Jeremiah 46:23

23 They will chop down Egypt's army as if it were a great forest," says the Lord. "There are more enemy soldiers than locusts; there are too many to count.

Jeremiah 46:23 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 46:23

They shall cut down her forest, saith the Lord
The land of Egypt, compared to a forest, for the multitude of its cities and towns, and the inhabitants of them; which should be destroyed by the Chaldeans, as a forest is cut down by hewers of wood; the metaphor is here continued. The Targum interprets this of the princes of Egypt, and the destruction of them; though it cannot be searched;
either the forest of Egypt, which was so thick of trees; that is, the land was so full of towns and cities, that they could not be searched and numbered; and though the way through it seemed impassable, yet was made passable by the hewers of wood: or its destruction would be so general, "that it cannot be searched" ^F15; or found out, where this forest was, where those trees grew, not one of them standing: or else this is to be understood of the Chaldean army, which was so great, that it could not be numbered: because they are more than the grasshoppers, and [are] innumerable;
which creatures come in large numbers, and eat up every green tree and herb; and so the Chaldean army, being alike numerous, would easily cut down the trees of this forest, though they were so many.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (rqxy al yk) "ut non investigetur", Calvin.

Jeremiah 46:23 In-Context

21 The hired soldiers in Egypt's army are like fat calves, because even they all turn and run away together; they do not stand strong against the attack. Their time of destruction is coming; they will soon be punished.

22 Egypt is like a hissing snake that is trying to escape. The enemy comes closer and closer. like men who cut down trees.

23 They will chop down Egypt's army as if it were a great forest," says the Lord. "There are more enemy soldiers than locusts; there are too many to count.

24 The people of Egypt will be ashamed. They will be handed over to the enemy from the north."

25 The Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: "Very soon I will punish Amon, the god of the city of Thebes. And I will punish Egypt, her kings, her gods, and the people who depend on the king.