Focused Passage

Jeremiah 46:20-26

Egypt Judged: The LORD of Armies Rules the Nations

The chapter moves from the heading over the nations, to Egypt's defeat at Carchemish, to the LORD's interpretation of that defeat as his day of vengeance, to the announcement of Babylon's coming invasion of Egypt, and finally to comfort for Jacob amid the judgment of the nations.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20 Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly from the north is coming against her.

21 Even the mercenaries among her are like fattened calves. They too will turn back; together they will flee, they will not stand their ground, for the day of calamity is coming upon them—the time of their punishment.

22 Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees.

23 They will chop down her forest, declares the LORD, dense though it may be, for they are more numerous than locusts; they cannot be counted.

24 The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame; she will be delivered into the hands of the people of the north.”

25 The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.

26 I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Cross-references

Hosea 10:11 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 47:2 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 1:14 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 46:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

Egypt מִצְרָ֑יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular vvv יְפֵֽה־ H3304 Adjective - feminine singular is a beautiful פִיָּ֖ה H3304 Adjective - feminine singular heifer עֶגְלָ֥ה H5697 Noun - feminine singular but a gadfly קֶ֥רֶץ H7171 Noun - masculine singular from the north מִצָּפ֖וֹן H6828 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular is coming against her בָּ֥א H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular . . . בָֽא׃ H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

2 Kings 7:6 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 46:5 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 49:8 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 50:27 Classic cross-references Obadiah 1:13 Classic cross-references

Original words

Even גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction the mercenaries שְׂכִרֶ֤יהָ H7916 Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular among her בְקִרְבָּהּ֙ H7130 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular are like fattened מַרְבֵּ֔ק H4770 Noun - masculine singular calves כְּעֶגְלֵ֣י H5695 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct כִּֽי־ כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction They הֵ֧מָּה H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural too גַם־ H1571 Conjunction will turn back הִפְנ֛וּ H6437 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural together יַחְדָּ֖יו H3162 Adverb they will flee נָ֥סוּ H5127 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural they will not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle stand their ground עָמָ֑דוּ H5975 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the day י֥וֹם H3117 Noun - masculine singular construct of calamity אֵידָ֛ם H343 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural is coming בָּ֥א H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular upon them עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם H5921 Preposition | third person masculine plural the time עֵ֥ת H6256 Noun - common singular construct of their punishment פְּקֻדָּתָֽם׃ H6486 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 22

Cross-references

Isaiah 14:8 Classic cross-references Isaiah 29:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

Egypt will hiss קוֹלָ֖הּ H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular like a fleeing יֵלֵ֑ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular serpent כַּנָּחָ֣שׁ H5175 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular for כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the enemy will advance יֵלֵ֔כוּ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in force בְחַ֣יִל H2428 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular with axes וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת֙ H7134 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural they will come בָּ֣אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural against her לָ֔הּ Preposition | third person feminine singular like woodsmen cutting down trees כְּחֹטְבֵ֖י H2404 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct . . . עֵצִֽים׃ H6086 Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

Hebrew nachash; translated in most cases as snake

Verse 23

Cross-references

Judges 7:12 Classic cross-references Judges 6:5 Classic cross-references Joel 2:25 Classic cross-references

Original words

They will chop down כָּרְת֤וּ H3772 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural her forest יַעְרָהּ֙ H3293 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular dense לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle though כִּ֖י H3588 Conjunction it may be יֵֽחָקֵ֑ר H2713 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular for כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction they are more numerous רַבּוּ֙ H7231 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural than locusts מֵֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה H697 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular they cannot וְאֵ֥ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb . . . לָהֶ֖ם Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural be counted מִסְפָּֽר׃ H4557 Noun - masculine singular

Verse 24

Cross-references

Jeremiah 1:15 Classic cross-references

Original words

The Daughter בַּת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרָ֑יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular will be put to shame הֹבִ֖ישָׁה H954 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular she will be delivered נִתְּנָ֖ה H5414 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular into the hands בְּיַ֥ד H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of the people עַם־ H5971 Noun - masculine singular of the north צָפֽוֹן׃ H6828 Noun - feminine singular

Verse 25

Cross-references

Ezekiel 30:14 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 43:12 Classic cross-references Zephaniah 2:11 Classic cross-references Exodus 12:12 Classic cross-references Isaiah 20:5 Classic cross-references

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֜וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural the God אֱלֹהֵ֣י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַר֩ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Behold הִנְנִ֤י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular I am about to punish פוֹקֵד֙ H6485 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition Amon אָמ֣וֹן H528 Noun - proper - feminine singular [god] of Thebes מִנֹּ֔א H4996 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition along with Pharaoh פַּרְעֹה֙ H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular - וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition Egypt מִצְרַ֔יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular with וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition her gods אֱלֹהֶ֖יהָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular . . . וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and kings מְלָכֶ֑יהָ H4428 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular . . . וְעַ֨ל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition . . . וְעַ֥ל H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and those who trust הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים H982 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural in Pharaoh פַּרְעֹ֔ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

Hebrew Amon of No

Verse 26

Cross-references

Ezekiel 32:11 Classic cross-references Isaiah 19:4 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 44:30 Classic cross-references Amos 9:11 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 29:13 Classic cross-references

Original words

I will deliver them וּנְתַתִּ֗ים H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural into the hands בְּיַד֙ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of those who seek מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י H1245 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct their lives נַפְשָׁ֔ם H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural . . . וּבְיַ֛ד H3027 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of Nebuchadnezzar נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר H5019 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Babylon בָּבֶ֖ל H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . וּבְיַד־ H3027 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct and his officers עֲבָדָ֑יו H5650 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular But after וְאַחֲרֵי־ H310 Conjunctive waw | Preposition this כֵ֛ן H3651 Adverb [Egypt] will be inhabited תִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן H7931 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular as in days כִּֽימֵי־ H3117 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct of old קֶ֖דֶם H6924 Noun - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ס H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

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