Egypt like these mountain peaks.

46:19 Inhabitant of Daughter Egypt is reminiscent of phrases applied to Judah’s citizens: “my daughter, my people” (4:11; 6:26; 8:11,19,21; 14:17). Jeremiah advised the Egyptians to pack their bags for exile, just as his people had packed their bags in Judah to avoid exile forced by the same enemy. Memphis, capital of Lower Egypt, would become uninhabited ruins.

46:20 Egypt is pictured as a “beautiful heifer,” but King Nebuchadnezzar is depicted as a horsefly from the north that would sting this young cow.

46:21 Egypt’s mercenaries or hired soldiers were provided for, but they would turn and run in the day of their calamity.

46:22-24 The snake figure for Egypt was appropriate. It was their insignia of royalty. Despite the snake’s hiding in the forest, the woodcutters will chop down the forest. Egypt will be handed over to the Babylonians.

46:25-26 The God of Israel will punish Amon, god of Thebes. Amon was the chief god of the city of Thebes, the capital of Upper Egypt. Later the god Amon was merged with Re to become Amon-Re, the sun god and the god of the rulers of Egypt. However, after Thebes is punished, there is a promise of restoration, which is repeated for other nations as well (48:47; 49:6,39).

46:27-28 These verses are virtually the same as 30:10-11. If Egypt had the prospect of restoration, this was even truer for Israel and Judah. The phrase my servant Jacob is reminiscent of texts in Is 41:8-14 and 43:1-5, where Israel is also called the servant of the Lord. God would bring destruction on all the nations where he had banished them, but he would not bring destruction on Judah. Discipline will fall on Judah, but he will not totally destroy his people.