Jeremiah 2:16

16 People from Noph and Tahpanhes have cracked your skulls, Israel.

Jeremiah 2:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:16

Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes
These were cities in Egypt. Noph is the same with Moph in ( Hosea 9:6 ) and which we there rightly render Memphis; as Noph is here by the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions; and was formerly, as Pliny ^F7 says, the palace of the kings of Egypt. It is the same that is now called Alcairo, or Grand Cairo. According to Herodotus ^F8, it was built by Menes, the first king of Egypt; and who also makes mention of a city of Egypt, called Momemphis ^F9. Tahapanes is the same with Hanes in ( Isaiah 30:4 ) , and here, in the Arabic version, is called Daphnes; and is thought by some to be the same with Daphnae Pelusiae, a city in Egypt. This Tahapanes was the metropolis of Egypt, and the seat of their kings; mention is made of Pharaoh's house in it, in ( Jeremiah 43:9 ) , now the inhabitants of these, called the children of them, and who are put for the people of Egypt in general, were the allies of the Jews, and in whom they trusted for help, when attacked by their enemies, ( Isaiah 30:2-4 ) ( 31:1 ) and yet even these have broken the crown of thy head;
which is interpreted, by the Targum, of slaying their mighty men, and spoiling their goods; perhaps it had its accomplishment when Pharaohnecho king of Egypt came out against the king of Assyria, and Josiah king of Judah went out to meet him, and was slain by him at Megiddo; and his son Jehoahaz he put in bonds, and carried him to Egypt, and put his brother upon the throne, and took tribute of gold and silver of him, ( 2 Kings 23:29-35 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 9.
F8 L. 2. vel Euterpe, c. 99.
F9 lb. c. 163, 169.

Jeremiah 2:16 In-Context

14 "Are the people of Israel slaves? Were they born into slavery? Why, then, have they become someone's property?

15 Young lions have roared very loudly at them. Young lions have turned the land into a wasteland. The cities have been burned down, and everyone has left.

16 People from Noph and Tahpanhes have cracked your skulls, Israel.

17 You have brought this on yourself by abandoning the LORD your God when he led you on his way.

18 You won't gain anything by going to Egypt to drink water from the Nile River. You won't gain anything by going to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates River.