TRV
Translation
King James Version
For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
KJV (with Strong's)
For this is the day H3117 of the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts H6635, a day H3117 of vengeance H5360, that he may avenge H5358 him of his adversaries H6862: and the sword H2719 shall devour H398, and it shall be satiate H7646 and made drunk H7301 with their blood H1818: for the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts H6635 hath a sacrifice H2077 in the north H6828 country H776 by the river H5104 Euphrates H6578.
Complete Jewish Bible
For on that day Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot will have a day of vengeance for avenging himself on his enemies. The sword will destroy, have its fill, be made drunk on their blood. Yes, Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot decrees slaughter in the land to the north by the Euphrates River.
Berean Standard Bible
For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
American Standard Version
For that day is a day of the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
World English Bible Messianic
For that day is of the Lord, the LORD of Hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, the LORD of Hosts, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For this is the day of ye Lord God of hostes, and a day of vengeance, that he may auenge him of his enemies: for the sworde shall deuoure, and it shall be saciate, and made drunke with their blood: for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the North countrey by the Riuer Perath.
Young's Literal Translation
And that day is to the Lord Jehovah of Hosts A day of vengeance, To be avenged of His adversaries, And the sword hath devoured, and been satisfied, And it hath been watered from their blood, For a sacrifice is to the Lord Jehovah of Hosts, In the land of the north, by the river Phrat.
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Commentary on Jeremiah 46 verses 1–12
1 ¶ The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;
2 Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.
3 Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.
4 Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines.
5 Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.
6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.
7 Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?
8 Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.
9 Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
11 Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.
12 ¶ The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together.
The first verse is the title of that part of this book, which relates to the neighbouring nations, and follows here. It is the word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah against the Gentiles; for God is King and Judge of nations, knows and will call to an account those who know him not nor take any notice of him. Both Isaiah and Ezekiel prophesied against these nations that Jeremiah here has a separate saying to, and with reference to the same events. In the Old Testament we have the word of the Lord against the Gentiles; in the New Testament we have the word of the Lord for the Gentiles, that those who were afar off are made nigh.
He begins with Egypt, because they were of old Israel's oppressors and of late their deceivers, when they put confidence in them. In these verses he foretells the overthrow of the army of Pharaoh-necho, by Nebuchadnezzar, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, which was so complete a victory to the king of Babylon that thereby he recovered from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of Egypt, and so weakened him that he came not again any more out of his land (as we find, Kg2 24:7), and so made him pay dearly for his expedition against the king of Assyria four years before, in which he slew Josiah, Kg2 23:29. This is the event that is here foretold in lofty expressions of triumph over Egypt thus foiled, which Jeremiah would speak of with a particular pleasure, because the death of Josiah, which he had lamented, was now avenged on Pharaoh-necho. Now here,
I. The Egyptians are upbraided with the mighty preparations they made for this expedition, in which the prophet calls to them to do their utmost, for so they would: "Come then, order the buckler, let the weapons of war be got ready," Jer 46:3. Egypt was famous for horses - let them be harnessed and the cavalry well mounted: Get up, you horsemen, and stand forth, etc., Jer 46:4. See what preparations the children of men make, with abundance of care and trouble and at a vast expense, to kill one another, as if they did not die fast enough of themselves. He compares their marching out upon this expedition to the rising of their river Nile (Jer 46:7, Jer 46:8): Egypt now rises up like a flood, scorning to keep within its own banks and threatening to overflow all the neighbouring lands. It is a very formidable army that the Egyptians bring into the field upon this occasion. The prophet summons them (Jer 46:9): Come up, you horses; rage, you chariots. He challenges them to bring all their confederate troops together, the Ethiopians, that descended from the same stock with the Egyptians (Gen 10:6), and were their neighbours and allies, the Libyans and Lydians, both seated in Africa, to the west of Egypt, and from them the Egyptians fetched their auxiliary forces. Let them strengthen themselves with all the art and interest they have, yet it shall be all in vain; they shall be shamefully defeated notwithstanding, for God will fight against them, and against him there is no wisdom nor counsel, Pro 21:30, Pro 21:31. It concerns those that go forth to war not only to order the buckler, and harness the horses, but to repent of their sins, and pray to God for his presence with them, and that they may have it to keep themselves from every wicked thing.
II. They are upbraided with the great expectations they had from this expedition, which were quite contrary to what God intended in bringing them together. They knew their own thoughts, and God knew them, and sat in heaven and laughed at them,; but they knew not the thoughts of the Lord, for he gathers them as sheaves into the floor, Mic 4:11, Mic 4:12. Egypt saith (Jer 46:8): I will go up; I will cover the earth, and none shall hinder me; I will destroy the city, whatever city it is that stands in my way. Like Pharaoh of old, I will pursue, I will overtake. The Egyptians say that they shall have a day of it, but God saith that it shall be his day: The is the day of the Lord God of hosts (Jer 46:10), the day in which he will be exalted in the overthrow of the Egyptians. They meant one thing, but God meant another; they designed it for the advancement of their dignity and the enlargement of their dominion, but God designed it for the great abasement and weakening of their kingdom. It is a day of vengeance for Josiah's death; it is a day of sacrifice to divine justice, to which multitudes of the sinners of Egypt shall fall as victims. Note, When men think to magnify themselves by pushing on unrighteous enterprises, let them expect that God will glorify himself by blasting them and cutting them off.
III. They are upbraided with their cowardice and inglorious flight when they come to an engagement (Jer 46:5, Jer 46:6): "Wherefore have I seen them, notwithstanding all these mighty and vast preparations and all these expressions of bravery and resolution, when the Chaldean army faces them, dismayed, turned back, quite disheartened, and no spirit left in them." 1. They make a shameful retreat. Even their mighty ones, who, one would think, should have stood their ground, flee a flight, flee by consent, make the best of their way, flee in confusion and with the utmost precipitation; they have neither time nor heart to look back, but fear is round about them, for they apprehend it so. And yet, 2. They cannot make their escape. They have the shame of flying, and yet not the satisfaction of saving themselves by flight; they might as well have stood their ground and died upon the spot; for even the swift shall not flee away. The lightness of their heels shall fail them when it comes to the trial, as well as the stoutness of their hearts; the mighty shall not escape, nay, they are beaten down and broken to pieces. They shall stumble in their flight, and fall towards the north, towards their enemy's country; for such confusion were they in when they took to their feet that instead of making homeward, as men usually do in that case, they made forward. Note, The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong. Valiant men are not always victorious.
IV. They are upbraided with their utter inability ever to recover this blow, which should be fatal to their nation, Jer 46:11, Jer 46:12. The damsel, the daughter of Egypt, that lived in great pomp and state, is sorely wounded by this defeat. Let her now seek for balm in Gilead and physicians there; let her use all the medicines her wise men can prescribe for the healing of this hurt, and the repairing of the loss sustained by this defeat; but all in vain; no cure shall be to them; they shall never be able to bring such a powerful army as this into the field again. "The nations that rang of thy glory and strength have now heard of thy shame, how shamefully thou wast routed and how thou are weakened by it." It needs not be spread by the triumphs of the conquerors, the shrieks and outcries of the conquered will proclaim it: Thy cry hath filled the country about. For, when they fled several ways, one mighty man stumbled upon another and dashed against another, such confusion were they in, so that both together became a pray to the pursuers, an easy prey. A thousand such dreadful accidents there should be, which should fill the country with the cry of those that were overcome. Let not the mighty man therefore glory in his might, for the time may come when it will stand him in no stead.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–12. Public domain.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 46:10 presents a vivid and chilling portrayal of divine judgment, specifically foretelling the decisive defeat of the Egyptian army by Babylon at the Battle of Carchemish. This pivotal event is dramatically declared "the day of the Lord GOD of hosts," a divinely appointed time of vengeance where the sword will consume and be utterly sated with blood. The immense slaughter is grimly likened to a "sacrifice" offered to the Lord in the "north country by the river Euphrates," underscoring God's absolute sovereignty over nations and His unwavering commitment to executing justice through devastating acts of war.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 46:10 is strategically placed within a major prophetic oracle against Egypt, specifically Jeremiah chapter 46. This chapter serves as the opening segment of a larger collection of prophecies against foreign nations found in Jeremiah 46-51. The inclusion of these oracles underscores Yahweh's universal dominion, demonstrating that His authority extends far beyond Judah to encompass all the powerful empires of the ancient world. The verses immediately preceding verse 10 (Jeremiah 46:1-9) vividly depict the Egyptian military's impressive preparations for battle—their chariots, horses, and mighty warriors—only to declare their inevitable and humiliating flight. Verse 10, therefore, functions as the theological interpretation of this military disaster, framing it not merely as a geopolitical outcome but as a divinely ordained act of judgment, a specific "day of the Lord." The subsequent verses continue to elaborate on Egypt's humiliation and the Lord's active role in orchestrating their downfall, ultimately leading to a prophecy of Egypt's future restoration under different, divinely determined terms.
Historical & Cultural Context: The historical setting for Jeremiah 46:10 is the momentous Battle of Carchemish, which took place in 605 BC. This confrontation, explicitly located "in the north country by the river Euphrates," was a decisive clash between the ascendant Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar and the Egyptian forces led by Pharaoh Necho II. Necho had previously defeated Josiah of Judah at Megiddo and was attempting to support the remnants of the Assyrian Empire against the rapidly expanding Babylonian power. The overwhelming Babylonian victory at Carchemish effectively ended Egypt's long-standing dominance in the Near East and firmly established Babylon as the undisputed regional hegemon. This shift in power had profound and immediate implications for Judah, bringing them directly under Babylonian suzerainty, which ultimately culminated in the Babylonian exile. Culturally, the concept of a "day of the Lord" was a deeply ingrained prophetic motif in ancient Israel, understood as a specific time of God's decisive intervention in history, often bringing severe judgment upon His enemies and vindication for His people. However, it could also signify judgment upon Israel itself for its unfaithfulness, as powerfully articulated in Amos 5:18-20. The imagery of a "sacrifice" (Hebrew: zebach) in this context is a grim and ironic inversion of typical cultic offerings, transforming the battlefield into a sacrificial altar and the slain soldiers into victims offered to satisfy God's righteous justice.
Key Themes: Jeremiah 46:10 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prominent within the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic corpus. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment and Vengeance. God is not a passive observer of human affairs but actively intervenes in history to execute His righteous judgment against nations that defy His will or oppress His people. The explicit declaration of "a day of vengeance" underscores God's attribute as a just judge who personally avenges Himself against His adversaries. Secondly, the phrase "the day of the Lord GOD of hosts" is a crucial prophetic motif, signifying a specific, momentous time of God's decisive intervention, often characterized by significant historical upheaval. Here, it is a day of intense divine wrath specifically directed at Egypt. Thirdly, the verse profoundly emphasizes God's Sovereignty Over Nations. Despite the visible human actors—the Egyptian and Babylonian armies—the ultimate orchestrator of this devastating defeat is "the Lord GOD of hosts." He uses nations, even pagan empires like Babylon, as instruments to fulfill His divine purposes, demonstrating His absolute control over the destinies of all peoples, a truth powerfully echoed in Isaiah 10:5-7. Finally, the chilling Metaphor of Sacrifice for the slain soldiers underscores the totality and severity of God's wrath, portraying the immense slaughter as a divinely ordained act of justice, a gruesome but potent offering to the Almighty.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 46:10 is profoundly rich in powerful literary devices that amplify its message of divine judgment and sovereignty. The most striking is the Metaphor of "sacrifice." By calling the slaughter of the Egyptian army a "sacrifice" to the Lord, the text transforms a horrific battlefield into a grim altar, and the dying soldiers into sacrificial victims. This is a profound form of Irony, as a sacrifice is typically an act of worship, propitiation, or covenant-making, but here it signifies divine wrath and the execution of judgment. The Personification of the "sword" is also prominent; it is depicted as actively "devouring," becoming "satiate," and "made drunk with their blood." This imbues the instrument of war with a terrifying, almost sentient quality, emphasizing the unstoppable and consuming nature of God's judgment. The overall language also employs Hyperbole to convey the overwhelming scale and intensity of the devastation, painting a picture of total annihilation that serves to underscore the absolute power and unwavering justice of the "Lord GOD of hosts."
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 46:10 powerfully articulates the Old Testament understanding of God's active and decisive involvement in human history, particularly His role as a righteous judge over all nations. The concept of "the day of the Lord" is a recurring prophetic theme, signifying a specific time when God decisively intervenes to execute His will, often bringing judgment upon the wicked and vindication for His people. This verse demonstrates that God's sovereignty extends far beyond the confines of Israel to encompass the rise and fall of empires, using even pagan nations as instruments of His justice. The grim imagery of a "sacrifice" highlights the severity of divine wrath, underscoring that rebellion against God's purposes will ultimately face His consuming judgment. This serves as a stark reminder that all earthly powers are accountable to the Almighty and that His justice will ultimately prevail, ensuring that no human empire can ultimately thwart the divine will.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 46:10, though depicting a scene of ancient warfare and divine judgment, offers profound and enduring truths for contemporary believers. It serves as a powerful reminder that God is not a distant, disengaged deity but an active, sovereign Lord who orchestrates the affairs of nations and holds all powers accountable. In a world often marked by geopolitical instability, pervasive injustice, and the relentless rise and fall of human empires, this verse provides a crucial anchor of hope and a solemn call to humility. It assures us that ultimately, God's righteous purposes will prevail, and His justice will be served. For those who trust in Him, this brings profound comfort, knowing that evil and oppression will not triumph indefinitely. For those who might be tempted to defy God or rely solely on human strength and wisdom, it serves as a solemn warning: there is indeed a "day of the Lord" for all, a time of ultimate reckoning when every knee will bow. This truth should inspire us to live in reverent awe of God, seeking to align our individual lives and our collective societies with His immutable, righteous standards, rather than presuming upon His patience or attempting to build kingdoms apart from His will.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is the slaughter of the Egyptian army referred to as a "sacrifice" to the Lord?
Answer: The use of "sacrifice" (Hebrew: zebach) in Jeremiah 46:10 is a powerful and grim metaphor, deliberately employed with profound irony. Typically, a sacrifice is a sacred offering made to God, often involving the shedding of blood, to atone for sin, express worship, or seal a covenant. Here, however, the term is used to describe an act of divine judgment. The immense slaughter of the Egyptian soldiers on the battlefield at Carchemish is portrayed as a "sacrifice" to the Lord GOD of hosts, not as an act of propitiation or worship from humanity, but as the fulfillment of His righteous vengeance against His adversaries. It signifies that the bloodshed is divinely ordained and satisfies God's justice and holy wrath. This chilling imagery emphasizes the totality and severity of God's judgment, indicating that the lives of the slain are offered up to God as a demonstration of His absolute sovereignty and power over nations. It underscores that this is not merely a human battle, but a divinely orchestrated event, a "day of the Lord" where God Himself is the one executing judgment, as seen in other prophetic judgments like Isaiah 34:6.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 46:10, with its stark depiction of divine judgment and a "day of the Lord" marked by vengeance and a gruesome "sacrifice" of adversaries, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound reinterpretation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While this Old Testament passage speaks of a bloody sacrifice of judgment upon God's enemies, the New Testament reveals a different, yet profoundly connected, sacrifice: the atoning blood of Christ. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, whose voluntary sacrifice on the cross fully satisfied God's righteous wrath against sin, not by shedding the blood of adversaries, but by offering His own perfect blood. This ultimate sacrifice provides a path to reconciliation for all who believe, transforming the nature of the "sacrifice" from one of judgment on enemies to one of redemption for humanity. Furthermore, the "day of the Lord" in the Old Testament, often a day of wrath and judgment, is ultimately fulfilled in the eschatological return of Christ. While His first coming was in humility to offer salvation, His second coming will indeed be a "day of the Lord" where He will execute final judgment upon all who have rejected Him and opposed God's kingdom, as powerfully described in Revelation 19:11-16. Thus, Jeremiah's prophecy points forward to a God who is both perfectly just and perfectly merciful, fully revealed in the cross and future return of Jesus Christ.