Jeremiah 46

13-26. Prophecy of the invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, which took place sixteen years after the taking of Jerusalem. Having spent thirteen years in the siege of Tyre, and having obtained nothing for his pains, he is promised by God Egypt for his reward in humbling Tyre (Ezekiel 29:17-20,30:1-31:18'). The intestine commotions between Amasis and Pharaoh-hophra prepared his way (compare Note,

14. Declare . . . publish--as if giving sentence from a tribunal.
Migdol . . . Noph . . . Tahpanhes--east, south, and north. He mentions the three other quarters, but omits the west, because the Chaldeans did not advance thither. These cities, too, were the best known to the Jews, as being in their direction.
sword shall devour round about thee--namely, the Syrians, Jews, ironical, as in Jeremiah 46:4 Jeremiah 46:10 Jeremiah 46:15 .
thy valiant men--manuscripts, the Septuagint, and Vulgate read, "thy valiant one," Apis, the bull-shaped Egyptian idol worshipped at Noph or Memphis. The contrast thus is between the palpable impotence of the idol and the might attributed to it by the worshippers. The Hebrew term, "strong," or "valiant," is applied to bulls ( Psalms 22:12 ). Cambyses in his invasion of Egypt destroyed the sacred bull.
drive them--(Compare Jeremiah 46:5 ). The Hebrew word is used of a sweeping rain ( Proverbs 28:3 ).

16. He--Jehovah.
made many to fall--literally, "multiplied the faller," that is, fallers.
one fell upon another--( Jeremiah 46:6 Jeremiah 46:12 ):even before the enemy strikes them ( Leviticus 26:37 ).
let us go again to our own people--the language of the confederates and mercenaries, exhorting one another to desert the Egyptian standard, and return to their respective homes ( Jeremiah 46:9 Jeremiah 46:21 ).
from the oppressing sword--from the cruel sword, namely, of the Chaldeans (compare Jeremiah 25:38 ).

17. there--in their own country severally, the foreign soldiers ( Jeremiah 46:16 ) cry, "Pharaoh is," &c.
but a noise--He threatens great things, but when the need arises, he does nothing. His threats are mere "noise" (compare 1 Corinthians 13:1 ). MAURER translates, "is ruined," literally (in appropriate abruptness of language), "Pharaoh, king . . . ruin." The context favors English Version. His vauntings of what he would do when the time of battle should come have proved to be empty sounds; he hath passed the time appointed (namely, for battle with the Chaldeans).

18. As the mountains Tabor and Carmel tower high above the other hills of Palestine, so Nebuchadnezzar ( Jeremiah 46:26 ) when he comes shall prove himself superior to all his foes. Carmel forms a bold promontory jutting out into the Mediterranean. Tabor is the higher of the two; therefore it is said to be "among the mountains"; and Carmel "by the sea."
the King . . . Lord of hosts--( Jeremiah 48:15 ); in contrast to "Pharaoh king of Egypt . . . but a noise" ( Jeremiah 46:17 ). God the true "King . . . the Lord of hosts," shall cause Nebuchadnezzar to come. Whereas Pharaoh shall not come to battle at the time appointed, notwithstanding his boasts, Nebuchadnezzar shall come according to the prediction of the King, who has all hosts in His power, however ye Egyptians may despise the prediction.

19. furnish thyself--literally, "make for thyself vessels" (namely, to contain food and other necessaries for the journey) for captivity.
daughter--so in Jeremiah 46:11 .
dwelling in Egypt--that is, the inhabitants of Egypt, the Egyptians, represented as the daughter of Egypt ( Jeremiah 48:18 , 2 Kings 19:21 ). "Dwelling" implies that they thought themselves to be securely fixed in their habitations beyond the reach of invasion.

20. heifer--wanton, like a fat, untamed heifer ( Hosea 10:11 ). Appropriate to Egypt, where Apis was worshipped under the form of a fair bull marked with spots.
destruction--that is, a destroyer: Nebuchadnezzar. Vulgate translates, "a goader," answering to the metaphor, "one who will goad the heifer" and tame her. The Arabic idiom favors this [ROSENMULLER].
cometh . . . cometh--The repetition implies, it cometh surely and quickly ( Psalms 96:13 ). Jeremiah 47:2 ).

21. Translate, "Also her hired men (mercenary soldiers, Jeremiah 46:9 Jeremiah 46:16 ), who are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks, even they also are turned back," that is, shall turn their backs to flee. The same image, "heifer . . . bullocks" ( Jeremiah 46:20 Jeremiah 46:21 ), is applied to Egypt's foreign mercenaries, as to herself. Pampered with the luxuries of Egypt, they become as enervated for battle as the natives themselves.

22. The cry of Egypt when invaded shall be like the hissing of a serpent roused by the woodcutters from its lair. No longer shall she loudly roar like a heifer, but with a low murmur of fear, as a serpent hissing.
with axes--the Scythian mode of armor. The Chaldeans shall come with such confidence as if not about to have to fight with soldiers, but merely to cut down trees offering no resistance.

23. her forest--( Isaiah 10:34 ).
though it cannot be searched--They cut down her forest, dense and unsearchable ( Job 5:9 , 9:10 , 36:26 ) as it may seem: referring to the thickly set cities of Egypt, which were at that time a thousand and twenty. The Hebrew particle is properly, "for," "because."
because--the reason why the Chaldeans shall be able to cut down so dense a forest of cities as Egypt: they themselves are countless in numbers.
grasshoppers--locusts ( Judges 6:5 ).

25. multitude--Hebrew, "Amon" ( Nahum 3:8 , Margin, "No-Ammon"), the same as Thebes or Diospolis in Upper Egypt, where Jupiter Ammon had his famous temple. In English Version, "multitude" answers to "populous No" ( Nahum 3:8 , Ezekiel 30:15 ). The reference to "their gods" which follows, makes the translation more likely, "Ammon of No," that is, No and her idol Ammon; so the Chaldee Version. So called either from Ham, the son of Noah; or, the "nourisher," as the word means.
their kings--the kings of the nations in league with Egypt.

26. afterward . . . inhabited--Under Cyrus forty years after the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, it threw off the Babylonian yoke but has never regained its former prowess ( Jeremiah 46:11 , Ezekiel 29:11-15 ).

27, 28. Repeated from Jeremiah 30:10 Jeremiah 30:11 . When the Church (and literal Israel) might seem utterly consumed, there still remains hidden hope, because God, as it were, raises His people from the dead ( Romans 11:15 ). Whereas the godless "nations" are consumed even though they survive, as are the Egyptians after their overthrow; because they are radically accursed and doomed [CALVIN].