Jeremiah 46:11

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.

Go up {H5927} into Gilead {H1568}, and take {H3947} balm {H6875}, O virgin {H1330}, the daughter {H1323} of Egypt {H4714}: in vain {H7723} shalt thou use many {H7235} medicines {H7499}; for thou shalt not be cured {H8585}.

Go up to Gil'ad for its healing resin, virgin daughter of Egypt. You try many medicines, all in vain; for you there is no cure.

Go up to Gilead for balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt! In vain you try many remedies, but for you there is no healing.

Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain dost thou use many medicines; there is no healing for thee.

Jeremiah 46:11 delivers a stark and ironic message to ancient Egypt, a powerful nation that the prophet declares will face inevitable and incurable destruction. This verse is part of God's judgment against Egypt, emphasizing the futility of human efforts to avert divine decree.

Context

This verse is situated within a significant section of the book of Jeremiah (chapters 46-51), which contains prophecies against various foreign nations. Specifically, chapter 46 targets Egypt, foretelling its devastating defeat by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, at the Battle of Carchemish. Jeremiah’s message here underscores that even mighty nations are subject to God’s sovereign will and judgment.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The verse vividly illustrates God's ultimate authority over nations. Despite Egypt's military might and perceived invincibility, God declares its downfall. This highlights God's absolute sovereignty over all earthly kingdoms and historical outcomes.
  • Futility of Human Remedies: The core message is that Egypt's attempts to recover or find healing from its impending devastation will be utterly useless. No amount of human effort, resources, or "medicines" can avert divine judgment when God has determined it.
  • Brokenness and Despair: The imagery of a "virgin, the daughter of Egypt" seeking balm in vain paints a picture of a once proud nation brought low, unable to find solace or recovery.

Linguistic Insights

  • The phrase "Go up into Gilead, and take balm" refers to Gilead, a region east of the Jordan River, renowned in ancient times for its medicinal resin or balm. This balm was a well-known remedy for wounds. The prophet uses this imagery ironically: Egypt, facing a mortal wound, is sarcastically told to seek this famous healing agent, but it will be "in vain." The rhetorical question "Is there no balm in Gilead?" also appears in a different context in Jeremiah 8:22, lamenting spiritual sickness.
  • "O virgin, the daughter of Egypt" is a common prophetic personification used to depict a nation. Calling Egypt a "virgin" emphasizes its previous perceived invulnerability or majesty before its imminent humiliation and conquest. It highlights the depth of its coming disgrace.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 46:11 serves as a powerful reminder that human strength, wealth, or wisdom are ultimately insufficient to overcome challenges that stem from spiritual brokenness or divine judgment. It warns against relying on worldly solutions for spiritual ailments or life's deepest problems.

For believers, this verse underscores the importance of humble dependence on God. True healing and restoration, both individually and corporately, come only through God's grace and intervention, not through self-effort or earthly "medicines." It reminds us that unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it. When facing seemingly insurmountable problems, our ultimate hope and cure lie not in human remedies, but in the sovereign power and mercy of God.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 8:22

    [Is there] no balm in Gilead; [is there] no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

  • Micah 1:9

    For her wound [is] incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, [even] to Jerusalem.

  • Isaiah 47:1

    ¶ Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: [there is] no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.

  • Nahum 3:19

    [There is] no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?

  • Luke 8:43

    And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

  • Luke 8:44

    Came behind [him], and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

  • Jeremiah 14:17

    ¶ Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back