Jeremiah 46

Messages Concerning Egypt

1 The word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

2 Concerning Egypt: Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, the king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, the king of Judah.

3 "Prepare small shield and shield, and approach for the battle!

4 Harness the horses and mount the steeds! And take your stand with helmets! Polish the spears! Put on the body armor!

5 Why do I see them terrified? [They are] turning back and their warriors are beaten down. And they have fled [to] a place of refuge and they do not turn [back]. Terror [is] from all around," {declares} Yahweh.

6 The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape. They have stumbled and they have fallen, by the bank of the Euphrates River.

7 Who [is] this that rises like the Nile, like the rivers whose waters surge?

8 Egypt rises like the Nile, even like the rivers [whose] waters surge. And he says, "Let me rise, let me cover [the] earth, let me destroy cities, and the inhabitants in them."

9 Go up, O horses, and drive madly, O chariots, and let the warriors go forth; Cush and Put, who wield [the] small shield, and Lud, who wield [and] bend [the] bow.

10 For that day [is] to the Lord Yahweh of hosts a day of retribution, to take revenge on his foes. And [the] sword will devour and be satisfied, and it will drink its fill of their blood, for a sacrifice [is] for the Lord Yahweh of hosts in the land of [the] north by the Euphrates River.

11 Go up [to] Gilead and take balm, O virgin of the daughter of Egypt. {In vain} you make use of many medicines; there is no healing for you.

12 [The] nations have heard your shame, and your cry of lament fills the earth. For warrior has stumbled against warrior, together they have fallen, the two of them.

13 The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:

14 "Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol, and proclaim in Memphis and in Tahpanhes, say, 'Take your stand and be prepared, for [the] sword will devour [those] all around you.'

15 Why are your bulls defeated? He did not stand because Yahweh thrust him down.

16 He multiplied [the] ones stumbling. Furthermore, each one fell to his neighbor, and said, 'Stand up, and let us return to our people and to the land of our birth, {because of} the {presence} of the sword of the oppressor.'

17 They will call there, 'Pharaoh, the king of Egypt [is but] a roar, {he missed the opportunity}.'

18 {As I live}," {declares} the king, Yahweh of hosts [is] his name, "one will come like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea.

19 Pack [your] baggage for exile, O inhabitants of the daughter of Egypt, for Memphis will become as a horror, and it will be destroyed, {without} inhabitant.

20 Egypt [is] a beautiful heifer, [but] a gadfly from [the] north [will] come against her.

21 Even her mercenaries in her midst [are] like calves of fattening, for they also have turned away, they have fled together. They stand not, for the day of their calamity has come, the time of their punishment.

22 Her sound [is] like a snake [that] glides away, for they march in force. And with axes they come to her like those who chop trees.

23 They will cut down her forest," {declares} Yahweh, "for {it is impenetrable}. Yes, they are more numerous than locusts, and {they are without number}.

24 The daughter of Egypt will be ashamed, she will be given into the hand of [the] people of [the] north."

25 Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, said, "Look, I [am] going to punish Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, and her gods, and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who trust in him.

26 And I will give them into the hand of the seekers of their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and into the hand of his troops. But {afterward} it will [be] inhabited, as [in] days of old," {declares} Yahweh.

27 "But [as for] you, my servant Jacob, you must not be afraid, and Israel, you must not be dismayed, for look, I [am] going to save you from far, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. And Jacob will return, and he will be quiet, and he will be at ease, and without [one who] makes [him] afraid.

28 You must not be afraid, my servant Jacob," {declares} Yahweh, "for I [am] with you. For I will make a complete destruction in all the nations where I scattered you, but you I will not make a complete destruction, though I will chastise you to the measure, and I will certainly not leave you unpunished."

Jeremiah 46 Commentary

Chapter 46

The defeat of the Egyptians. (1-12) Their overthrow after the siege of Tyre. (13-26) A promise of comfort to the Jews. (27,28)

Verses 1-12 The whole word of God is against those who obey not the gospel of Christ; but it is for those, even of the Gentiles, who turn to Him. The prophecy begins with Egypt. Let them strengthen themselves with all the art and interest they have, yet it shall be all in vain. The wounds God inflicts on his enemies, cannot be healed by medicines. Power and prosperity soon pass from one to another in this changing world.

Verses 13-28 Those who encroached on others, shall now be themselves encroached on. Egypt is now like a very fair heifer, not accustomed to the yoke of subjection; but destruction comes out of the north: the Chaldeans shall come. Comfort and peace are spoken to the Israel of God, designed to encourage them when the judgments of God were abroad among the nations. He will be with them, and only correct them in measure; and will not punish them with everlasting destruction from his presence.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [b]. Hebrew "chariot"
• [c]. Literally "To the vanity"
• [d]. Hebrew "one"
• [e]. Literally "from"
• [f]. Literally "face"
• [g]. Literally "he has allowed to pass over the appointed time"
• [h]. Literally "Life I"
• [i]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [j]. Hebrew "inhabitant"
• [k]. Literally "from there is not"
• [l]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [m]. Literally "it cannot be searched out"
• [n]. Hebrew "locust"
• [o]. Literally "there is not to them a number"
• [p]. Hebrew "life"
• [q]. Literally "after thus"
• [r]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [s]. Literally "a declaration of"

Chapter Summary

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.