Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 46

Verses 1-64

XI

THE PROPHECIES OF JEREMIAH CONCERNING THE NATIONS

Jeremiah 46-51

We now take up the prophecies of Jeremiah to the foreign nations, recorded in Jeremiah 46-51. We note first, by way of introduction, that when Jeremiah was called to be a prophet, it was said, Jeremiah 1:5: "I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations." Note again in Jeremiah 1:10: "I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow." Thus Jeremiah’s work was not to be confined to Israel, but to comprise the known world, at least all that part of it which had any relation to or connection with Israel. So, in Jeremiah 25, we see him exercising this function of prophet to the nations. Jehovah speaks to him and says) Jeremiah 25:15: "Take this cup of wine of wrath at my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send thee to drink it."

We are not told that Jeremiah visited other nations. By this passage it seems that he did either visit them and deliver the prophecy, or that he wrote it and sent it to them by a messenger. Certain it is that he sent this message of destruction to all the nations that troubled Israel. He goes on, Jeremiah 25:17: "Then took I the cup at Jehovah’s hand and caused all nations to drink it unto whom Jehovah sent me." In the next several verses we have all these nations named. There are twenty-one, altogether. And those nations which he names in Jeremiah 25 constitute some of the very people to whom he is writing the messages in this section. Again in Jeremiah 27 we have Jeremiah exercising the prophetic function to the nations. In verses 2, 4 he makes a yoke to be sent to the kings of the nations and addresses the ambassadors that have been assembled at Jerusalem to arrange a plan for rebellion against Babylon and devise methods by which they may throw off the Babylonian yoke. Jeremiah meets them and Zedekiah and says, as recorded in the latter part of Jeremiah 27:12: "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him arid live." He gave them this advice because he had said, "All the nations shall serve the king of Babylon, and all those that do not serve him shall perish, or go into captivity, at the hands of the great Nebuchadnezzar. It is interesting to note that in the Septuagint Version, made in the third century before Christ, the prophecies found in chapters 46-51 are found immediately following Jeremiah 25:13, where their names are mentioned. That looks as if these were written and sent to the nations about the same time that Jeremiah gives his counsel to the messengers of the nations and to Zedekiah.

The dates of these chapters range from 604 B.C. to about 594 B.C. The critics put some of them much later. But there is ample evidence to lead to the conclusion that they occurred in that period in which Pharaoh-Necho suffered defeat at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, unto the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah. Notice that these various prophecies to the nations are grouped together as Isaiah and Ezekiel grouped them. See Isaiah 12-23 and Ezekiel 25-32.

The date of the prophecy concerning Egypt is about 604 B.C. Probably the latter portion of the chapter was written a little later, but certainly the first twelve verses were written about 604 B.C. Compare with this Isaiah 19 and Ezekiel 29-32 which deal with the same subject, the downfall and punishment of Egypt. Jeremiah 46:1 is a general introduction to all these various prophecies.

We have an account of Egypt’s defeat at Carohemish (Jeremiah 46:2-12). The second verse gives the date and the occasion of the prophecy. They occurred somewhere about tour years after the disastrous defeat and death of the good King Josiah at Megiddo. Pharaoh-Necho had pressed as far north and east as the fords of the Euphrates, seeking to swell his coffers and enlarge his territory. He was met there by the invincible Nebuchadnezzar. There was fought the great battle which was to decide the fate of one or the other of these two kings. Carchemish was a large city on the banks of the Euphrates, commanding the fords of that great river, which was the dividing line between the empires. Pharaoh-Necho was overwhelmed and driven back to Egypt. Jeremiah in the spirit of sarcasm addresses the great army of Pharaoh-Necho: "Prepare ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. Harness the horses, and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail."

Note the tone of verse Jeremiah 46:5: "Wherefore have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: terror is on every side." Then again with a note of sarcasm he raises this question, verse Jeremiah 46:7: "Who is this that riseth up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?" That is Egypt. Again, with a note of stinging sarcasm he continues in verse Jeremiah 46:9: "Go up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Gush and Put, that handle the shield; and the Ludim, that handle and bend the bow." In Jeremiah 46:10 he pictures the defeat: "For that day is a day of the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he many avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates." This magnificent picture is the description of the hand of God punishing Egypt. It is a sacrifice of Jehovah’s righteousness.

In Jeremiah 46:13 he gives the occasion and the substance of the prophecy. Nebuchadnezzar would come and smite the land of Egypt. Then in Jeremiah 46:14 he speaks of the cities of Egypt. He tells them to be ready and prepared. With a note of sarcasm he continues in Jeremiah 46:15 by asking a question, "Why are thy strong ones [thy gods] swept away?" Then the answer follows in the same verse: "Because Jehovah did drive them." That is the reason. In Jeremiah 46:17 we have a striking prophecy: "Pharaoh) the king of Egypt, is but a noise." He has no power; he is only a noise; all boast and brag and not to be feared.

In Jeremiah 46:25 he prophesies that Pharaoh’s city, the city of Thebes, called "Noamon," or "Amon of No," shall perish. Of late years Egyptologists have discovered that city, and it is today just as Jeremiah described it in this prophecy. It is utterly destroyed. In the latter part of Jeremiah 46:26 he makes a remarkable promise regarding the kingdom of Egypt. There shall not be made a full end of it; "afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old"; Egypt shall not be utterly destroyed. It shall live. But Egypt was never the same after her defeat and subjugation by Nebuchadnezzar. Profane history tells us that in the year 560 B.C. or thereabout, Nebuchadnezzar defeated and overthrew Egypt. Jeremiah is vindicated in his prophecy here, since what he wrote took place beyond any doubt.

There are words of reassurance and encouragement to Israel in Jeremiah 46:27-28: "Fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah; for I am with thee: for I will make a full end of all nations whither I have driven thee; but I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished." That sounds much like the second part of Isaiah. In that prophecy this same promise is worked out in the great doctrine of the servant of God. The Philistines were the old, hereditary enemies of Israel. From the days of Samuel and the Judges, David and Solomon this nation had existed and was, all the time, an enemy and troubler of Israel and Judah.

The date of the prophecy (Jeremiah 47:1-7) is a little uncertain. The latter part of the first verse says that this prophecy came before Pharaoh smote Gaza. Now that was the Pharaoh-Necho who defeated Josiah, some time previous to 604 B.C. He had laid siege to Gaza, the chief city of Philistia, and had utterly overwhelmed it. Previous to that Jeremiah uttered this prophecy against Philistia. He says in Jeremiah 47:2, "Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and all that is therein." Thus he pictures the invading hosts of Nebuchadnezzar coming from the north like an overflowing river, down the plains of Tyre to this Philistine city. In Jeremiah 47:4 he says that they shall all be overthrown.

Now, we have a remarkable question on this part of Jeremiah, Jeremiah 47:6. He sees this fearful shedding of blood, and raises the question, “O thou sword of Jehovah, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard; rest, and be still." Evidently this implies that God ordered this bloodshed and that the nation was doing his will in thus punishing the wickedness of the Philistines.

What the relation of Moab to Israel and what the main points of the prophecy against her (Jeremiah 48:1-47)? It is interesting here to compare this passage with Isaiah 15-16, and also Ezekiel 25:9-11. Israel had come into very intimate relations with Moab. They passed through that land, and the tribe of Reuben had the territory which joined Moab. Between these two (Reuben and Moab) there were constant feuds with intermittent friendship. Finally Moab succeeded in throwing off the yoke of Israel and absorbing the tribe of Reuben. Moab was famous for her pride, her self-sufficiency. She was one of the proudest nations of the world. It was against this pride and self-sufficiency that this prophecy was directed. It contains a great many expressions that are identical with what we find in Isaiah 15-16. In this chapter the prophet gives us much of the geography of Moab. He mentions, altogether, about twenty-six cities. The principal thoughts are these:

1. Moab’s threatened destruction and exile by Babylon (Jeremiah 48:1-10).

2. Moab’s disappointed hope, and the imminence of her calamity (Jeremiah 48:11-25).

3. The humiliation of Moab, and her fate described (Jeremiah 48:26-46).

4. A promise of return: "Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith Jehovah" (Jeremiah 48:47).

I call attention to two or three striking passages in this prophecy against Moab. In Jeremiah 48:10 Jeremiah is speaking of the terrible work which Nebuchadnezzar will do to Moab and he wants that work thoroughly done, and says, "Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently." Now that is a fine text. He continues, "Cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood." The idea in it all is that Jehovah wants these Babylonians to do their work thoroughly. Also in Jeremiah 48:11 we have a striking passage: "Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remaineth in him, and his scent is not changed." The figure here is that of fresh wine left to stand. When it is left thus, sediment gathers in the bottom. It becomes thick and stagnant and the quality is injured. Something like that had happened in Moab. She had grown stagnant; had been quiet for years. It was not good for her to remain in this condition. Self-satisfaction is not a good thing.

We have the prophecy against Ammon (Jeremiah 49:1-6). The country of Ammon bordered on the land of Moab and the territory of the tribe of Reuben. There was constant strife between Ammon and Reuben. When Tiglath-Pileser invaded the land and deported the inhabitants, Ammon came up and seized the country that belonged to Reuben. Because of that incident Jeremiah uttered these oracles: "Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? Why then doth Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in the cities thereof?" He had seized the property that belonged to Israel, and that is what Jeremiah is denouncing. They shall all go into exile. He then closes this prophecy with a promise of restoration: "But I will bring back the captivity of the children of Ammon."

Compare with the prophecy against Edom the prophecy of Obadiah, which is almost identical. Jeremiah must have been familiar with the prophecy of Obadiah. Compare also Isaiah 34. Edom was a kinsman of the house of Jacob. Edom dwelt in his mountain fastnesses and impregnable heights, and was something of a military power. He never lost the bitterness of Esau against Jacob because the latter got his birthright and blessing. They first dwelt in tents and were Bedouin, but at this time most of them dwelt in cities or towns. Edom watched from his fastnesses the career of Jacob and, as Obadiah says, looked on her destruction without pity. When she had opportunity she took some of the inhabitants of Israel, made them slaves and rejoiced over the downfall of Jerusalem. For such unbrotherly conduct Judah never forgave Edom. Sufficient is it to say that we have here the pronouncement of doom upon her and there is no promise of restoration. For several centuries Edom flourished to some extent, and in the time of the restoration she occupied considerable territory of Judah. In the time of Christ an Edomite sat upon the throne of Judah, but since then Edom has gone down and today nothing remains of her but a great wilderness of mountains and deserts.

In connection with the prophecy against Damascus (Jeremiah 49:23-27) we have prophecies concerning two little countries, namely, Hamath and Arpad. Damascus is to have troubles, she is to be sad in her fate and she is to wax very feeble. Her city is to be, not utterly destroyed, but greatly humbled. There is no promise of restoration.

Kedar is the name of the wandering and marauding, warlike tribes that live in the deserts east of Palestine, between eastern Palestine and the river Euphrates. They are called the "Children of the East." They have lived there from time immemorial. They were there before the days of Abraham and are there yet. The men of Kedar are to be overwhelmed by the Babylonian power. The city of Hazor is referred to as belonging to this people. The larger portion of these Arabians lived in tents and were Bedouin, but some of them lived in cities or villages. So the prophet addresses both classes, Kedar and Hazor, pronouncing destruction upon them.

We have the prophecy against Elam (Jeremiah 49:34-39). In Abraham’s time there was a king of Elam, who was the overlord of Babylon, and the over-lord of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He came to the plains of Palestine and collected tribute from them. Elam was one of the principal forces that Abraham attacked and destroyed. A great many of the inhabitants were transported to northern Palestine when Samaria was destroyed by Sargon, so that Jeremiah is brought into touch with these Elamites because they lived in the northern part of the country. The fate of Elam is bound ’up with the fate of Babylon and that of Israel. Elam is threatened with destruction, but in Jeremiah 49:39 there is a promise of restoration. It is interesting to note that in the fulfilment of that promise of restoration, there were Elamites in the city of Jerusalem when Peter preached his great sermon at Pentecost. Doubtless there were Elamites converted at that time and brought into the fold of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The prophecy against Babylon (Jeremiah 50-51) is the longest of any of the prophecies concerning the foreign nations. Compare this with Isaiah 13-14; 40-48. The date of this prophecy is set forth in Jeremiah 51:59. It was in the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah, about 494 B.C. Jeremiah penned this long prophecy and sent it by a messenger to the king of Babylon, to be read by the exiles, and he says in Jeremiah 51:63, "When thou hast made an end of reading this book, thou shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates: and thou shall say, Thus shalt Babylon sink, and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring upon her." A copy of the prophecy was kept by the prophet. This action was symbolical. We cannot go into detail in the study of this prophecy. The situation is the same as that set forth in Isaiah 40-66. It presents many of the same ideas and the same problems. There are scores of similar expressions. The principal ideas are as follows:

1. The people of Israel were in exile in Babylon and the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed: Jeremiah 50:6-7; Jeremiah 50:17; Jeremiah 50:28; Jeremiah 50:33; Jeremiah 51:11; Jeremiah 51:34; Jeremiah 51:51.

2. Babylon was the instrument of Jehovah in punishing Israel and the nations, four times stated: Jeremiah 50:7; Jeremiah 50:17; Jeremiah 51:7; Jeremiah 51:20-23.

3. Jehovah remains the deliverer of his people. This is stated by the prophet four times: Jeremiah 50:34; Jeremiah 51:5; Jeremiah 51:15-19; Jeremiah 51:36.

4. Jehovah will execute his wrath upon Babylon and her gods and they shall be destroyed. Fully two-thirds of this entire prophecy is given to the discussion of this thought: Jeremiah 50:2-3; Jeremiah 50:10-16; Jeremiah 50:18; Jeremiah 50:21-27; Jeremiah 51:1-4; Jeremiah 51:8-9; Jeremiah 51:11-19.

5. The Modes and their allies are to break the Babylonian yoke. This is stated eight times altogether: Jeremiah 50:3; Jeremiah 50:9; Jeremiah 50:41-42; Jeremiah 50:44; Jeremiah 51:11; Jeremiah 51:27-28.

6. Promise of release from Babylon and command to leave the city. Eleven times the prophet makes statements to that effect: Jeremiah 50:4-5; Jeremiah 50:8; Jeremiah 50:19-20; Jeremiah 50:28; and others.

7. Spiritual renewal of Israel shall follow the return from Babylon. This is stated by the prophet five times: Jeremiah 50:4-5; Jeremiah 51:10; Jeremiah 51:50-51.

In these seven divisions we have the substance of these chapters. Isaiah 40-48 contains the same thoughts, sometimes even in the same words.

Almost all the critics maintain that Jeremiah did not write these chanters. Even a Baptist professor produced a commentary that was published by a Baptist publishing house, in which it is plainly affirmed that Jeremiah did not write them. The arguments used against the Jeremiah-authorship are in substance, as follows:

1. The historical situation had not yet arrived. These chapters picture Israel in exile, the Temple destroyed and Jerusalem in ruins. If Jeremiah wrote these chapters in 594 B.C. (and it is plainly stated that he did) Jerusalem was still standing, the Temple intact, and the end of Babylon was yet seventy years more in the future. Therefore, the critics conclude that since the historical situation was not in harmony with these chapters, Jeremiah did not write them. That conclusion is undeniably based upon the assumption that Jeremiah could not see the future.

2. There is not the same point of view on the part of the prophet. The point of view of the prophet about this time was that Zedekiah and his people must submit to Babylon, and if they would submit, they would be saved. But now in these chapters the point of view of the prophet seems to be that these nations are to be destroyed and Judah triumph. Therefore, Jeremiah must have a different point of view. Did he? As in the other contention, it is based upon the assumption that Jeremiah could not see the future.

3. The temper which permeates these chapters was not that of Jeremiah. In other words, Jeremiah, during the reign of Zedekiah, had been friendly to Babylon in that he continually counseled submission to Babylon. He seems to be a friend to Babylon. Now, these two chapters were written by a man whose soul seemed to be on fire with denunciation of Babylon because of her ruthless and unrelenting cruelty to Israel. The critics cannot account for the change in the temper of Jeremiah, if it is conceded that he wrote these two chapters in question.

In reply, it may be asked, Does it follow that because he advised submission to a foreign power he loved that power and was not loyal to his own people? Jeremiah counseled submission to Babylon, not because he loved Babylon, but because he could see, in fact it was revealed to him, that Babylon was destined to prevail and that if his people would quietly submit, it would be better than to resist. By no means does it follow that he loved Babylon. He did not love Babylon; he was a patriotic Israelite and could not but have hated that savage nation that overwhelmed his own beloved kinsmen. It is easy to see how he could, with perfect consistency, thus write the doom that was coming upon this savage nation for its wickedness. Though it was a wicked heathen nation, God could overrule its cruelty to be the just punishment for Israel’s sins and wickedness.

4. It is full of repetitions and lacks logical development. And so it does. But is it not in that very fact, like the work of Jeremiah? Our critical friends have worked out a system of logical development and they make heaven and earth fit into the mold of their theory. I fear that in trying to get all heaven into their logical system, they have failed to get any of it into their hearts.

Here are five reasons for accepting the Jeremiah authorship of chapters Jeremiah 50-51:

1. It is expressly stated that Jeremiah did write it (Jeremiah 51:59-64). That ought to settle the question.

2. The style is like that of Jeremiah, full of repetitions. We have called attention to that very thing over and over again in our studies of the book.

3. The prophecy is altogether appropriate. Jeremiah was a patriotic Israelite, and his feelings toward Babylon could not have been that of friendship. He must have been permeated with the spirit of denunciation.

4. Denial of his authorship is based upon a mechanical theory of prophecy and inspiration. That is, after all, the real source of these denials.

5. Granting inspiration, Jeremiah was thoroughly competent to write every word of these two chapters. We could not expect that Jeremiah, a prophet to the nations, would live and die without having something to say about Babylon.

QUESTIONS

1. What the theme of Jeremiah 46-51 and what the evidence elsewhere of Jeremiah’s call to this special function as a prophet?

2. What the dates of these several prophecies?

3. What the date of the prophecy concerning Egypt, what parallel prophecies in the other prophets and what the nature of Jeremiah 46:1?

4. Give an account of Egypt’s defeat at Carchemish (Jeremiah 46:2-12).

5. Give an account of the overthrow of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 46:13-26).

6. What the words of reassurance and encouragement to Israel in Jeremiah 46:27-28?

7. Who were the Philistines, what the date of this prophecy (Jeremiah 47:1-6) against them and what the prophecy itself, especially verse 6?

8. What the relation of Moab to Israel and what the main points of the prophecy against her? (Jeremiah 48:1-47.)

9. What things worthy of special note in this prophecy against Moab?

10. What the occasion of the prophecy against Ammon in Jeremiah 49:1-6 and what the points of the prophecy?

11. What the relation of Edom to Israel and what the prophecy here (Jeremiah 49:7-22) against her?

12. What the prophecy against Damascus? (Jeremiah 49:23-27.)

13. Who was Kedar and what the prophecy here against Kedar? (Jeremiah 49:28-33.)

14. Who were the Elamites and what the prophecy against Elam in Jeremiah 49:34-39?

15. How does the prophecy against Babylon compare with the other prophecies here given, what the date and what the symbolical action in this connection, the meaning of it, and what the principal ideas?

16. What the arguments of the critics against the authenticity of this section and upon what is each based?

17. Give five reasons for accepting the Jeremiah authorship of Jeremiah 50-51.