Jeremiah 46:6

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.

Complete Jewish Bible:

"The swift cannot flee, nor the heroes escape. In the north, by the Euphrates River, they have stumbled and fallen."

Berean Standard Bible:

“The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.

American Standard Version:

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled and fallen.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Let not the swift^{H7031} flee away^{H5127}, nor the mighty man^{H1368} escape^{H4422}; they shall stumble^{H3782}, and fall^{H5307} toward the north^{H6828} by^{H3027} the river^{H5104} Euphrates^{H6578}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Jeremiah 46:6

Jeremiah 46:6 is part of the prophetic book of Jeremiah, which contains oracles and messages primarily concerning the judgment of Judah and the city of Jerusalem for their idolatry and disobedience to God. However, this particular verse is situated within a section of the book that deals with prophecies against foreign nations, specifically Egypt.

In the historical context, Jeremiah 46:6 speaks to the impending doom of Egypt at the hands of the Babylonians, who were a dominant force in the ancient Near East during the 7th and 6th centuries BCE. The verse vividly depicts the futility of Egypt's attempts to escape or resist the advancing Babylonian army. The command "Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape" suggests that no one, regardless of their speed or strength, will be able to evade the coming destruction. The phrase "they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates" indicates the direction from which the Babylonian forces would come and also the location where Egypt's defeat would occur—a significant distance from their homeland, emphasizing the totality of their defeat.

The themes present in this verse include divine judgment, the sovereignty of God over nations, and the helplessness of human strength in the face of divine will. It serves as a warning that God's power extends beyond His chosen people to all nations, and that He uses other nations as instruments of His judgment. The verse also highlights the theme of humility before God, as human pride and military might are shown to be ineffective against the plans of the Almighty. This passage would have been a sobering reminder to the people of Judah as well, that they should not place their trust in alliances with foreign powers like Egypt, but rather in God's providence and righteousness.

*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: H7031
   There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קַל
   Transliteration: qal
   Pronunciation: kal
   Description: contracted from קָלַל; light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial); light, swift(-ly).
   
2. Strong's Number: H5127
   There are 143 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נוּס
   Transliteration: nûwç
   Pronunciation: noos
   Description: a primitive root; to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver); [idiom] abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, [idiom] hide, lift up a standard.
   
3. Strong's Number: H1368
   There are 152 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: גִּבּוֹר
   Transliteration: gibbôwr
   Pronunciation: ghib-bore'
   Description: or גִּבֹּר; (shortened) intensive from the same as גֶּבֶר; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant; champion, chief, [idiom] excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one), strong (man), valiant man.
   
4. Strong's Number: H4422
   There are 85 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָלַט
   Transliteration: mâlaṭ
   Pronunciation: maw-lat'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparks; deliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone, let go, preserve, save, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] surely.
   
5. Strong's Number: H3782
   There are 59 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כָּשַׁל
   Transliteration: kâshal
   Pronunciation: kaw-shal'
   Description: a primitive root; to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall; bereave (from the margin), cast down, be decayed, (cause to) fail, (cause, make to) fall (down, -ing), feeble, be (the) ruin(-ed, of), (be) overthrown, (cause to) stumble, [idiom] utterly, be weak.
   
6. Strong's Number: H5307
   There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָפַל
   Transliteration: nâphal
   Pronunciation: naw-fal'
   Description: a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative); be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for פָּלַל), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down.
   
7. Strong's Number: H6828
   There are 141 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: צָפוֹן
   Transliteration: tsâphôwn
   Pronunciation: tsaw-fone'
   Description: or צָפֹן; from צָפַן; properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as aquarter (gloomy and unknown); north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).
   
8. Strong's Number: H3027
   There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָד
   Transliteration: yâd
   Pronunciation: yawd
   Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
   
9. 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.
   
10. Strong's Number: H6578
    There are 19 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פְּרָת
    Transliteration: Pᵉrâth
    Pronunciation: per-awth'
    Description: from an unused root meaning to break forth; rushing; Perath (i.e. Euphrates), a river of the East; Euphrates.