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Text -- Jeremiah 2:18 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
2:18 What good will it do you then to go down to Egypt to seek help from the Egyptians? What good will it do you to go over to Assyria to seek help from the Assyrians?
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:
 · Assyria a member of the nation of Assyria
 · Egypt descendants of Mizraim
 · Euphrates a large river which joins the Tigris river before flowing into the Persian Gulf,a river flowing from eastern Turkey to the Persian Gulf
 · Nile a river that flows north through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea


Dictionary Themes and Topics: Sin | Sihor | Nile | Kidron | GIHON (2) | Euphrates | Confidence | Church | ATHEISM | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Jer 2:18 - -- What business hast thou there? Sihor - The Nile: it signifies black, called Melas by the Greeks, either from the blackness of the land it passed throu...

What business hast thou there? Sihor - The Nile: it signifies black, called Melas by the Greeks, either from the blackness of the land it passed through, or of the soil it casts up.

Wesley: Jer 2:18 - -- Here and by the same words before is meant, to seek help from either place.

Here and by the same words before is meant, to seek help from either place.

Wesley: Jer 2:18 - -- Euphrates, often called so by way of eminency.

Euphrates, often called so by way of eminency.

JFB: Jer 2:18 - -- Used in a reasoning sense, not of time.

Used in a reasoning sense, not of time.

JFB: Jer 2:18 - -- What hast thou to do with the way, that is, with going down to Egypt; or what . . . with going to Assyria?

What hast thou to do with the way, that is, with going down to Egypt; or what . . . with going to Assyria?

JFB: Jer 2:18 - -- That is, to seek reinvigorating aid from them; so Jer 2:13, Jer 2:36; compare "waters," meaning numerous forces (Isa 8:7).

That is, to seek reinvigorating aid from them; so Jer 2:13, Jer 2:36; compare "waters," meaning numerous forces (Isa 8:7).

JFB: Jer 2:18 - -- That is, the black river, in Greek, Melas ("black"), the Nile: so called from the black deposit or soil it leaves after the inundation (Isa 23:3). The...

That is, the black river, in Greek, Melas ("black"), the Nile: so called from the black deposit or soil it leaves after the inundation (Isa 23:3). The Septuagint identifies it with Gihon, one of the rivers of Paradise.

JFB: Jer 2:18 - -- Euphrates, called by pre-eminence, the river; figurative for the Assyrian power. In 625 B.C., the seventeenth year of Josiah, and the fourth of Jeremi...

Euphrates, called by pre-eminence, the river; figurative for the Assyrian power. In 625 B.C., the seventeenth year of Josiah, and the fourth of Jeremiah's office, the kingdom of Assyria fell before Babylon, therefore Assyria is here put for Babylon its successor: so in 2Ki 23:29; Lam 5:6. There was doubtless a league between Judea and Assyria (that is, Babylon), which caused Josiah to march against Pharaoh-necho of Egypt when that king went against Babylon: the evil consequences of this league are foretold in this verse and Jer 2:36.

Clarke: Jer 2:18 - -- What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt - Why dost thou make alliances with Egypt

What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt - Why dost thou make alliances with Egypt

Clarke: Jer 2:18 - -- To drink the waters of Sihor? - This means the Nile. See on Isa 23:3 (note)

To drink the waters of Sihor? - This means the Nile. See on Isa 23:3 (note)

Clarke: Jer 2:18 - -- The way of Assyria - Why make alliances with the Assyrians? All such connections will only expedite thy ruin

The way of Assyria - Why make alliances with the Assyrians? All such connections will only expedite thy ruin

Clarke: Jer 2:18 - -- To drink the waters of the river? - The Euphrates, as נהר nahar or הנהר hannahar always means Euphrates, the country between the Tigris...

To drink the waters of the river? - The Euphrates, as נהר nahar or הנהר hannahar always means Euphrates, the country between the Tigris and Euphrates, is termed to this day Maher alnahar, "the country beyond the river,"i.e., Mesopotamia

Instead of cleaving to the Lord, they joined affinity and made alliances with those two nations, who were ever jealous of them, and sought their ruin. Egypt was to them a broken reed instead of a staff; Assyria was a leaky cistern, from which they could derive no help.

Calvin: Jer 2:18 - -- As I have just stated, the Prophet confirms what I said, — that the people could not ascribe the cause of their evils to others; for they ought to ...

As I have just stated, the Prophet confirms what I said, — that the people could not ascribe the cause of their evils to others; for they ought to have imputed to themselves whatever they suffered; and at the same time their sin was doubled, because they looked here and there for vain remedies, and thus accumulated for themselves new causes of misery; for they ought to have acknowledged no other remedy for their evils except reconciliation with God. If, for instance, any one being ill knew the cause of his disease, and instead of adopting the true remedy had recourse to some vain expedients injurious to his recovery, is he not deemed worthy to die for having willfully despised what might have healed him, and for indulging himself in what is deceptive and fallacious? The same thing does Jeremiah now reprove in the people of Israel. “If you carefully inquire,” saith God, “how it is that you are so miserable, you will find that this cannot be ascribed to me, but to your own sins. Now, then, what ought you to have done? what remedy ought you to have sought, except to reconcile yourselves to me, to seek pardon from me, and to strive to correct your wickedness? I would then have immediately healed you; and had you come to me, you would have found me the best physician. And why do you now act in a way quite contrary? for you run after vain helps; now you flee to Egypt, then you flee to Assyria; but you will gain nothing by these expedients.” We now understand the object of the Prophet. For after having proved the people to be guilty of impiety, and shewn that the evils which they suffered could be ascribed neither to God nor to chance, nor to any such causes, he now shews to them, that the one true remedy was to return into favor with God; but that it was an evidence of extreme madness to run now to Egypt, and then to Assyria.

Now this reproof is supported by history; for the people had at one time the Assyrians as their enemies, and at another the Egyptians; and the changes were many. God employed different scourges to awaken the sottishness of the people; at one time, he whistled for the Egyptians, as we shall presently see; at another, he blew the trumpet in Assyria: so that the Israelites might know that they could never be safe without being under the government of God. But all these things being overlooked, such was the blindness of the people, that when they were assailed by the Assyrians, they fled to Egypt and sought aid from the Egyptians, and entered into a treaty with them; afterwards, when a change occurred, they sought a treaty with the Assyrians, and also bought it at a high price.

This madness is what the Prophet now reprobates, when he says, What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt? that is, “What advantage dost thou gain? How great is thy folly, since thou knowest that God is angry with thee, and that thou art suffering many evils? God is adverse to thee, and yet thou thinkest nothing of reconciliation. Thy healing would be to flee to God and to be reconciled to him; but what dost thou now do? Thou fleest to the Assyrians and to the Egyptians. How wretched is thy condition, and how great is thy folly in thus wearying thyself without any advantage!”

Now we may learn from this passage, that whenever God chastises us for our sins, we ought to seek a remedy, and not to rest in those vain comforts which Satan often suggests; for such charms introduce drowsiness, and healable diseases are by such means rendered fatal. What then ought we to do? We ought, as soon as we feel the scourges of God, to seek to return into favor with him; and not in vain shall be our effort. But if we look around us in all directions for help, our evils shall not be lessened but increased. To drink the waters of the Nile, and to drink the waters of Euphrates, is nothing else but to seek aids here and there.

He indeed alludes to the legations which had been sent; for they who went to Egypt drank of the waters of the Nile, and others of Euphrates. He yet speaks metaphorically, as though he had said, “God was ready to help thee, hadst thou betaken thyself to his mercy as thine asylum; but having neglected him, thou thoughtest it more advantageous to have such aids as Egypt and Assyria could bring. Thou thus seekest drink in remote countries, while God could give thee waters.” And he seems to refer to the similitude which he had shortly before used: he had called God the fountain of living waters; as though he had said, “God is to thee a refreshing and perennial fountain, and there would be abundance of waters for thee wert thou satisfied with him; but thy desire is to drink the waters of the Nile, and the waters of the Euphrates.” 44 We now then perceive the meaning of the Prophet.

He, no doubt, speaks of the waters of the Nile and of the Euphrates, because both those nations abounded apparently in wealth and power and in military forces. As, then, the people of Israel trusted in such auxiliaries, the Prophet here reproves their ingratitude, because they were not content with God’s help, though that was not so visible and conspicuous. God, indeed, has help sufficient for us; and were we content with him alone, no doubt an abundance of good things would to a full satisfaction be given to us; and as he is not wearied in doing good, he would supply us with whatever is desirable: but as we cannot see his beneficence with carnal eyes, we are therefore carried away after the allurements of the world. We may hence learn that we are not to seek drink either from the Nile or from the Euphrates, that is, from the enticing things of the world, which make a great shew and display; but that we are, on the contrary, to drink from the hidden fountain which is concealed from us, in order that we may seek it by faith. It now follows —

TSK: Jer 2:18 - -- what hast : Jer 2:36, Jer 37:5-10; Isa 30:1-7, Isa 31:1; Lam 4:17; Eze 17:15; Hos 7:11 Sihor : Jos 13:3 or what hast : 2Ki 16:7-9; 2Ch 28:20,2Ch 28:21...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Jer 2:18 - -- Sihor - The Nile. To lean upon Egypt was a violation of the principles of theocracy. The two rivers are the two empires, and to drink their wat...

Sihor - The Nile. To lean upon Egypt was a violation of the principles of theocracy.

The two rivers are the two empires, and to drink their waters is to adopt their principles and religion. Compare also Isa 8:6-7.

Poole: Jer 2:18 - -- What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt? what business hast thou there? or what dost thou expect from thence? or what need hast thou to go or send m...

What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt? what business hast thou there? or what dost thou expect from thence? or what need hast thou to go or send messengers thither, if thou wouldst but keep close to me?

Sihor viz. Nilus; it signifies black, from whence called Melas by the Greeks, either from the blackness of the land it passed through, or of the soil it casteth up. See on Isa 23:3 .

To drink the waters: here, and by the same words before, is meant, to seek help from either place, noting their strength, Isa 8:6 . A metaphorical allegory, wherein God minds them of two of their broken cisterns, and shows them their folly to go so far when they might have been better supplied nearer home; as if God were not able to help them. Compare Jer 2:36 . The river, i.e. Euphrates, often called so by way of eminency; the chief river of Assyria, Isa 7:20 .

Haydock: Jer 2:18 - -- Troubled. Hebrew shichor, or Nile water, (Josue xiii. 3.) which was thought as good as wine, and grew better for keeping. (Strabo xvii.) --- H...

Troubled. Hebrew shichor, or Nile water, (Josue xiii. 3.) which was thought as good as wine, and grew better for keeping. (Strabo xvii.) ---

Hence the people adored it. (Vitruvius viii.) ---

God often reproached the Jews for distrusting in his protection, and seeking aid from the Egyptians, who deceived them. We know not that Josias did so. (Calmet) ---

He even opposed them, and lost his life in defending the country, 4 Kings xxiii. 29. (Haydock) ---

He was probably obliged to pay tribute to the Assyrians, whom Achaz had called in, 2 Paralipomenon xxviii. 23. These alliances the Lord condemned.

Gill: Jer 2:18 - -- And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt,.... By worshipping of idols, in imitation of them; or by sending ambassadors thither for help, when ...

And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt,.... By worshipping of idols, in imitation of them; or by sending ambassadors thither for help, when they had their Lord, their God, so nigh, had they not forsaken him; nor had Josiah any business to go out against Pharaohnecho, 2Ch 35:21 and, contrary to the express word of God by the Prophet Jeremy, did the Jews which remained in Judea go into Egypt, Jer 42:19.

To drink the waters of Sihor? which is the river Nile, as Jarchi interprets it. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it "the waters of Geon", or "Gihon": and this also is the same with the Nile, as Josephus k affirms, who says,

"Geon, which runs through Egypt, is the same which the Greeks call Nile.''

So Jerom l from Eusebius,

"Geon is a river, which with the Egyptians is called Nile.''

The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "troubled water"; and such were the waters of the Nile, which had its name of Sihor from the blackness of it; and hence, by the Greeks m, was called Melas; and by the Latines n, Melo. Hence, as Braunius o observes, it was represented by a black stone, as other rivers by a white one; for which reason the black colour was very grateful to the Egyptians; and for the same reason Osiris, which is the very Nile itself, was reckoned black; and the ox Apis they worshipped was a black one, at least part of it, and was covered with black linen cloth; and its priests were also clothed in black, hence called Chemarim, Hos 10:5.

Or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria; to go after their idolatrous practices, or to send to them for help; for this was the usual method of the Jews; when the Assyrians oppressed them, then they sent to Egypt for help; and when the Egyptians were upon them, then they applied to the Assyrians; and in both cases acted wrong, for they ought to have sought the Lord their God only:

to drink the waters of the river? of the river Euphrates. The sense is, that they preferred the waters of the Nile and of Euphrates, or the gods of the Egyptians and Assyrians, or the help of these people, before the Lord, the fountain of living waters, and his worship and powerful help. The Targum paraphrases this last clause thus,

"why do ye make covenant with the Assyrian, to carry you captive beyond the river Euphrates?''

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Jer 2:18 Heb “to drink water from the River [a common designation in biblical Hebrew for the Euphrates River].” This refers to seeking help through...

Geneva Bible: Jer 2:18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of ( c ) Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the wate...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Jer 2:1-37 - --1 God having shewed his former kindness, expostulates with the Jews on their causeless and unexampled revolt.14 They are the causes of their own calam...

MHCC: Jer 2:14-19 - --Is Israel a servant? No, they are the seed of Abraham. We may apply this spiritually: Is the soul of man a slave? No, it is not; but has sold its own ...

Matthew Henry: Jer 2:14-19 - -- The prophet, further to evince the folly of their forsaking God, shows them what mischiefs they had already brought upon themselves by so doing; it ...

Keil-Delitzsch: Jer 2:14-19 - -- By this double sin Israel has drawn on its own head all the evil that has befallen it. Nevertheless it will not cease its intriguing with the heathe...

Constable: Jer 2:1--45:5 - --II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2--45 The first series of prophetic announcements, reflections, and incidents th...

Constable: Jer 2:1--25:38 - --A. Warnings of judgment on Judah and Jerusalem chs. 2-25 Chapters 2-25 contain warnings and appeals to t...

Constable: Jer 2:1--6:30 - --1. Warnings of coming punishment because of Judah's guilt chs. 2-6 Most of the material in this ...

Constable: Jer 2:1-37 - --Yahweh's indictment of His people for their sins ch. 2 "The whole chapter has strong rem...

Constable: Jer 2:14-19 - --Israel's perverse conduct 2:14-19 Perverse conduct was the consequence of Israel's apostasy and infidelity, and it led to slavery. 2:14-15 Israel was ...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) JEREMIAH, son of Hilkiah, one of the ordinary priests, dwelling in Anathoth of Benjamin (Jer 1:1), not the Hilkiah the high priest who discovered the ...

JFB: Jeremiah (Outline) EXPOSTULATION WITH THE JEWS, REMINDING THEM OF THEIR FORMER DEVOTEDNESS, AND GOD'S CONSEQUENT FAVOR, AND A DENUNCIATION OF GOD'S COMING JUDGMENTS FOR...

TSK: Jeremiah 2 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Jer 2:1, God having shewed his former kindness, expostulates with the Jews on their causeless and unexampled revolt; Jer 2:14, They are t...

Poole: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH THE ARGUMENT IT was the great unhappiness of this prophet to be a physician to, but that could not save, a dying sta...

Poole: Jeremiah 2 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 2 God’ s numerous and continued mercies render the Jews in their idolatry inexcusable, and unparalleled in any nation; and themselves ...

MHCC: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) Jeremiah was a priest, a native of Anathoth, in the tribe of Benjamin. He was called to the prophetic office when very young, about seventy years afte...

MHCC: Jeremiah 2 (Chapter Introduction) (Jer 2:1-8) God expostulates with his people. (Jer 2:9-13) Their revolt beyond example. (Jer 2:14-19) Guilt the cause of sufferings. (Jer 2:20-28) ...

Matthew Henry: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah The Prophecies of the Old Testament, as the Epistles of the New, are p...

Matthew Henry: Jeremiah 2 (Chapter Introduction) It is probable that this chapter was Jeremiah's first sermon after his ordination; and a most lively pathetic sermon it is as any we have is all th...

Constable: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The title of this book derives from its writer, the late seventh an...

Constable: Jeremiah (Outline) Outline I. Introduction ch. 1 A. The introduction of Jeremiah 1:1-3 B. T...

Constable: Jeremiah Jeremiah Bibliography Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. London: C...

Haydock: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) THE PROPHECY OF JEREMIAS. INTRODUCTION. Jeremias was a priest, a native of Anathoth, a priestly city, in the tribe of Benjamin, and was sanct...

Gill: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH The title of the book in the Vulgate Latin version is, "the Prophecy of Jeremiah"; in the Syriac and Arabic versions, "the...

Gill: Jeremiah 2 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 2 This chapter contains the prophet's message from the Lord to the people of the Jews; in which they are reminded of their...

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