Jeremiah 2:18

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

Complete Jewish Bible:

If you go to Egypt, what's in it for you? Drinking water from the Nile? If you go to Ashur, what's in it for you? Drinking water from the [Euphrates] River?

Berean Standard Bible:

Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

American Standard Version:

And now what hast thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? or what hast thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And now what hast thou to do in the way^{H1870} of Egypt^{H4714}, to drink^{H8354} the waters^{H4325} of Sihor^{H7883}? or what hast thou to do in the way^{H1870} of Assyria^{H804}, to drink^{H8354} the waters^{H4325} of the river^{H5104}?

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Jeremiah 2:18

Jeremiah 2:18 is a verse from the Old Testament prophetic book of Jeremiah, who was called to deliver God's messages to the people of Judah during a time of great political and spiritual upheaval, roughly around the 7th to 6th centuries BCE. This verse is part of a larger passage in which God, through the prophet Jeremiah, is chastising His people for their unfaithfulness and idolatry.

In this particular verse, God is questioning the people of Judah about their allegiances and alliances with Egypt and Assyria. The "waters of Sihor" refers to the Nile River in Egypt, while "the waters of the river" alludes to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Assyria (modern-day Iraq). These bodies of water were essential to the civilizations that flourished along their banks, providing life-sustaining water for agriculture and daily living. By asking what Judah has to do with these waters, God is metaphorically challenging the wisdom and benefit of seeking political and military alliances with these foreign nations instead of relying on Him.

The historical context of this verse is set against the backdrop of a period when Judah was sandwiched between these two great powers. Egypt to the southwest and Assyria (and later Babylon) to the northeast were often in conflict with each other, and Judah was caught in the middle, frequently swayed by political pressures to form alliances for protection and trade advantages. God is reminding the people of Judah that their security and prosperity should come from their covenant relationship with Him, rather than from these temporary and unreliable alliances with pagan nations.

The themes of Jeremiah 2:18 include God's sovereignty, the folly of misplaced trust, and the call to exclusive loyalty to the one true God. It underscores the idea that true life and sustenance come from God alone, and that turning away from Him to other sources of help is both spiritually detrimental and futile. This verse reflects the broader message of the book of Jeremiah, which emphasizes judgment for disobedience and the need for repentance and wholehearted devotion to God.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H1870
   There are 627 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דֶּרֶךְ
   Transliteration: derek
   Pronunciation: deh'-rek
   Description: from דָּרַךְ; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb; along, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).
   
2. Strong's Number: H4714
   There are 602 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִצְרַיִם
   Transliteration: Mitsrayim
   Pronunciation: mits-rah'-yim
   Description: dual of מָצוֹר; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt; Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.
   
3. Strong's Number: H8354
   There are 193 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁתָה
   Transliteration: shâthâh
   Pronunciation: shaw-thaw'
   Description: a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively); [idiom] assuredly, banquet, [idiom] certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk ([idiom] -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of שָׁקָה.)
   
4. Strong's Number: H4325
   There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַיִם
   Transliteration: mayim
   Pronunciation: mah'-yim
   Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
   
5. Strong's Number: H7883
   There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שִׁיחוֹר
   Transliteration: Shîychôwr
   Pronunciation: shee-khore'
   Description: or שִׁחוֹר; or שִׁחֹר; probably from שָׁחַר; dark, i.e. turbid; Shichor, a stream of Egypt; Shihor, Sihor.
   
6. Strong's Number: H804
   There are 340 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אַשּׁוּר
   Transliteration: ʼAshshûwr
   Pronunciation: ash-shoor'
   Description: or אַשֻּׁר; apparently from אָשַׁר (in the sense of successful); Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria), its region and its empire; Asshur, Assur, Assyria, Assyrians. See אָשֻׁר.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5104
   There are 109 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָהָר
   Transliteration: nâhâr
   Pronunciation: naw-hawr'
   Description: from נָהַר; a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity; flood, river.