Jeremiah 46:4

4 Harness the horses! Up in the saddles! Battle formation! Helmets on, spears sharpened, armor in place!'

Jeremiah 46:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 46:4

Harness the horses
Put on their bridles and saddles and gird them: or, "bind the horses" ^F18; that is, to the chariots; put them to, as we commonly express it: Egypt abounded in horses, and so no doubt brought a large cavalry, and a multitude of chariots, into the field of battle: and get up, ye horsemen;
upon the horses, or into the chariots, and so be ready to receive the enemy, or to attack him: and stand forth with [your] helmets;
present themselves on horseback, or in their chariots, with their helmets on their heads, to cover them in the day of battle: furbish the spears;
that they may be sharp and piercing, and look bright and glittering, and strike terror in the enemy: [and] put on the brigandines;
coats of mail, to cover the whole body, which were made of iron, consisting of rings, as Kimchi observes.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (Myowoh wroa) "ligate equos", Montanus, Calvin; "alligate", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 46:4 In-Context

2 The Message to Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt at the time it was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon while camped at Carchemish on the Euphrates River in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah:

3 "'Present arms! March to the front!

4 Harness the horses! Up in the saddles! Battle formation! Helmets on, spears sharpened, armor in place!'

5 But what's this I see? They're scared out of their wits! They break ranks and run for cover. Their soldiers panic. They run this way and that, stampeding blindly. It's total chaos, total confusion, danger everywhere!" God's Decree.

6 "The swiftest runners won't get away, the strongest soldiers won't escape. In the north country, along the River Euphrates, they'll stagger, stumble, and fall.