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Texts -- Jeremiah 46:2-28 (NET)

Context
The Prophecy about Egypt’s Defeat at Carchemish
46:2 He spoke about Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt which was encamped along the Euphrates River at Carchemish . Now this was the army that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah . 46:3 “Fall into ranks with your shields ready! Prepare to march into battle ! 46:4 Harness the horses to the chariots! Mount your horses ! Put on your helmets and take your positions! Sharpen you spears ! Put on your armor ! 46:5 What do I see ?” says the Lord . “The soldiers are terrified . They are retreating . They have been defeated . They are overcome with terror ; they desert quickly without looking back . 46:6 But even the swiftest cannot get away . Even the strongest cannot escape . There in the north by the Euphrates River they stumble and fall in defeat. 46:7 “Who is this that rises like the Nile , like its streams turbulent at flood stage? 46:8 Egypt rises like the Nile , like its streams turbulent at flood stage. Egypt says , ‘I will arise and cover the earth . I will destroy cities and the people who inhabit them.’ 46:9 Go ahead and charge into battle , you horsemen ! Drive furiously , you charioteers ! Let the soldiers march out into battle, those from Ethiopia and Libya who carry shields , and those from Lydia who are armed with the bow . 46:10 But that day belongs to the Lord God who rules over all . It is the day when he will pay back his enemies . His sword will devour them until its appetite is satisfied ! It will drink their blood until it is full ! For the Lord God who rules over all will offer them up as a sacrifice in the land of the north by the Euphrates River . 46:11 Go up to Gilead and get medicinal ointment , you dear poor people of Egypt . But it will prove useless no matter how much medicine you use; there will be no healing for you. 46:12 The nations will hear of your devastating defeat . your cries of distress will echo throughout the earth . In the panic of their flight one soldier will trip over another and both of them will fall down defeated.”
The Lord Predicts that Nebuchadnezzar Will Attack and Plunder Egypt
46:13 The Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about Nebuchadnezzar coming to attack the land of Egypt . 46:14 “Make an announcement throughout Egypt . Proclaim it in Migdol , Memphis , and Tahpanhes . ‘Take your positions and prepare to do battle. For the enemy army is destroying all the nations around you.’ 46:15 Why will your soldiers be defeated ? They will not stand because I, the Lord , will thrust them down . 46:16 I will make many stumble . They will fall over one another in their hurry to flee. They will say , ‘Get up ! Let’s go back to our own people . Let’s go back to our homelands because the enemy is coming to destroy us.’ 46:17 There at home they will say , ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is just a big noise ! He has let the most opportune moment pass by .’ 46:18 I the King , whose name is the Lord who rules over all , swear this: I swear as surely as I live that a conqueror is coming. He will be as imposing as Mount Tabor is among the mountains , as Mount Carmel is against the backdrop of the sea . 46:19 Pack your bags for exile , you inhabitants of poor dear Egypt . For Memphis will be laid waste . It will lie in ruins and be uninhabited . 46:20 Egypt is like a beautiful young cow . But northern armies will attack her like swarms of stinging flies . 46:21 Even her mercenaries will prove to be like pampered, well-fed calves . For they too will turn and run away . They will not stand their ground when the time for them to be destroyed comes , the time for them to be punished . 46:22 Egypt will run away , hissing like a snake , as the enemy comes marching up in force . They will come against her with axes as if they were woodsmen chopping down trees . 46:23 The population of Egypt is like a vast, impenetrable forest . But I, the Lord , affirm that the enemy will cut them down . For those who chop them down will be more numerous than locusts . They will be too numerous to count . 46:24 Poor dear Egypt will be put to shame . She will be handed over to the people from the north .” 46:25 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says , “I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes . I will punish Egypt , its gods , and its kings . I will punish Pharaoh and all who trust in him. 46:26 I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar and his troops , who want to kill them. But later on, people will live in Egypt again as they did in former times . I, the Lord , affirm it!”
A Promise of Hope for Israel
46:27 “You descendants of Jacob , my servants , do not be afraid ; do not be terrified , people of Israel . For I will rescue you and your descendants from the faraway lands where you are captives . The descendants of Jacob will return to their land and enjoy peace . They will be secure and no one will terrify them. 46:28 I, the Lord , tell you not to be afraid , you descendants of Jacob , my servant , for I am with you. Though I completely destroy all the nations where I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will indeed discipline you but only in due measure . I will not allow you to go entirely unpunished .”

Pericope

NET
  • Jer 46:2-12 -- The Prophecy about Egypt's Defeat at Carchemish
  • Jer 46:13-26 -- The Lord Predicts that Nebuchadnezzar Will Attack and Plunder Egypt
  • Jer 46:27-28 -- A Promise of Hope for Israel

Bible Dictionary

  • Egypt

    [ebd] the land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest kingdom of which we have any record, holds a place of great significance in Scripture. The Egyptians belonged to the white race, and their original home is still a matter of ...
    [nave] EGYPT The country of: Called Rahab, Psa. 87:4; 89:10; Land of Ham, Psa. 105:23; 106:22. Limits of, Ezek. 29:10. Fertility of, Gen. 13:10. Productions of, Num. 11:5; Psa. 78:47; Prov. 7:16; Isa. 19:5-9. Irrigation employ...

  • EZEKIEL, 1

    [isbe] EZEKIEL, 1 - e-ze'-ki-el: I. THE PROPHET AND HIS BOOK 1. The Person of Ezekiel Name, Captivity and Trials 2. The Book (1) Its Genuineness (2) Its Structure (3) Relation to Jeremiah (4) Fate of the Book and Its Place in the C...

  • ISAIAH, 1-7

    [isbe] ISAIAH, 1-7 - i-za'-ya, i-zi'-a: 1. Name 2. Personal History 3. Call 4. Literary Genius and Style 5. Traditions concerning His Martyrdom 6. Period 7. Analysis and Contents 8. Isaiah's Prophecies Chronologically Arranged 9. T...

  • Nebuchadnezzar

    [ebd] in the Babylonian orthography Nabu-kudur-uzur, which means "Nebo, protect the crown!" or the "frontiers." In an inscription he styles himself "Nebo's favourite." He was the son and successor of Nabopolassar, who delivered Ba...
    [nave] NEBUCHADNEZZAR, called also Nebuchadrezzar. King of Babylon, Jer. 21:2. Empire of. See: Babylon. His administration, Dan. 1-4. Conquests of: Of Jerusalem, 2 Kin. 24, 25; 1 Chr. 6:15; 2 Chr. 36:5-21; Ezra 1:7; Jer. 39. Of ...

  • JEREMIAH (2)

    [isbe] JEREMIAH (2) - jer-e-mi'-a: 1. Name and Person 2. Life of Jeremiah 3. The Personal Character of Jeremiah 4. The Prophecies of Jeremiah 5. The Book of Jeremiah 6. Authenticity and Integrity of the Book 7. Relation to the Sept...

  • NEBUCHADNEZZAR, OR NEBUCHADREZZAR

    [smith] (may Nebo protect the crown), was the greatest and most powerful of the Babylonian kings. His name is explained to mean "Nebo is the protector against misfortune." He was the son and successor of Nabopolassar, the founder of ...

  • Euphrates

    [smith] is probably a word of Aryan origin, signifying "the good and abounding river. " It is most frequently denoted in the Bible by the term "the river." The Euphrates is the largest, the longest and by far the most important of th...
    [nave] EUPHRATES A river in the garden of Eden, Gen. 2:14. The eastern limit of the kingdom of Israel, Gen. 15:18; Ex. 23:31; Deut. 1:7; 11:24; Josh. 1:4; 2 Sam. 8:3; 1 Kin. 4:21; 1 Chr. 5:9; 18:3. Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, ma...

  • Babylon

    [nave] BABYLON City of Built by Nimrod, Gen. 10:10. In the land of Shinar, Gen. 10:10; 11:2. Tower of, Gen. 11:1-9. Capital of the kingdom of Babylon, Dan. 4:30; 2 Kin. 25:13; 2 Chr. 36:6, 7, 10, 18, 20. Gates of, Isa. 45:1, 2...

  • War

    [nave] WAR Divine approval of, 2 Sam. 22:35. Civil, Judg. 12:1-6; 20; 2 Sam. 2:12-31; 3:1; 20; 1 Kin. 14:30; 16:21; Isa. 19:2; forbidden, 2 Chr. 11:4; averted, Josh. 22:11-34. Enemy harangued by general of opposing side, 2 Kin. 1...

  • Noph

    [ebd] the Hebrew name of an Egyptian city (Isa. 19:13; Jer.2:16; 44:1; 46:14, 19; Ezek. 30:13, 16). In Hos. 9:6 the Hebrew name is Moph, and is translated "Memphis," which is its Greek and Latin form. It was one of the most ancien...
    [nave] NOPH A city of Egypt, Jer. 2:16. Prophecy against Jews in, Jer. 44. Prophecies against, Isa. 19:13; Jer. 46:13-19; Ezek. 30:13-16.

  • Pharaoh

    [smith] the common title of the native kings of Egypt in the Bible, corresponding to P-ra or Ph-ra "the sun," of the hieroglyphics. Brugsch, Ebers and other modern Egyptologists define it to mean ?the great house," which would corres...
    [nave] PHARAOH 1. King of Egypt at the time of Abraham, Gen. 12:14-20; Psa. 105:14. 2. Ruler of Egypt at the time of the famine. See: Egypt; Israelites. 3. Ruler of Egypt at the time of the deliverance and exodus of the children ...

  • Memphis

    [ebd] only in Hos. 9:6, Hebrew Moph. In Isa. 19:13; Jer. 2:16; 46:14, 19; Ezek. 30:13, 16, it is mentioned under the name Noph. It was the capital of Lower, i.e., of Northern Egypt. From certain remains found half buried in the sa...
    [smith] (haven, of the good), a city of ancient Egypt, situated on that western bank of the Nile, about nine miles south of Cairo and five from the great pyramids and the sphinx. It is mentioned by (Isaiah 40:14,19) and Ezekiel, (Eze...
    [nave] MEMPHIS, called also Noph. A celebrated city of Egypt, Hos. 9:6. Prophecies concerning, Isa. 19:13; Jer. 2:16; 46:14, 19; Ezek. 30:16.

  • Locust

    [ebd] There are ten Hebrew words used in Scripture to signify locust. In the New Testament locusts are mentioned as forming part of the food of John the Baptist (Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6). By the Mosaic law they were reckoned "clean," ...
    [isbe] LOCUST - lo'-kust: The translation of a large number of Hebrew and Greek words: 1. Names: (1) 'arbeh from the root rabhah, "to increase" (compare Arabic raba', "to increase"). (2) sal`am, from obsolete [?] cal`am, "to swallo...
    [smith] a well-known insect, of the grasshopper family, which commits terrible ravages on vegetation in the countries which it visits. "The common brown locust is about three inches in length, and the general form is that of a grassh...
    [nave] LOCUST Authorized as food, Lev. 11:22; used as, Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6. Plague of, Ex. 10:1-19; Psa. 105:34, 35. Devastation by, Deut. 28:38; 1 Kin. 8:37; 2 Chr. 7:13; Isa. 33:4; Joel 1:4-7; Rev. 9:7-10. Sun obscured by, Joe...

  • Carchemish

    [ebd] fortress of Chemosh, a city on the west bank of the Euphrates (Jer. 46:2; 2 Chr. 35:20), not, as was once supposed, the Circesium at the confluence of the Chebar and the Euphrates, but a city considerably higher up the river...
    [isbe] CARCHEMISH - kar'-ke-mish (karkemish; Charmeis, Karchameis) : An exceedingly ancient Hittite city on the banks of the Euphrates, identified with Jerablus (Hierapolis) about 23 hours from Aleppo, between Birejik and Membij. T...
    [smith] (fortress of Chemosh) occupied nearly the site of the later Mabug or Hierapolis. It seems to have commanded the ordinary passage of the Euphrates at Bir or Birekjik . Carchemish appears to have been taken by Pharoah Necho sho...
    [nave] CARCHEMISH, a Babylonian city on the Euphrates, against which the king of Egypt made war, 2 Chr. 35:20; Isa. 10:9; Jer. 46:2.

  • Balm

    [ebd] contracted from Bal'sam, a general name for many oily or resinous substances which flow or trickle from certain trees or plants when an incision is made through the bark. (1.) This word occurs in the Authorized Version (Gen....
    [smith] (from balsam , Heb. tzori, tezri) occurs in (Genesis 37:25; 43:11; Jeremiah 8:22; 46:11; 51:8; Ezekiel 27:17) (It is an aromatic plant, or the resinous odoriferous sap or gum which exudes from such plants.) It is impossible t...
    [nave] BALM, a medicinal balsam, Gen. 37:25; 43:11; Jer. 8:22; 46:11; 51:8; Ezek. 27:17.

  • No

    [ebd] or No-A'mon, the home of Amon, the name of Thebes, the ancient capital of what is called the Middle Empire, in Upper or Southern Egypt. "The multitude of No" (Jer. 46:25) is more correctly rendered, as in the Revised Version...
    [nave] NO, a city on the Nile, Jer. 46:25; Ezek. 30:14-16; Nah. 3:8.

  • Migdol

    [ebd] tower. (1.) A strongly-fortified place 12 miles from Pelusium, in the north of Egypt (Jer. 44:1; 46:14). This word is rendered "tower" in Ezek. 29:10, but the margin correctly retains the name Migdol, "from Migdol to Syene;"...
    [isbe] MIGDOL - mig'-dol, mig'-dol (mighdol; Magdolon): This name ("the tower") is applied to two places on the east frontier of Egypt. 1. Exodus 14:2; Numbers 33:7: In Ex 14:2; Nu 33:7, the Hebrew camp, on the march from Etham aft...
    [nave] MIGDOL 1. A place near the Red Sea where the Israelites encamped, Ex. 14:2; Num. 33:7, 8. 2. A city on the northeastern border of lower Egypt, Jer. 44:1; 46:14.

  • ARMOR; ARMS

    [isbe] ARMOR; ARMS - ar'-mer, arms. I. ARMOR IN GENERAL--OLD TESTAMENT II. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT; POLYBIUS III. OFFENSIVE WEAPONS 1. Rod 2. Sling 3. Bow and Arrows 4. Spear--Javelin 5. Sword IV. DEFENSIVE WEAPONS 1. Shield 2. Helmet...

  • ARMY

    [isbe] ARMY - ar'-mi (chayil, "army," tsabha', "host," ma`arakhah, "army in battle array" gedhudh, "troop"): 1. The First Campaign of History 2. In the Wilderness 3. The Times after the Conquest 4. In the Early Monarchy 5. From the...

  • Brigandine

    [ebd] (Jer. 46:4; 51:3), an obsolete English word denoting a scale coat of armour, or habergeon, worn by light-armed "brigands." The Revised Version has "coat of mail."
    [smith] (Jeremiah 46:4) elsewhere "habergeon," or "coat of mail."
    [nave] BRIGANDINE, a coat of mail, Jer. 46:4; 51:3.
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Arts

Hymns

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  • [Jer 46:11] There Is A Balm In Gilead

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 7:1-2 These verses contain both physical and metaphorical compliments. Verse 1 seems to refer to the Shulammite's body, but verse 2 goes beyond that. It seems to convey the idea that she was Solomon's drink and food, "that he...
  • Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1965.Bromiley, Geoffrey W. God and Marriage. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980.Bullock, C. Hassell. An Introduction to the Poe...
  • The recurrence of the Hebrew word massa', translated "oracle"or "burden,"prescribes the boundaries of this section of text.140These chapters present the nations over which Immanuel is ruler, and they expand the idea of God's ...
  • This section of Isaiah on "The Lord's redemption of His servant [Israel]"(44:23-47:15) has included an announcement of redemption (44:23-28), the identification of the instrument of redemption, Cyrus (45:1-13), and a reminder...
  • The biblical records of the times in which Jeremiah ministered are 2 Kings 21-25 and 2 Chronicles 33-36. His contemporary prophets were Zephaniah and Habakkuk before the Exile, and Ezekiel and Daniel after it began.King Manas...
  • Jeremiah's purpose was to call his hearers to repentance in view of God's judgment on Judah, which would come soon from an army from the north (chs. 2-45). Judgment was coming because God's people had forsaken Yahweh and had ...
  • The Book of Jeremiah is not theologically organized in the sense that it develops a certain theological emphasis as it unfolds, as Isaiah does. Rather it presents certain theological truths in greater or lesser degree through...
  • I. Introduction ch. 1A. The introduction of Jeremiah 1:1-3B. The call of Jeremiah 1:4-191. The promise of divine enablement 1:4-102. Two confirming visions 1:11-19II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2-45A. Warnings of judgment on...
  • 1:4 The prophet now began speaking to his readers and telling them what the Lord had said to him. Throughout this book, an indication that the Lord had told Jeremiah something is often the sign of a new pericope, as here (cf....
  • The first series of prophetic announcements, reflections, and incidents that comprise this part of the book deals with Jeremiah's ministry to his own people.64The second main division of the book contains oracles against fore...
  • 6:22 Again Yahweh announced that people from a great and distant land would descend on Judah from the north.6:23 They would be cruel warriors riding on instruments of warfare shouting loud battle cries and making as much nois...
  • 8:18 The prospect of this catastrophic invasion overwhelmed Jeremiah with sorrow. It made him weak, and he could not get over his anguish.8:19 He could hear his people in captivity bitterly crying out. They longed for Jerusal...
  • This prophecy about Israel's neighbors anticipates chapters 46-51, which contain oracles against Gentile nations.12:14 The Lord promised to judge Judah's neighbor nations that had robbed His people of what the Lord had given ...
  • This is the first of several symbolic acts that Jeremiah performed to communicate divine messages (cf. 16:1-4; 18:1-12; 19:1-2, 10-11; 27:1-28:17; 32:1-15; 43:8-13; 51:59-64). Other prophets did the same thing (cf. Isa. 20:2-...
  • 25:15 The Lord instructed Jeremiah to take from His hand, figuratively, a cup of His wrath and to cause all the nations to whom the Lord would send him to drink from it. The cup is a common figure for the wrath of God in Scri...
  • 30:4 This oracle concerns all the Israelites, those of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.30:5-6 A time of great terror, dread, and unrest was coming. Men would behave as though they were in labor; they would hold themse...
  • In Jeremiah, prophecies concerning foreign nations come at the end of the book. In the other major prophets, Isaiah and Ezekiel, they come after oracles against Israel and or Judah and before oracles dealing with Israel's res...
  • This chapter on Egypt contains three separate prophecies that Jeremiah delivered about the fate of that nation. Their purpose seems to have been to discourage King Jehoiakim (609-598 B.C.) and the pro-Egyptian party in Judah ...
  • This oracle is similar to the one in Isaiah 15 and 16.555Other oracles against Moab appear in Ezekiel 25:8-11, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:9, but this is the longest one. It is very difficult to say when Jeremiah gave this or...
  • The Ammonites lived north of the Moabites, north of the Arnon River for most of their history, and east of the tribal territories of Gad and Reuben. However, the Ammonites had taken over some Israelite territory in Transjorda...
  • Jeremiah wrote almost as much about Babylon's future as he did about the futures of all the other nations in his other oracles combined. The length of this oracle reflects the great importance of Babylon in his ministry as we...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. London: Collier Macmillan Publishers; and New York: Macmillan Publishers Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The Archaeology of Palestine. Revis...
  • It is appropriate that this section appears at this point in Ezekiel, between the messages announcing judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for sin (chs. 4-24) and the messages announcing future blessings for Israel (chs. 33-48). I...
  • Ezekiel previously recorded an oracle against Ammon (21:28-32). Its placement there was evidently due to the presence of "sword of the Lord"terminology in that oracle, which the other prophecies in that chapter also contain.2...
  • 25:8 The residents of Moab and Seir (Edom) had regarded Judah as just one of the other nations even though the Judahites were blood relatives of theirs (cf. Jer. 48:27; Zeph. 2:8-9). This attitude reflected disrespect for Yah...
  • Ezekiel concluded his oracles against foreign nations with seven messages the Lord gave him concerning the fate of Egypt, one of Israel's most ancient and powerful enemies (cf. Isa. 31:1; Jer. 2:36; 46:1-26). God controls eve...
  • Of the seven oracles against Egypt, this is the only one that is undated. Most of the commentators assumed that Ezekiel gave it in 587 B.C., the same year as the first, second, and third oracles. But he could have given it in...
  • 30:20 Ezekiel received this oracle against Egypt in 587 B.C., less than four months after the Lord gave him the first oracle (29:1-16).30:21 Yahweh announced that He had broken Pharaoh's arm. It had not been set in a splint a...
  • This message expands on one event that will take place at the end of the invasion (cf. v. 4).39:17-18 The Lord also instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to the birds and beasts to come and feast on the flesh of the invaders who had...
  • 1:1 The book opens with a synopsis of the first Jewish deportation in 605 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 21:35; 2 Chron 28:2-3).25Daniel and his three friends were part of the nobles and royal families taken from Jerusalem as captives the...
  • 7:1 We have already read of two dreams that Nebuchadnezzar had (2:1; 4:5). Now God gave one to Daniel. It too was a vision from God that came to Daniel as he slept."In referring to the experience as a dream' (sing.) Daniel wa...
  • 7:15-16 Even though Daniel understood all kinds of visions and dreams (1:17), much of what he had just seen baffled and alarmed him (cf. 7:28). He now saw himself participating in the events of his vision. He evidently addres...
  • An oracle is a message of judgment. Amos proceeded to deliver eight of these, seven against Israel's neighbors including Judah (1:3-2:5) and one against Israel (2:6-6:14).12The order is significant. The nations mentioned firs...
  • 5:18 The prophet began his message by crying, "Alas"(Heb., hoy, woe, oh). This word announced coming doom, another funeral lament (cf. v. 1). Many Israelites in Amos' day were looking forward to a coming day of the Lord. Form...
  • 1:7 In view of the inevitability of coming judgment for idolatry, it was appropriate for the Judeans to be quiet before sovereign Yahweh (cf. Hab. 2:20)."This is a call to the people of Judah to cease every manner of oppositi...
  • Zephaniah's oracle against Ethiopia is very brief (cf. Isa. 18-20; Jer. 46; Ezek. 29-32).23Biblical Ethiopia occupied the territory now held by southern Egypt, Sudan, and northern Ethiopia. The Ethiopians were the southernmos...
  • The revelation of Satan's activity, which the song of the martyrs (vv. 10-12) interrupted, now resumes.12:13 Satan will concentrate his vengeance on Israelites during the Great Tribulation, under the sovereign control of God,...
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