1Was als Wort des Ewigen an Jirmejahu, den Gottbegeisteten, erging über die Völker: 2Über Mizraim, über das Heer Par'o Nechos, des Königs von Mizraim, das am Strom Perat in Karkemisch stand, welches Nebuchadrezzar, der König von Babel, schlug im vierten Jahr Jehojakims, des Sohnes Joschijahus, des Königs von Jehuda: 3«Bereitet Schild und Tartsche und tretet an zum Kampf! 4Schirrt an die Rosse sitzt auf, ihr Reiter stellt euch in Helmen macht blank die Lanzen legt an die Panzer! 5Was seh ich sie zagen zurück sie weichen ihre Helden zerschmettert zur Flucht sich stürzen sich nimmer wendend vor Grauen ringsum? Ist des Ewigen Spruch. 6Nicht entkomme der Schnelle nicht entrinne der Starke! Im Norden, am Perat-Strom sie stürzten, fielen. 7Wer ists, der ansteigt wie der Strom des Wasser wie die Flüsse wogen? 8Mizraim, ansteigts wie der Strom und wie die Flüsse drin die Wasser wogen. Es spricht: ,Ansteigen will ich, will das Land bedecken vernichten Stadt und Sassen drin!' 9Heran, ihr Rosse und tummelt euch, Wagen daß ausziehn die Helden Kusch da und Put, die Schilde führend die Ludier, im Griff den Bogen spannend. 10Und jener Tag ist für den Herrn den Gott der Scharen ein Tag der Rache an seinen Feinden sich zu rächen; da frißt das Schwert sich satt und trinkt an ihrem Blut sich voll. Denn eine Schlachtung hält der Herr der Gott der Scharen in Nordens Land am Strom Perat. 11Steig nach Gil'ad, hol Balsam Maid, Tochter Mizraims! Vergeblich häufst du Arzneien dir wird nicht Genesung! 12Es hören Völker deine Schmach und deines Jammers ist die Erde voll denn Krieger über Krieger stürzt zusammen beide fallen.» 13Das Wort, das der Ewige zu Jirmejahu, dem Gottbegeisteten, redete, als Nebuchadrezzar, der König von Babel, kam, das Land Mizraim zu schlagen: 14«Verkündet in Mizraim, ruft in Migdol aus ruft aus in Nof und Tahpanhes! Sprecht: Stell auf dich, sei bereit denn um dich frißt das Schwert. 15Warum sind deine Ritter fortgefegt? Sie hielten nicht, da sie der Ewge fortstieß! 16Viel ließ er straucheln ja, Mann stürzt über Mann sie sprechen: ,Auf! Kehren wir zu unserm Volk zurück in unser Heimatland vor dem würgenden Schwert!' 17Sie nannten dort Par'o, Mizraims König: Ein Brausen, das die Frist versäumte. 18,Ich lebe!' spricht der König der Ewige der Scharen ist sein Name daß wie der Tabor unter Bergen wie Karmel überm Meer es anrückt! 19Gerät zur Wandrung richte dir Maid, Sassin Mizraims denn Nof wird Ödnis werden wüst, ohne Wohner. 20Vielschöne Jungkuh Mizraim der Stecher kommt vom Norden, kommt. 21Auch ihre Söldlinge in ihr wie Kälber, gekoppelt ja, sie auch wenden sich sie fliehn allsamt sie halten nicht stand denn ihres Sturzes Tag kommt über sie die Zeit ihrer Ahndung. 22Horch! Wie wenn die Schlange kommt! Denn sie, mit Kriegsmacht kommen sie mit Äxten gehen sie sie an Holzhauern gleich 23sie hauen ihren Wald ist des Ewigen Spruch. Denn nicht zu messen ist es mehr als der Heuschreck sind sie sind ohne Zahl. 24Zuschanden wird Mizraims Tochter gegeben in des Nordvolks Hand. 25Gesprochen hat der Ewige der Scharen, der Gott Jisraëls: Sieh, ich suche heim den Amon von No, Par'o und Mizraim, seine Götter und seine Könige, Par'o und die auf ihn vertrauen, 26und gebe sie in die Hand derer, die ihnen nach dem Leben trachten, und in die Hand Nebuchadrezzars, des Königs von Babel, und seiner Diener. Doch nachher wird es bestehen wie in den Tagen der Vorzeit, ist des Ewigen Spruch. 27Du aber, fürchte nicht, mein Knecht Jaakob, und bange nicht, Jisraël, denn sieh, ich rette dich aus der Ferne und deinen Samen aus dem Land ihrer Gefangenschaft. Und Jaakob kehrt zurück und bleibt in Ruh und Sicherheit, und keiner schreckt auf. 28Du, fürchte nicht, mein Knecht Jaakob, ist des Ewigen Spruch, denn mit dir bin ich. Denn ich mache garaus allen Völkern, unter die ich dich verstoßen, doch dir mach ich nicht garaus. Aber ich werde dich nach dem Recht züchtigen und dich nicht frei ausgehn lassen.»
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE PROPHECIES, FORTY-SIXTH THROUGH FIFTY-SECOND CHAPTERS, REFER TO FOREIGN PEOPLES. (Jer. 46:1-28)
General heading of the next six chapters of prophecies concerning the Gentiles; the prophecies are arranged according to nations, not by the dates.
2 Inscription of the first prophecy.
Pharaoh-necho--He, when going against Carchemish (Cercusium, near the Euphrates), encountered Josiah, king of Judah (the ally of Assyria), at Megiddo, and slew him there (
2Kgs 23:29;
2Chr 35:20-24); but he was four years subsequently overcome at Carchemish, by Nebuchadnezzar, as is foretold here; and lost all the territory which had been subject to the Pharaohs west of the Euphrates, and between it and the Nile. The prediction would mitigate the Jews' grief for Josiah, and show his death was not to be unavenged (
2Kgs 24:7). He is famed as having fitted out a fleet of discovery from the Red Sea, which doubled the Cape of Good Hope and returned to Egypt by the Mediterranean.
3 Derisive summons to battle. With all your mighty preparation for the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, when ye come to the encounter, ye shall be "dismayed" (
Jer 46:5). Your mighty threats shall end in nothing.
buckler--smaller, and carried by the light-armed cavalry.
shield--of larger size, and carried by the heavily armed infantry.
4 Harness the horses--namely, to the war chariots, for which Egypt was famed (
Exod 14:7;
Exod 15:4).
get up, ye horsemen--get up into the chariots. MAURER, because of the parallel "horses," translates, "Mount the steeds." But it is rather describing the successive steps in equipping the war chariots; first harness the horses to them, then let the horsemen mount them.
brigandines--cuirasses, or coats of mail.
5 (See on
Jer 46:3). The language of astonishment, that an army so well equipped should be driven back in "dismay." The prophet sees this in prophetic vision.
fled apace--literally, "fled a flight," that is, flee precipitately.
look not back--They do not even dare to look back at their pursuers.
6 Let not--equivalent to the strongest negation. Let not any of the Egyptian warriors think to escape by swiftness or by might.
toward the north--that is, in respect to Egypt or Judea. In the northward region, by the Euphrates (see
Jer 46:2).
7 as a flood-- (
Jer 47:2;
Isa 8:7-
Isa 8:8;
Dan 11:22). The figure is appropriate in addressing Egyptians, as the Nile, their great river, yearly overspreads their lands with a turbid, muddy flood. So their army, swelling with arrogance, shall overspread the region south of Euphrates; but it, like the Nile, shall retreat as fast as it advanced.
8 Answer to the question in
Jer 46:7.
waters . . . moved like the rivers--The rise of the Nile is gentle; but at the mouth it, unlike most rivers, is much agitated, owing to the sandbanks impeding its course, and so it rushes into the sea like a cataract.
9 Ironical exhortation, as in
Jer 46:3. The Egyptians, owing to the heat of their climate and abstinence from animal food, were physically weak, and therefore employed mercenary soldiers.
Ethiopians--Hebrew, Cush: Abyssinia and Nubia.
Libyans--Phut, Mauritania, west of Egypt (compare
Gen 10:6).
shield--The Libyans borrowed from Egypt the use of the long shield extending to the feet [XENOPHON, Cyropćdia, 6 and 7].
Lydians--not the Lydians west of Asia Minor (
Gen 10:22;
Ezek 30:5), but the Ludim, an African nation descended from Egypt (Mizraim) (
Gen 10:13;
Ezek 30:5;
Nah 3:9).
handle and bend the bow--The employment of two verbs expresses the manner of bending the bow, namely, the foot being pressed on the center, and the hands holding the ends of it.
10 vengeance--for the slaughter of Josiah (
2Kgs 23:29).
sword shall devour . . . be . . . drunk--poetical personification (
Deut 32:42).
a sacrifice-- (
Isa 34:6;
Ezek 39:17). The slaughter of the Egyptians is represented as a sacrifice to satiate His righteous vengeance.
11 Gilead . . . balm--(See on
Jer 8:22); namely, for curing the wounds; but no medicine will avail, so desperate shall be the slaughter.
virgin--Egypt is so called on account of her effeminate luxury, and as having never yet been brought under foreign yoke.
thou shalt not be cured--literally, "there shall be no cure for thee" (
Jer 30:13;
Ezek 30:21). Not that the kingdom of Egypt should cease to exist, but it should not recover its former strength; the blow should be irretrievable.
12 mighty . . . stumbled against . . . mighty . . . fallen both together--Their very multitude shall prove an impediment in their confused flight, one treading on the other.
13 Prophecy of the invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, which took place sixteen years after the taking of Jerusalem. Having spent thirteen years in the siege of Tyre, and having obtained nothing for his pains, he is promised by God Egypt for his reward in humbling Tyre (
Ezek 29:17-
Ezek 29:20; Eze. 30:1-31:18). The intestine commotions between Amasis and Pharaoh-hophra prepared his way (compare Note, see on
Isa 19:1, &c.).
14 Declare . . . publish--as if giving sentence from a tribunal.
Migdol . . . Noph . . . Tahpanhes--east, south, and north. He mentions the three other quarters, but omits the west, because the Chaldeans did not advance thither. These cities, too, were the best known to the Jews, as being in their direction.
sword shall devour round about thee--namely, the Syrians, Jews, Moabites, and Ammonites (see on
Jer 48:1). The exhortation is ironical, as in
Jer 46:4,
Jer 46:10,
Jer 46:15.
15 thy valiant men--manuscripts, the Septuagint, and Vulgate read, "thy valiant one," Apis, the bull-shaped Egyptian idol worshipped at Noph or Memphis. The contrast thus is between the palpable impotence of the idol and the might attributed to it by the worshippers. The Hebrew term, "strong," or "valiant," is applied to bulls (
Ps 22:12). Cambyses in his invasion of Egypt destroyed the sacred bull.
drive them--(Compare
Jer 46:5). The Hebrew word is used of a sweeping rain (
Pro 28:3).
16 He--Jehovah.
made many to fall--literally, "multiplied the faller," that is, fallers.
one fell upon another-- (
Jer 46:6,
Jer 46:12): even before the enemy strikes them (
Lev 26:37).
let us go again to our own people--the language of the confederates and mercenaries, exhorting one another to desert the Egyptian standard, and return to their respective homes (
Jer 46:9,
Jer 46:21).
from the oppressing sword--from the cruel sword, namely, of the Chaldeans (compare
Jer 25:38).
17 there--in their own country severally, the foreign soldiers (
Jer 46:16) cry, "Pharaoh is," &c.
but a noise--He threatens great things, but when the need arises, he does nothing. His threats are mere "noise" (compare
1Cor 13:1). MAURER translates, "is ruined," literally (in appropriate abruptness of language), "Pharaoh, king . . . ruin." The context favors English Version. His vauntings of what he would do when the time of battle should come have proved to be empty sounds; he hath passed the time appointed (namely, for battle with the Chaldeans).
18 As the mountains Tabor and Carmel tower high above the other hills of Palestine, so Nebuchadnezzar (
Jer 46:26) when he comes shall prove himself superior to all his foes. Carmel forms a bold promontory jutting out into the Mediterranean. Tabor is the higher of the two; therefore it is said to be "among the mountains"; and Carmel "by the sea."
the King . . . Lord of hosts-- (
Jer 48:15); in contrast to "Pharaoh king of Egypt . . . but a noise" (
Jer 46:17). God the true "King . . . the Lord of hosts," shall cause Nebuchadnezzar to come. Whereas Pharaoh shall not come to battle at the time appointed, notwithstanding his boasts, Nebuchadnezzar shall come according to the prediction of the King, who has all hosts in His power, however ye Egyptians may despise the prediction.
19 furnish thyself--literally, "make for thyself vessels" (namely, to contain food and other necessaries for the journey) for captivity.
daughter--so in
Jer 46:11.
dwelling in Egypt--that is, the inhabitants of Egypt, the Egyptians, represented as the daughter of Egypt (
Jer 48:18;
2Kgs 19:21). "Dwelling" implies that they thought themselves to be securely fixed in their habitations beyond the reach of invasion.
20 heifer--wanton, like a fat, untamed heifer (
Hos 10:11). Appropriate to Egypt, where Apis was worshipped under the form of a fair bull marked with spots.
destruction--that is, a destroyer: Nebuchadnezzar. Vulgate translates, "a goader," answering to the metaphor, "one who will goad the heifer" and tame her. The Arabic idiom favors this [ROSENMULLER].
cometh . . . cometh--The repetition implies, it cometh surely and quickly (
Ps 96:13).
out of the north--(See on
Jer 1:14;
Jer 47:2).
21 Translate, "Also her hired men (mercenary soldiers,
Jer 46:9,
Jer 46:16), who are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks, even they also are turned back," that is, shall turn their backs to flee. The same image, "heifer . . . bullocks" (
Jer 46:20-
Jer 46:21), is applied to Egypt's foreign mercenaries, as to herself. Pampered with the luxuries of Egypt, they become as enervated for battle as the natives themselves.
22 The cry of Egypt when invaded shall be like the hissing of a serpent roused by the woodcutters from its lair. No longer shall she loudly roar like a heifer, but with a low murmur of fear, as a serpent hissing.
with axes--the Scythian mode of armor. The Chaldeans shall come with such confidence as if not about to have to fight with soldiers, but merely to cut down trees offering no resistance.
23 her forest-- (
Isa 10:34).
though it cannot be searched--They cut down her forest, dense and unsearchable (
Job 5:9;
Job 9:10;
Job 36:26) as it may seem: referring to the thickly set cities of Egypt, which were at that time a thousand and twenty. The Hebrew particle is properly, "for," "because."
because--the reason why the Chaldeans shall be able to cut down so dense a forest of cities as Egypt: they themselves are countless in numbers.
grasshoppers--locusts (
Judg 6:5).
25 multitude--Hebrew, "Amon" (
Nah 3:8, Margin, "No-Ammon"), the same as Thebes or Diospolis in Upper Egypt, where Jupiter Ammon had his famous temple. In English Version, "multitude" answers to "populous No" (
Nah 3:8;
Ezek 30:15). The reference to "their gods" which follows, makes the translation more likely, "Ammon of No," that is, No and her idol Ammon; so the Chaldee Version. So called either from Ham, the son of Noah; or, the "nourisher," as the word means.
their kings--the kings of the nations in league with Egypt.
26 afterward . . . inhabited--Under Cyrus forty years after the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, it threw off the Babylonian yoke but has never regained its former prowess (
Jer 46:11;
Ezek 29:11-
Ezek 29:15).
27 Repeated from
Jer 30:10-
Jer 30:11. When the Church (and literal Israel) might seem utterly consumed, there still remains hidden hope, because God, as it were, raises His people from the dead (
Rom 11:15). Whereas the godless "nations" are consumed even though they survive, as are the Egyptians after their overthrow; because they are radically accursed and doomed [CALVIN].