Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 46

1 THE word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles .

This verse contains the Title to all the ensuing discourses of this Prophet, for though there be some particular verses in these chapters that relate to the Jews, yet they are all concerning their restauration. The Prophesies of Judgments from the beginning of this chapter to the 52. chapter are all against forreign Nations, which are called Gentiles. As to whom God revealed his Will for the punishment of them for the relief and satisfaction of his people to whom the most of them had been bitter Enemies. The 52 chapter is by most concluded not to have been wrote by Ieremiah, who it is not probable would have repeated what he had related before chap. 39, but it was wrote (as it is supposed) by some of the Captives in Babylon, as a preface to the Book of Lamentations. This particular chapter containeth the Revelation of the Will of God, concerning Egypt whither some of the Jews fled for refuge after this time, and which had been a great occasion of sin to the Jews before not onely through the Jews too many leagues with them, and confidence in them, but from their communicating their Idolatry to them, Ier. 2.16. The children of Noph and Tahpan[illegible: 1 letter]es, brake the crown of their head.

2 Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehojakim the son of Josiah king of Judah .

Pharaoh Necho was King of Egypt in Iosiahs time, it was by his Army that Iosiah was killed at Megiddo, 2 Kings 23.29. it was he that made Iehojakim King of Iudah taking away I[illegible: 1 letter]hoahaz, ver. 34. but though he prevailed at that time, and that was one time when he came out against Carchemish, 2 Chron. 35.20. yet he was overthrown by N[illegible: 1 letter]buchadnezzar in a Battel with him afterwards as appears from 2 Kings 24.7. and Iehojakim was made Tributary to Nebuchadnezzar as we read 2 Kings 24.1. and the King of Egypt, was brought so low by that victory that he stirred no more out of Egypt for the King of Babylon had taken from him all from Nilus, the great River of Egypt to Euphrates, and this saith this verse was in the 4th. year of Iehojakim. This prophesie must be before that time. Carchemish appeareth from Isa. 10.9. to have been a place in Syria where the Egyptian Army had been in Iosiahs time and then went away conquerers as appears from 2 Chron. 35.20, &c.

4 Harness the horses, and get up ye horsemen and stand forth with your helmets, furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines .

Art hath so much improved all things, in latter ages, that it is very hard to determine of what form the several weapons, and pieces of Armour, whether offensive or defensive in use at this time were, the most here mentioned seem to have been defensive, and the whole speech of the Prophet directed to the Egyptians, seems to be Ironical, calling to this Army of Pharaoh Necho to get ready to defend themselves, for they were to encounter with an Enemy would put them very hard to it, so as they had need, to have their Helmets and Bucklers and Shields, and Brigandines, all in a readiness, and know the use of them well, the horses for War had need be Harnessed, the Spears furbished, and the riders got up.

5 Wherefore have I seen them dismayed, and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down and are fled apace, and look not back for fear was round about, saith the LORD .

God had either in a vision shewed Ieremiah this Army of the Egyptians flying, or else had revealed to them that they should be put to flight, which the Prophet here publisheth, God made a fear to fall upon the Egyptians, so as when the King of Babylon came to join Battel with them, they were not able at all to stand, but turned their backs and their greatest commanders, were either kil[illegible: 2 letters]d, or fled away as fast as they could.

Marginal references: Heb. broken in pieces.; Heb. fled a flight.

6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape, they shall stumble and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates .

That is, it is in vain for the swift to flee away, the mighty men shall not escape, but they shall stumble, and fall at Carchemish which was near the River Euphrates and Northward from Egypt.

7 Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers .

The next verse expoundeth this.

8 Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers, and he saith I will go up, and will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof .

The Prophet compareth the Egyptians fleshed with their former victory obtained against Iosiah at M[illegible: 1 letter]gi[illegible: 1 letter]do, and now preparing to another expedition to a flood (with allusion probably to the River Nilus, whose waters used to rise to a great height) both for the multitude of their Souldiers, and for their [illegible: 1 letter]age; they were resolved to carry such numbers us should cover the Earth▪ and to take Carchemish, or some other City which their design was against. It should seem both by this Text and that Exod. 15.9, 10. That the Egyptians were a people much given to vaunt and boast of the great things they would do, boasting when they were putting on their Harness as if they were putting it off, not considering how incertain the events of War were, nor yet that wherein they talked proudly there was one that could be abo[illegible: 1 letter]e them.

9 Come up ye horses, and rage ye chariots, and let the mighty men come forth , the Ethiopians, and the Libyans that handle the shield , and the Lidyans that handle and bend the bow .

Their ancient way of fighting was with Chariots▪ and Bows, the Prophet calls in the name of the Commanders of the Egypt[illegible: 2 letters]n Armies, to the Horses and Chariots to come on, and ingage in the fight.

The Ethiopians were the Cushites who were neighbours to the Egyptians, so were the Lybians both of them it should seem were famous for handling the Shield, the Lybians were descended from Put, both the Cushites and the P[illegible: 1 letter]ti[illegible: 2 letters]s or Lybians were descended from Ham, Gen. 10.6.

The Lydians were as famous for the use of the Bow in War, they were descended from Misraim or Shem, Gen. 10.13.22. the Lydians here meant are thought to be those descended from Misraim, and some think these were Ethiopians. They were all auxilla[illegible: 2 letters]es to the Egyptians in this expedition.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].; Heb. [illegible: 1 word].; Isa. 66.[illegible: 2 letters].

10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries : and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate, and made drunk with their blood : for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north countrey, by the river Euphrates .

Or, But this is the day of the Lord, &c. Pharaoh ▪ is mistaken in accounting this day his own, because of the multitude of his Forces, this is the day of the Lord, who as he is the Lord of all the hosts of his Creatures, so hath a particular rule and government over hosts of men; this is further explained by the next words, a day of vengeance, which God hath set apart, in it to be avenged upon his Enemies.

These phrases only metaphorically signifie, the great slaughter God would make that day amongst the Egyptians.

This the Prophet declares that God would do for his honour and glory, therefore he calls it a sacrifice by which also he declareth his Justice in this punishment of the Egyptian, and for the further repute and credit of his Prophesie, telleth them to whom he spake and the place it should be in, viz. near the River Euphrates, where Iosiah was slain by him, 2 Kings 23.29.

Marginal references: Zeph. 1.7. see Ezek. 39.1[illegible: 1 letter].

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 .

Great states are ordinarily in Scripture called Virgins for their beauty, and pleasant state; Gilead was a most famous place for Balm. The Prophet ironically calls to the Egyptians to go to Gilead for Balm.

But tells them it would be to no purpose, God was about to wound them beyond all help of medicines.

Marginal references: chap. 8.22.; Heb. no c[illegible: 1 letter]re shall be [illegible: 1 letter]nto thee.

12 The nations have heard of thy shame , and thy cry hath filled the land, for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together .

The Prophet keepeth to his old prophetick stile, speaking of things that were to come to pass some years after, as if they were already past, because of the certainty of them, in this sense he saith other Nations had seen, because they should see the shame and confusion of the Egyptians upon their overthrow, and the cry of their slain and wounded men would fill other Lands.

For the Egyptians should certainly be overthrown, either by the Chaldeans stumbling upon the Babylonians, or the Babylonians on them, or they (flying) for haste stumbling one upon another, so as both those that went before, and those who followed after, should both fall together.

13 ¶ The word that the LORD spake to Jeremiah the Prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt .

A Revelation different from the former in this, that the former only foretold the overthrow of the King of Egypt in a particular Battel in Carchemish near Euphrates, of which we read that the thing was done, 2 Kings 24.7. This foretells the Kings of Babylons overrunning all the Land of Egypt, and was not fulfilled till some years after Zedekiah was carried away Captive, but prophesied of chap. 43.10. and 44.30. to come to pass in the time of Pharaoh Hophra as we heard before, and more largely foretold by the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 29. and 30, and 32. to happen after the overthrow of Tyrus, Ezek. 29.18, 19.

Marginal references: Isa. 19.[illegible: 1 letter].

14 Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph, and in Tahpanhes say ye, Stand fast, and prepare ye, for the sword shall devour round about thee .

Concerning these three Cities of Egypt, see the Notes on chap. 44.1. the meaning is publish this Prophesie over all the Land of Egypt, or perhaps these three were the chief places whither the Jews that went with Iohanan the son of Kareah, &c. went, and where they fixed themselves, many more places in Egypt are named by Ezekiel, chap. 28.29.

Look to your selves and prepare your selves for Battel, for the Nations are destroyed round about you, (so it is in the Hebrew) and you have reason to expect that the Sword should come next into your Countries.

15 Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them .

The Prophet first propoundeth a question, then returneth answer to himself. Egypt was full of valiant men, yet saith the Prophet they shall be swept away, or broken down as fruit, or grass is beaten down with a violent storm of Hail, (so the word is used, Prov. 28.3.) how comes this to pass (saith the Prophet) he answereth himself because it was of God to destroy Egypt, who worketh and none can let him, when he strikes none can stand before him; none can stand up against him.

16 He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another , and they said, Arise, let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity from the oppressing sword .

God before spoken of and Nebuchadnezzar, as an instrument in the hand of God, and being armed with his commission and power, made many to fall, yea God caused such a fear to fall upon them, that in their flight they fell upon one another.

And though they had many Souldiers that came to help them from Cush, and Put, and Lybia, yet all was too little, the Prophet foretells they should all be glad to go home again, and should speak to one another to that purpose for the success of the King of Babylons Sword, should be such, as they should quickly see there would be no standing before it.

Marginal references: Heb. multiplyed the [illegible: 1 letter]allers.

17 They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise , he hath passed the time appointed .

That is the Ethiopians and Lubims that should come to help the king of Egypt should cry, or the Caldeans, or the Egyptians themselves should cry Pharaoh is but a noise, that is, hath made a great noise but it cometh to nothing, others make the sense Pharaoh is a man of noise, or tumult, that hath made a great deal of disturbance to himself and us.

That is say the most he hath passed the time himself fixed whereat he would come, and fight the Caldeans. But these words compared with the next verse incline others to think, that either Pharaohs Souldiers, or his Allies are here brought in mocking at Pharaoh, promising himself that the King of Babylon would not come, and laughing at Ieremiah's Prophesie, saying, the time appointed was past, that is the time of his coming mentioned by Ieremiah was past. Ieremiah foretells that Pharaohs Army and Confederates would see reason to cry out, Pharaoh, in saying so, was but a noise.

18 As I live, saith the king, whose name is the LORD of hosts, surely as Tabor is amongst the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come .

That is, he shall as certainly come and incompass you with his Armies as Tabor is encompassed with mountains, and as Carmel is by the Sea, or as Barak going down from mount Tabor destroyed Sisera's Army, or as surely as the Rain came which Elijah first discovered from Mount Carmel, 1 Kings 18.41, 42. there are other guesses at the sense of this comparison, but the sense is undoubtedly no more then that Nebuchadnezzar should certainly come against Egypt, how vainly soever the Egyptians flattered themselves to the contrary supposing the time past which the Prophet spake of.

19 Oh thou daughter dwelling in Egypt , furnish thy self to go into captivity : for Noph shall be wast and desolate without an inhabitant c..

That is, O you inhabitants in the Land of Egypt.

Make ready to go into another Countrey as Prisoners of War, for your Cities shall be destroyed. Noph particularly shall be wholly depopulated, and laid wast and have none to dwell in it.

Marginal references: Heb. make thee instruments of captivity.

20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh: it cometh out of the north .

That is, Egypt is now in a thriving prosperous condition, having not used to be under any yoke like an Heifer, that is fair, and fat but she will not be so long, she is but as a beast fatted for the slaughter, and there are slaughter men, coming out of Caldea that will kill this fair Heifer and make her a sacrifice to the Justice of God.

21 Also her hired men are in the midst of her, like fatted bullocks , for they also are turned back, and are fled away together; they did not stand because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation .

The mercenary Souldiers also which the Egyptians have hired from Cush and Put, and other parts are at present in a flourishing prosperous state.

We have translated [non-Latin text not transcribed] here ill, it had been better translated but, for that is manifestly the sense. Though they at present lying in Garrisons be fat and flourishing, like bullocks in the stalls, yet when it cometh to it they shall not stand but turn back, and flee as well as the rest.

Because the time is come when God resolveth to punish them, and bring calamity upon them. When the time is come which God hath set in his counsels, wherein he will punish persons or nations: no probabilities to the contrary are much considerable.

Marginal references: Heb. b[illegible: 1 letter]llocks of the [illegible: 1 word].

22 The voice thereof shall go like a serpent , for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood .

Egypt is now like an [illegible: 1 letter]eifer that makes a great bellowing, but the time shall come when she shall make a lesser noise like the hissing of a Serpent, when it seeth it self set upon.

For the Caldeans shall come with a great Army, armed with Battle-Axes, as if they came to fell down some Wood in a Forest, or Wood.

23 They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD, though it cannot be searched , because they are more then the grashoppers, and are innumerable .

Egypt is compared to a forest either for the multitude of Cities, or of people in that Countrey, and to a thick Forest, because as it is an hard thing to make ones way through a Forest, so it was judged as hard for an Enemy to make his way into that Country, in humane probability Egypt could not be searched, yet (saith God) the Caldeans shall cut down this Forest, and it shall be no more to them then for hewers of Wood, with Tools fitted for the purpose, to make their way through a forest.

For the Army of the Caldeans shall be as numerous as the inhabitants of Egypt, more then the Grashoppers which come in such Troops, as in a short time they devour every green Herb in a place.

24 The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded, she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north .

That is, into the hand or power of the Caldeans, it is the same thing which the Prophet had before said again and again, and repeats it so often only for the further confirmation of the truth of the prediction, notwithstanding the appearing improbability of any such thing.

25 The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel saith , Behold, I will punish the multitude of No , and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings, even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him .

These names are often in conjunction given unto God, the first signifying his Power, or ability to do what he either promiseth or threatneth, the other speaking his kindness and near relation to the Jews.

There are great critical disputes about this phrase, whether the word translated multitude, signifies so (as it doth, chap. 52.15.) and if so whether it should not be the multitude from No. Or whether it signifies the nourisher, (as some would have it) because No (which most think is the same City with that at this time called Alexandria, being a great place of Merchandise) nourished all the adjacent parts, but it is no easie thing to resolve the question, nor is the resolution of it of much moment to us.

By those that trusted in Pharaoh the Jews are most probably meant, who all along in their prosperity put too much confidence in Egypt, and after that Hierusalem was taken, some of them (as we before heard) fled into Egypt for Sanctuary.

Marginal references: Or, nouri[illegible: 1 letter]her.; Heb. [illegible: 1 word].; chap. 43.12, 13. Eze. 30.13.

26 And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: And afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the dayes of old, saith the LORD .

The former part of this verse is but the same which the Prophet hath often before said. The latter part is a promise for the restauration of Egypt to some degrees of its former prosperity, and Liberty. The determinate time for the fulfilling of this Prophesie is told us, Ezek. 29.13, 14. viz. at the end of forty years; this we are to[illegible: 2 letters] by Civil Historians fell out in the time of Amasis a King of Egypt coaevous with Cyrus, who was overcome by Cyrus his son Camb[illegible: 2 letters]es, who brought Egypt to be a Province belong[illegible: 1 letter]ng to the Medes and Pe[illegible: 1 letter]sians, by the fulfilling of which prophesie the truth both of Ieremiahs and Ezekiels prop[illegible: 1 letter]esies are justified.

28 Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD, for I am with thee, for I will m[illegible: 1 letter]ke a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee, but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure, yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished .

See the notes on chap. 30.10, 11. where is the substance of what is said in these two verses, and almost the very words are repeated: the great thing to be observed by us, is the difference which the just and righteous God maketh betwixt his puni[illegible: 2 letters]m[illegible: 1 letter]nts of his Church and own people▪ and his punishments of wicked men who are their Enemies a[illegible: 1 letter] there is a great difference in the root of such dispensations, God dealing them out to his people out of love, that they might not be condemned with the wicked; so there is a great deal of difference in the measure and duration of their punishments, the rod of the wicked shall not alwayes lye upon the backs of the righteous, and they are corrected in measure.

Marginal references: chap. 10.24.; Or, not utter[illegible: 1 letter]y [illegible: 1 word] thee off ▪ Or, in making thee empty I will not make thee empty.