Jeremiah 46:18-28

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,)

25 said the Lord of hosts, God of Israel. Lo! I shall visit on the noise of Alexandria, and on Pharaoh, and on Egypt, and on the gods thereof, and on the kings thereof, and on them that trust in him. (said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel. Lo! I shall punish Amon, the god of No/the god of Thebes, and Egypt, and its gods, and its kings, and Pharaoh, and all those who trust in him.)

26 And I shall give them into the hands of men that seek the life of them (And I shall give them into the hands of those who seek their lives), and into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and into the hands of his servants; and after these things it shall be inhabited, as in the former days, saith the Lord.

27 And thou, Jacob, my servant, dread thou not, and Israel, dread thou not; for lo! I shall make thee safe from (a) far place, and thy seed from the land of his captivity; and Jacob shall turn again, and shall rest, and shall have prosperity, and none shall be, that shall make him afeared. (And thou, my servant Jacob, fear thou not, O Israel, fear thou not; for lo! I shall bring thee home safe from a far off place, and thy descendants from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall rest, and shall have prosperity, and no one shall be, who shall make him afraid.)

28 And Jacob, my servant, do not thou dread, saith the Lord, for I am with thee; for I shall waste all folks, to which I casted thee out; but I shall not waste thee, but I shall chastise thee in doom, and I shall not spare thee as innocent. (And my servant Jacob, do not thou fear, saith the Lord, for I am with thee; for I shall waste all the nations, to whom I cast thee out; but I shall not destroy thee, but I shall discipline, or correct, thee with justice/in judgement, and I shall not spare thee as innocent.)

Jeremiah 46:18-28 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.