Jeremiah 46:1-19

Defeat of Pharaoh Foretold

1 That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet 1concerning the nations.
2 To 2Egypt, concerning the army of 3Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at 4Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the 5fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:
3 "6Line up the shield and buckler, And draw near for the battle!
4 "Harness the horses, And mount the steeds, And take your stand with helmets on! 7Polish the spears, Put on the 8scale-armor!
5 "Why have I seen it? They are terrified, They are 9drawing back, And their 10mighty men are defeated And have taken refuge in flight, Without facing back; 11Terror is on every side!" Declares the LORD.
6 Let not the 12swift man flee, Nor the mighty man escape; In the north beside * the river Euphrates They have 13stumbled and fallen.
7 Who is this that 14rises like the Nile, Like the rivers whose waters surge about?
8 Egypt rises like the Nile, Even like the rivers whose waters surge about; And He has said, "I will 15rise and cover that land; I will surely 16destroy the city and its inhabitants."
9 Go up, you horses, and 17drive madly, you chariots, That the mighty men may march forward: Ethiopia and 18Put, that handle the shield, And the 19Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
10 For 20that day belongs to the Lord GOD of hosts, A day of 21vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His foes; And the 22sword will devour and be satiated And drink its fill of their blood; For there will be a 23slaughter for the Lord GOD of hosts, In the land of the north by the river Euphrates.
11 Go 24up to Gilead and obtain balm, 25O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain have you multiplied remedies; There is 26no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of your 27shame, And the earth is full of your 28cry of distress; For one 29warrior has stumbled over another, And both of them have fallen down together.
13 This is the message which the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the 30coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to 31smite the land of Egypt:
14 "Declare in Egypt and proclaim in 32Migdol, Proclaim also in Memphis and 33Tahpanhes; Say, 'Take your stand and get yourself ready, For the 34sword has devoured those around you.'
15 "Why have your 35mighty ones become prostrate? They do not stand because the LORD has 36thrust them down.
16 "They have repeatedly 37stumbled; Indeed, they have fallen one against another. Then they said, 'Get up! And 38let us go back To our own people and our native land Away from the 39sword of the oppressor.'
17 "They cried there, 'Pharaoh king of Egypt is but 40a big noise; He has let the appointed time pass by!'
18 "As I live," declares the 41King Whose name is the LORD of hosts, "Surely one shall come who looms up like 42Tabor among the mountains, Or like 43Carmel by the sea.
19 "Make your baggage ready for 44exile, O 45daughter dwelling in Egypt, For 46Memphis will become a desolation; It will even be burned down and bereft * of inhabitants.

Jeremiah 46:1-19 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 46

  • 1. Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 25:15-38
  • 2. Jeremiah 46:14; Ezekiel 29-32
  • 3. 2 Kings 18:21; 2 Kings 23:29, 33-35; Jeremiah 25:19
  • 4. 2 Chronicles 35:20; Isaiah 10:9
  • 5. Jeremiah 45:1
  • 6. Isaiah 21:5; Jeremiah 51:11; Joel 3:9; Nahum 2:1; Nahum 3:14
  • 7. Ezekiel 21:9-11
  • 8. 1 Samuel 17:5, 38; 2 Chronicles 26:14; Nehemiah 4:16; Jeremiah 51:3
  • 9. Isaiah 42:17; Jeremiah 46:21
  • 10. Isaiah 5:25; Ezekiel 39:18
  • 11. Jeremiah 6:25; Jeremiah 20:3; Jeremiah 49:29
  • 12. Isaiah 30:16
  • 13. Jeremiah 46:12, 16; Daniel 11:19
  • 14. Jeremiah 47:2
  • 15. Isaiah 37:24
  • 16. Isaiah 10:13
  • 17. Jeremiah 47:3; Nahum 2:4
  • 18. Nahum 3:9
  • 19. Isaiah 66:19
  • 20. Joel 1:15
  • 21. Jeremiah 50:15, 18
  • 22. Deuteronomy 32:42; Isaiah 31:8; Jeremiah 12:12
  • 23. Isaiah 34:6; Zephaniah 1:7
  • 24. Jeremiah 8:22
  • 25. Isaiah 47:1; Jeremiah 31:4, 21
  • 26. Jeremiah 30:13; Micah 1:9; Nahum 3:19
  • 27. Jeremiah 2:36; Nahum 3:8-10
  • 28. Jeremiah 14:2
  • 29. Isaiah 19:2
  • 30. Jeremiah 43:10-13
  • 31. Isaiah 19:1
  • 32. Jeremiah 44:1
  • 33. Jeremiah 43:8
  • 34. Isaiah 1:20; Jeremiah 2:30; Jeremiah 46:10; Nahum 2:13
  • 35. Isaiah 66:15, 16; Jeremiah 46:5
  • 36. Psalms 18:14, 39; Psalms 68:1, 2
  • 37. Leviticus 26:36, 37; Jeremiah 46:6
  • 38. Jeremiah 51:9
  • 39. Jeremiah 50:16
  • 40. Exodus 15:9, 10; 1 Kings 20:10, 11; Isaiah 19:11-16
  • 41. Jeremiah 48:15; Malachi 1:14
  • 42. Joshua 19:22; Judges 4:6; Psalms 89:12
  • 43. Joshua 12:22; 1 Kings 18:42
  • 44. Isaiah 20:4
  • 45. Jeremiah 48:18
  • 46. Jeremiah 46:14; Ezekiel 30:13

Footnotes 16

  • [a]. I.e. small shield
  • [b]. Or "go up, you horsemen"
  • [c]. Heb "Magor-missabib;" i.e. Terror is on every side
  • [d]. Lit "act like madmen"
  • [e]. Lit "go forth"
  • [f]. I.e. Libya (or Somaliland)
  • [g]. Heb "Ludim"
  • [h]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD
  • [i]. Lit "be saturated with"
  • [j]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD
  • [k]. Lit "healings"
  • [l]. Lit "warrior"
  • [m]. Lit "word"
  • [n]. Lit "oppressing sword"
  • [o]. Some ancient versions read "Call the name of Pharaoh a big noise"
  • [p]. Lit "without"
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