Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 46

Verses 1-28

Against Egypt

1. Against the Gentiles] RV ’concerning the nations ’around.

2. Carchemish] see Intro, and 2 Chronicles 35:20-24 also on Jeremiah 47:1.

3-6. A lively description of the preparation and advance, followed by the defeat at Carchemish.

4. Brigandines] RV ’coats of mail.’

5. Seen them dismayed] RV ’seen it? They are dismayed.’

7. A flood] RV ’the Nile,’their own sacred river in its annual overflow. So in Jeremiah 46:8.

9. The Ethiopians, etc.] mercenary troops forming the chief part of the Egyptian armies.

10. A day of vengeance] on the Egyptians. They are to be the sacrifice, because of their treachery to Judah.

11. The medical science of Egypt was in high repute.

12. The land] RV ’the earth.’

13. The second part of the prophecy con-corning Egypt suggests by its tone a more intimate acquaintance, and is probably to be ascribed to the time of the prophet’s residence in that country.

14. See on Jeremiah 44:1 and Jeremiah 2:10.

16. They said] the mercenaries: see on Jeremiah 2:9.

17. The time appointed] the period of grace is over.

18. Omit the second is. The v. means that Nebuchadnezzar shall resemble Tabor and Carmel, standing out conspicuous as compared with neighbouring rulers.

20. Is like] RV ’is.’This probably is an allusion to the sacred bull Apis, worshipped at Memphis. Destruction] RM ’the gadfly.’ The north] i.e. Chaldea.

22. Like a serpent] rustling as it escapes through the thick underwood. Such shall be the sound of Egypt as it flees away.

23. Her forest] her beauty: cp. Jeremiah 21:14.

Grasshoppers] RV ’locusts.’

25. The multitude of No] RV ’Amon of No,’i.e. the god worshipped there. No] i.e. Thebes in Upper Egypt.

Verses 1-64

Prophecies Concerning the Nations

The custom of placing in a group, as here, prophecies against heathen nations is illustrated by Isaiah (Jeremiah 13-33), Ezekiel (Jeremiah 25-32), and Amos (Jeremiah 1, 2). For the position of the prophecies at the end of the book as compared with that which they hold in the LXX, see Intro, and on Jeremiah 25:11. We may divide them thus:—(a) Jeremiah 46-49 (mostly of the fourth year of Jehoiakim). This section contains prophe-oies concerning Egypt and five other nations doubtless included in the roll of Jeremiah 36, with the exception of the second concerning Egypt (Jeremiah 46:14-28: see note on Jeremiah 46:13) and of the last against Elam (Jeremiah 49:34-39: first year of Zedekiah). These prophecies follow a natural order. Egypt is at the head as the nation whose over-throw by Nebuchadnezzar would be the signal to those others of a similar fate. We go thenc to Philistia (including Tyre and Sidon); then (passing round to the E. of Palestine) to Moab, Ammon, and Edom; then to Damascus, as representing the kingdoms of the North; to Kedar and Hazor, as indicating the kings mentioned in the summary of Jeremiah 25:24 while, lastly, the nations of the East are included under Elam.

(b) Jeremiah 50, 51 (of doubtful authorship). This prophecy concerning Babylon forms an appropriate conclusion to the series. The nations immediately bordering upon Palestine have had their fate foretold, and then the more remote. Now the empire which was to execute God’s vengeance upon them is itself, declared to be destined in its turn to fall. See further, in intro. to Jeremiah 50.