Jeremiah 46:14-24

14 Tell ye (out) to Egypt, and make ye heard in Migdol, and sound it in Memphis, and say ye in Tahpanhes, Stand thou, and make thee ready, for a sword shall devour those things that be by thy compass (for a sword shall devour those things that be all around thee).

15 Why hath thy strong man waxed rotten? He stood not, for the Lord underturned him.

16 He multiplied fallers, and a man fell down to his neighbour; and they shall say, Rise ye, and turn we again to our people, and to the land of our birth, from the face of (the) sword of the culver. (He multiplied the fallen, yea, a man fell upon his neighbour; and they shall say, Rise ye up, and let us return to our people, and to the land of our birth, away from the cruel sword.)

17 Call ye the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, The time hath brought noise. (Call ye the name of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, The man who missed his chance.)

18 I live, saith the king, the Lord of hosts is his name; for it shall come as Tabor in hills, and as Carmel in the sea. (As I live, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts; for he shall come as surely as Tabor is in the hills, and that Carmel is by the sea.)

19 Thou dwelleress, the daughter of Egypt, make to thee vessels of passing over; for why Memphis shall be into wilderness, and it shall be forsaken [and] unhabitable. (Thou dwelleress, the daughter of Egypt, make ready for thyself vessels for a time of captivity; for Memphis shall be turned into a wilderness, and it shall be deserted, and uninhabited.)

20 Egypt is a shapely cow calf, and fair (and beautiful); (but) a pricker from the north shall come to it.

21 Also the hired men thereof, that lived as calves made fat in the midst thereof, be turned, and fled (away) together, and might not stand; for the day of (the) slaying of them shall come on them, the time of the visiting of them. (And its hired men, who lived like calves made fat in its midst, shall turn, and flee away together, and they shall not stand; for the day of their slaughter hath come upon them, the time of their punishment.)

22 The voice of them shall sound as of brass, for they shall hasten with (a) host, and with axes they shall come to it. As men cutting down trees, (The voice of Egypt shall hiss like a snake, but the enemy shall make haste with their host, and shall come against them with axes. Yea, like men cutting down trees,)

23 they cutted down the forest thereof, saith the Lord, which may not be numbered; they be multiplied over locusts, and no number is in them. (they shall cut down the Egyptians, saith the Lord, like falling the trees in a forest, which cannot be numbered; and the men in this army be multiplied over the locusts, yea, there is no number of them/yea, they be innumerable.)

24 The daughter of Egypt is shamed, and betaken into the hand of the people of the north, (And so the daughter of Egypt shall be shamed, and taken into the hands of the people of the north,)

Jeremiah 46:14-24 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.