13 The word that Jehovah hath spoken unto Jeremiah the prophet concerning the coming in of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, to smite the land of Egypt: 14 'Declare ye in Egypt, and sound in Migdol, Yea, sound in Noph, and in Tahpanhes say: Station thyself, yea, prepare for thee, For a sword hath devoured around thee, 15 Wherefore hath thy bull been swept away? He hath not stood, because Jehovah thrust him away. 16 He hath multiplied the stumbling, Yea one hath fallen upon his neighbour, And they say: Rise, and we turn back to our people, And unto the land of our birth, Because of the oppressing sword. 17 They have cried there: Pharaoh king of Egypt 'is' a desolation, Passed by hath the appointed time. 18 I live—an affirmation of the King, Jehovah of Hosts 'is' His name, Surely as Tabor 'is' among mountains, And as Carmel by the sea—he cometh in, 19 Goods for removal make for thee, O inhabitant, daughter of Egypt, For Noph becometh a desolation, And hath been burnt up, without inhabitant. 20 A heifer very fair 'is' Egypt, Rending from the north doth come into her. 21 Even her hired ones in her midst 'are' as calves of the stall, For even they have turned, They have fled together, they have not stood, For the day of their calamity hath come on them, The time of their inspection. 22 Its voice as a serpent goeth on, For with a force they go, And with axes they have come in to her, As hewers of trees. 23 They have cut down her forest, An affirmation of Jehovah—for it is not searched, For they have been more than the grasshopper, And they have no numbering. 24 Ashamed hath been the daughter of Egypt, She hath been given into the hand of the people of the north. 25 Said hath Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Lo, I am seeing after Amon of No, And after Pharaoh, and after Egypt, And after her gods, and after her kings, And after Pharaoh, and after those trusting in him, 26 And I have given them into the hand of those seeking their life, And into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, And into the hand of his servants, And afterwards it is inhabited, As 'in' days of old—an affirmation of Jehovah.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 46:13-26
Commentary on Jeremiah 46:13-28
(Read Jeremiah 46:13-28)
Those who encroached on others, shall now be themselves encroached on. Egypt is now like a very fair heifer, not accustomed to the yoke of subjection; but destruction comes out of the north: the Chaldeans shall come. Comfort and peace are spoken to the Israel of God, designed to encourage them when the judgments of God were abroad among the nations. He will be with them, and only correct them in measure; and will not punish them with everlasting destruction from his presence.