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Commentary on Jeremiah 46 verses 13–28
In these verses we have,
I. Confusion and terror spoken to Egypt. The accomplishment of the prediction in the former part of the chapter disabled the Egyptians from making any attempts upon other nations; for what could they do when their army was routed? But still they remained strong at home, and none of their neighbours durst make any attempts upon them. Though the kings of Egypt came no more out of their land (Kg2 24:7), yet they kept safe and easy in their land; and what would they desire more than peaceably to enjoy their own? One would think all men should be content to do this, and not covet to invade their neighbours. But the measure of Egypt's iniquity is full, and now they shall not long enjoy their own; those that encroached on others shall not be themselves encroached on. The scope of the prophecy here is to show how the king of Babylon should shortly come and smite the land of Egypt, and bring the war into their own bosoms which they had formerly carried into his borders, Jer 46:13. This was fulfilled by the same hand with the former, even Nebuchadnezzar's, but many years after, twenty at least, and probably the prediction of it was long after the former prediction, and perhaps much about the same time with that other prediction of the same event which we had Jer 43:10.
1.Here is the alarm of war sounded in Egypt, to their great amazement (Jer 46:14), notice given to the country that the enemy is approaching, the sword is devouring round about in the neighbouring countries, and therefore it is time for the Egyptians to put themselves in a posture of defence, to prepare for war, that they may give the enemy a warm reception. This must be proclaimed in all parts of Egypt, particularly in Migdol, Noph, and Tahpanhes, because in these places especially the Jewish refugees, or fugitives rather, had planted themselves, in contempt of God's command (Jer 44:1), and let them hear what a sorry shelter Egypt is likely to be to them.
2.The retreat hereupon of the forces of other nations which the Egyptians had in their pay is here foretold. Some considerable number of those troops, it is probable, were posted upon the frontiers to guard them, where they were beaten off by the invaders and put to flights. Then were the valiant men swept away (Jer 46:15) as with a sweeping rain (it is the word that is used Pro 28:3); they can none of them stand their ground, because the Lord drives them from their respective posts; he drives them by his terrors; he drives them by enabling the Chaldeans to drive them. It is not possible that those should fix whom the wrath of God chases. He it was (Jer 46:16) that made many to fall, yea, when their day shall come to fall, the enemy needs not throw them down, they shall fall one upon another, every man shall be a stumbling-block to his fellow, to his follower; nay, if God please, they shall be made to fall upon one another, they shall be made to fall upon one another, every man's sword shall be against his fellow. Her hired men, the troops Egypt has in he service, are indeed in the midst of her like fatted bullocks, lusty men, able bodied and high spirited, who were likely for action and promised to make their part good against the enemy; but they are turned back; their hearts failed them, and, instead of fighting, they have fled away together. How could they withstand their fate when the day of their calamity had come, the day in which God will visit them in wrath? Some think they are compared to fatted bullocks for their luxury; they had wantoned in pleasures, so that they were very unfit for hardships, and therefore turned back and could not stand. In this consternation, (1.) They all made homeward towards their own country (Jer 46:16): They said, "Arise, and let us go again to our own people, where we may be safe from the oppressing sword of the Chaldeans, that bears down all before it." In times of exigence little confidence is to be put in mercenary troops, that fight purely for pay, and have no interest in theirs whom they fight for. (2.) They exclaimed vehemently against Pharaoh, to whose cowardice or bad management, it is probably, their defeat was owing. When he posted them there upon the borders of his country it is probably that he told them he would within such a time come himself with a gallant army of his own subjects to support them; but he failed them, and, when the enemy advanced, they found they had none to back them, so that they were perfectly abandoned to the fury of the invaders. No marvel then that they quitted their post and deserted the service, crying out, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise (Jer 46:17); he can hector, and talk big of the mighty things he would do, but that is all; he brings nothing to pass. All his promises to those in alliance with him, or that are employed for him, vanish into smoke. He brings not the succours he engaged to bring, or not till it is too late: He has passed the time appointed; he did not keep his word, nor keep his day, and therefore they bid him farewell, they will never serve under him any more. Note, Those that make most noise in any business are frequently but a noise. Great talkers are little doers.
3.The formidable power of the Chaldean army is here described as bearing down all before it. The King of kings, whose name is the Lord of hosts, and before whom the mightiest kings on earth, though gods to us, are but as grasshoppers, he hath said it, he hath sworn it, As I live, saith this king, as Tabor overtops the mountains and Carmel overlooks the sea, so shall the king of Babylon overpower all the force of Egypt, such a command shall he have, such a sway shall he bear, Jer 46:18. He and his army shall come against Egypt with axes, as hewers of wood (Jer 46:22), and the Egyptians shall be no more able to resist them than the tree is to resist the man that comes with an axe to cut it down; so that Egypt shall be felled as a forest is by the hewers of wood, which (if there by many of them, and those well provided with instruments for the purpose) will be done in a little time. Egypt is very populous, full of towns and cities, like a forest, the trees of which cannot be searched or numbered, and very rich, full of hidden treasures, many of which will escape the searching eye of the Chaldean soldiers; but they shall make a great spoil in the country, for they are more than the locusts, that come in vast swarms and overrun a country, devouring every green thing (Joe 1:6, Joe 1:7), so shall the Chaldeans do, for they are innumerable. Note, The Lord of hosts hath numberless hosts at his command.
4.The desolation of Egypt hereby is foretold, and the waste that should be made of that rich country. Egypt is now like a very fair heifer, or calf (Jer 46:20), fat and shining, and not accustomed to the yoke of subjection, wanton as a heifer that is well fed, and very sportful. Some think here is an allusion to Apis, the bull or calf which the Egyptians worshipped, from whom the children of Israel learned to worship the golden calf. Egypt is as fair as a goddess, and adores herself, but destruction comes; cutting up comes (so some read it); it comes out of the north; thence the Chaldean soldiers shall come, as so many butchers or sacrificers, to kill and cut up this fair heifer. (1.) The Egyptians shall be brought down, shall be tamed, and their tune changed: The daughters of Egypt shall be confounded (Jer 46:24), shall be filled with astonishment. Their voice shall go like a serpent, that is, it shall be very low and submissive; they shall not low like a fair heifer, that makes a great noise, but hiss out of their holes like serpents. They shall not dare to make loud complaints of the cruelty of the conquerors, but vent their griefs in silent murmurs. They shall not now, as they used to do, answer roughly, but, with the poor, use entreaties and beg for their lives. (2.) They shall be carried away prisoners into their enemy's land (Jer 46:19): "O thou daughter! dwelling securely and delicately in Egypt, that fruitful pleasant country, do not think this will last always, but furnish thyself to go into captivity; instead of rich clothes, which will but tempt the enemy to strip thee, get plain and warm clothes; instead of fine shoes, provide strong ones; and inure thyself to hardship, that thou mayest bear it the better." Note, It concerns us, among all our preparations, to prepare for trouble. We provide for the entertainment of our friends, let us not neglect to provide for the entertainment of our enemies, nor among all our furniture omit furniture for captivity. The Egyptians must prepare to flee; for their cities shall be evacuated. Noph particularly shall be desolate, without an inhabitant, so general shall the slaughter and the captivity be. There are some penalties which, we say, the king and the multitude are exempted from, but here even these are obnoxious: The multitude of No shall be punished: it is called populous No, Nah 3:8. Though hand join in hand, yet they shall not escape; nor can any think to go off in the crowd. Be they ever so many, they shall find God will be too many for them. Their kings and all their petty princes shall fall; and their gods too (Jer 43:12, Jer 43:13), their idols and their great men. Those which they call their tutelar deities shall be no protection to them. Pharaoh shall be brought down, and all those that trust in him (Jer 46:25), particularly the Jews that came to sojourn in his country, trusting in him rather than in God. All these shall be delivered into the hands of the northern nations (Jer 46:24), into the hand not only of Nebuchadnezzar that mighty potentate, but into the hands of his servants, according to the curse on Ham's posterity, of which the Egyptians were, that they should be the servants of servants. These seek their lives, and into their hands they shall be delivered.
5.An intimation is given that in process of time Egypt shall recover itself again (Jer 46:26): Afterwards it shall be inhabited, shall be peopled again, whereas by this destruction it was almost dispeopled. Ezekiel foretels that this should be at the end of forty years, Eze 29:13. See what changes the nations of the earth are subject to, how they are emptied and increased again; and let not nations that prosper be secure, nor those that for the present are in thraldom despair.
II. Comfort and peace are here spoken to the Israel of God, Jer 46:27, Jer 46:28. Some understand it of those whom the king of Egypt had carried into captivity with Jehoahaz, but we read not of any that were carried away captives with him; it may therefore rather refer to the captives in Babylon, whom God had mercy in store for, or, more generally, to all the people of God, designed for their encouragement in the most difficult times, when the judgments of God are abroad among the nations. We had these words of comfort before, Jer 30:10, Jer 30:11. 1. Let the wicked of the earth tremble, they have cause for it; but fear not thou, O my servant Jacob! and be not dismayed, O Israel! and again, Fear thou not, O Jacob! God would not have his people to be a timorous people. 2. The wicked of the earth shall be put away like dross, not be looked after any more; but God's people, in order to their being saved, shall be found out and gathered though they be far off, shall be redeemed though they be held fast in captivity, and shall return. 3. The wicked is like the troubled sea when it cannot rest; they flee when none pursues. But Jacob, being at home in God, shall be at rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid; for what time he is afraid he has a God to trust to. 4. The wicked God beholds afar off; but, wherever thou art, O Jacob! I am with thee, a very present help. 5. A full end shall be made of the nations that oppressed God's Israel, as Egypt and Babylon; but mercy shall be kept in store for the Israel of God: they shall be corrected, but not cast off; the correction shall be in measure, in respect of degree and continuance. Nations have their periods; the Jewish nation itself has come to an end as a nation; but the gospel church, God's spiritual Israel, still continues, and will to the end of time; in that this promise is to have its full accomplishment, that, though God correct it, he will never make a full end of it.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 46:18 presents a profound divine oath from the LORD, identified as the King of hosts, declaring with absolute and unwavering certainty the impending arrival of Nebuchadnezzar's forces against Egypt. Through a vivid and culturally resonant simile comparing the undeniable prominence of Mount Tabor among the mountains and Mount Carmel by the sea, the verse powerfully underscores God's supreme sovereignty over all nations and His unyielding commitment to fulfilling His prophetic decrees, particularly those concerning judgment and the orchestration of historical events.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed within Jeremiah's extensive collection of prophecies against foreign nations, specifically within chapter 46, which focuses entirely on Egypt. The immediate preceding verses detail the humiliating defeat of Pharaoh Neco's army by Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish (circa 605 BC), a pivotal event that marked the decline of Egyptian power and the rise of Babylon (Jeremiah 46:2). Jeremiah 46:18 serves as a climactic divine affirmation, guaranteeing that the subsequent invasion and conquest of Egypt by Babylon is not merely a political possibility but an absolute certainty, decreed and orchestrated by God Himself. It reinforces the divine pronouncements of judgment and sets the stage for further details of Egypt's impending downfall.
Historical & Cultural Context: The historical setting is the tumultuous late 7th and early 6th centuries BC, a period dominated by the geopolitical struggle between the declining Assyrian Empire, the ambitious Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar, and a resurgent but ultimately weakening Egypt. Egypt had long been a significant regional power, often interacting with Judah, sometimes as a deceptive ally or a source of false hope. The mention of Mount Tabor and Mount Carmel taps into deeply familiar and iconic geographical landmarks for Jeremiah's audience. Mount Tabor, an isolated, cone-shaped mountain in Lower Galilee, and Mount Carmel, a prominent mountain range extending to the Mediterranean coast, were universally recognized symbols of permanence, majesty, and undeniable presence. Their use in the simile would have instantly conveyed to the original hearers the absolute, unshakeable, and inescapable reality of the prophesied event, much like the mountains themselves stood as immutable fixtures in the landscape.
Key Themes: Jeremiah 46:18 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes found throughout Jeremiah and the broader prophetic corpus. Firstly, it emphatically declares Divine Sovereignty, demonstrating God's ultimate and unchallenged control over the rise and fall of nations, using even pagan empires like Babylon as instruments of His righteous will (as seen in Jeremiah 27:5-7). Secondly, the solemn oath "As I live" underscores the Certainty of Divine Judgment, emphasizing that God's word is not merely a suggestion but an unalterable decree, particularly against those who oppose His purposes or rely on their own strength. Thirdly, the title "the LORD of hosts" highlights God's Unchallengeable Authority, signifying His command over all cosmic and earthly forces, including armies and empires. Finally, the verse reinforces the theme of Prophetic Fulfillment, assuring the audience that what God declares will undeniably come to pass, as visibly and permanently as the mountains themselves, thereby validating Jeremiah's prophetic ministry (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 46:18 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its message with profound force and clarity. The most prominent is the Divine Oath, expressed in the powerful formula, "As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts." This rhetorical device is God's strongest affirmation, underscoring the absolute certainty and inviolability of His word, thus rendering the ensuing prophecy an unalterable decree. Following this, a vivid Simile is utilized: "Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come." By comparing the certainty of Nebuchadnezzar's arrival to the fixed and undeniable presence of these iconic mountains, the prophet effectively communicates the inevitability and prominence of the impending judgment on Egypt. This powerful Imagery of unshakeable natural landmarks grounds the divine promise in tangible, observable reality, making the abstract concept of prophetic fulfillment concrete and vivid for the audience. The dual reference to both Tabor and Carmel also serves as a form of Emphasis, reinforcing the message's gravity and leaving no doubt about the prophecy's certain realization.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 46:18 stands as a profound testament to God's unwavering sovereignty and the absolute certainty of His word in the unfolding of human history. It teaches that no nation, however mighty or seemingly secure, can escape the divine decree when judgment is purposed. The solemn oath "As I live" is a recurring motif throughout Scripture, always signaling an irreversible commitment from God, whether in promise or in judgment. This verse, therefore, serves as a powerful reminder that God is not merely a distant observer but an active and supreme participant in human affairs, orchestrating the rise and fall of empires according to His righteous will. The judgment on Egypt, a nation that often symbolized worldly power and false security for Israel, highlights that reliance on human strength or alliances ultimately proves futile against the purposes of the Almighty.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 46:18 offers profound and enduring lessons for believers today. The absolute certainty of God's word, sealed by His own divine existence, should instill in us an unshakeable confidence in His promises and an unwavering trust in His character. In a world characterized by geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, and shifting cultural norms, this verse reminds us that God remains the unchanging King, whose eternal plans will always prevail. For those who place their faith in Him, this provides immense comfort, knowing that His purposes for good are as certain and unyielding as the mountains. For those who might be tempted to rely on worldly strength or to disregard God's commands, it serves as a solemn warning that divine justice is inevitable and inescapable. Our appropriate response should be one of humble submission to His sovereign will, living in faithful obedience and recognizing that all earthly powers are ultimately subservient to the King of hosts. This calls us to align our lives with His eternal purposes, trusting that His word, whether of judgment or salvation, will surely come to pass.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts"?
Answer: This phrase is a solemn divine oath, representing the strongest possible affirmation in the Hebrew Bible. When God swears "As I live," He is staking His very existence and eternal vitality on the truth and absolute certainty of what He is about to declare. It signifies that the prophecy is not merely a possibility or a human prediction, but an unalterable, divinely decreed reality from the supreme, living God. The titles "King" and "LORD of hosts" further emphasize His ultimate authority over all creation and His command over all armies, both heavenly and earthly, underscoring the unshakeable reliability of His word and His omnipotent power to bring it to pass.
Why are Mount Tabor and Mount Carmel specifically mentioned in this prophecy?
Answer: Mount Tabor and Mount Carmel were highly prominent, well-known, and unmistakable geographical landmarks in ancient Israel. They served as universal symbols of permanence, visibility, and undeniable presence. By comparing Nebuchadnezzar's impending arrival in Egypt to the certainty of these mountains standing firmly in their places, the prophecy emphasizes that the invasion will be just as real, visible, and unavoidable. It is a powerful simile that grounds the abstract concept of prophetic fulfillment in a concrete, tangible reality that the audience would immediately understand and recognize, leaving no room for doubt about the prophecy's sure realization.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 46:18 speaks directly to the certainty of God's judgment upon Egypt through Nebuchadnezzar, its deeper theological resonance points to the ultimate King and the absolute certainty of His coming. The "King, whose name is the LORD of hosts," is ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the true King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), whose word is as certain as His very being. Just as Nebuchadnezzar's arrival was undeniable, so too is the coming of Christ—both in His first advent as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and in His glorious second advent as the righteous Judge and reigning King (Acts 1:11). The certainty of God's judgment on nations in the Old Testament foreshadows the ultimate, universal judgment that will occur at Christ's return, when all nations will be gathered before Him for judgment (Matthew 25:31-32). Moreover, the steadfastness of Tabor and Carmel points to the unshakeable nature of God's eternal kingdom, established through Christ, a kingdom that "cannot be shaken" (Hebrews 12:28). Thus, this verse, while a prophecy of historical judgment, ultimately reinforces the absolute reliability of God's grand redemptive plan centered on His Son, Jesus Christ, whose coming and eternal reign are the most certain realities in all of history.