Jeremiah 46:2

2 to Egypt, against the host of Pharaohnecho, king of Egypt, that was beside the flood [of] Euphrates, in Carchemish, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, smote, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah. (about Egypt, concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, the king of Egypt, who was by the Euphrates River, in Carchemish, whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, struck, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, the king of Judah.)

Jeremiah 46:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 46:2

Against Egypt
This is the title of the first prophecy against Egypt; which is the first mentioned, because first accomplished; and because the Jews placed great confidence in and much relied on the Egyptians for help: against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt;
who is by Herodotus

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 called Necos; he was the son and successor of Psammitichus, and was succeeded by his son Psammis; and he by Apries, the same with Pharaohhophra, ( Jeremiah 44:30 ) ; the Targum calls this king Pharaoh the lame: which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish;
of which place (See Gill on Isaiah 10:9); this being in the land of the king of Assyria, as appears from the same place. Pharaohnecho, in Josiah's time, came up against him, in order to take it from him; but whether he did or no is not certain; see ( 2 Kings 23:29 ) ( 2 Chronicles 35:20 ) ; however, he appeared at the same place a second time, against the king of Babylon, into whose hands it was now very probably fallen, with the whole Assyrian monarchy; and here, in this second battle, his army was routed, as follows: which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of
Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah;
when he took away from the king of Egypt all that belonged to him between the Nile and Euphrates, so that he came no more out of his land, ( 2 Kings 24:7 ) . Kimchi and Abarbinel think there was but one expedition of Pharaohnecho; and that the siege of Carchemish continued to the fourth year of Jehoiakim; when he met with an entire overthrow from the king of Babylon, which God suffered as a judgment on him for killing Josiah. This, according to Bishop Usher, was in the year of the world 3397, and before Christ 607; and, according to the Universal History, in the year of the world 3396, and before Christ 608.
F17 L. 2. sive Euterpe, c. 158.

Jeremiah 46:2 In-Context

1 The word of the Lord, that was made to Jeremy, the prophet, against heathen men; (The word of the Lord, that was made to the prophet Jeremiah, against the heathen/about the nations;)

2 to Egypt, against the host of Pharaohnecho, king of Egypt, that was beside the flood [of] Euphrates, in Carchemish, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, smote, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah. (about Egypt, concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, the king of Egypt, who was by the Euphrates River, in Carchemish, whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, struck, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, the king of Judah.)

3 Make ye ready shield and target, and go ye forth to battle.

4 Join ye horses, and ascend, ye knights; stand ye in helmets, polish ye spears, clothe ye you in habergeons. (Join ye up the horses, and ye horsemen go upon them; stand ye in helmets, polish ye the spears, clothe ye yourselves with breastplates.)

5 What therefore? I saw them dreadful, either afeared, and turning the(ir) backs, the strong men of them (be) slain; and they fled swiftly, and beheld not; dread was on each side, saith the Lord. (But what did I see? I saw them fearful, or afraid, and turning their backs, for their strong men be killed; and the rest swiftly fled away, and beheld not; fear was on all sides, saith the Lord.)