Jeremiah 46, Oracles Against the Nations: A Message for Egypt

Jeremiah was told by Yahweh that he should take a cup of the wine of God’s wrath and make all the nations drink of it (Jeremiah 25:15-29). Here are his prophecies against the nations. The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary tells us:

such oracles against the nations…are rarely pronounced in the presence of the foreign nations. Furthermore, even though they are directed against the foreign nations, these oracles are primarily intended for Israelite ears.

^46:1 This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations:

² Concerning Egypt: This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

³ “Prepare your shields, both large and small, and march out for battle! ⁴ Harness the horses, mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears, put on your armor! ⁵ What do I see? They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated. They flee in haste without looking back, and there is terror on every side,” declares Yahweh. ⁶ “The swift cannot flee nor the strong escape. In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.

The balance of power in Mesopotamia was changing. Assyria, the dominant power of the day, was losing power and facing opposition from Babylon. Egypt, ever striving to be a power in that land came with her army to the aid of Assyria but was defeated in battle by Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. Judah had been in league with Egypt, hoping to prevent being subdued by the Babylonians, but were now frustrated in their alliance because Egypt was subdued.

⁷ “Who is this that rises like the Nile, like rivers of surging waters? ⁸ Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers of surging waters. She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy cities and their people.’ ⁹ Charge, you horses! Drive furiously, you charioteers! March on, you warriors—men of Cush and Put who carry shields, men of Lydia who draw the bow. ¹⁰ But that day belongs to Yahweh, Yahweh Almighty—a day of vengeance, for vengeance on his foes. The sword will devour till it is satisfied, till it has quenched its thirst with blood. For Yahweh, Yahweh Almighty, will offer sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.

¹¹ “Go up to Gilead and get balm, Virgin Daughter Egypt. But you try many medicines in vain; there is no healing for you. ¹² The nations will hear of your shame; your cries will fill the earth. One warrior will stumble over another; both will fall down together.”

Egypt, like her might river, the Nile, fancied herself “surging waters” that could defeat any foe. But Yahweh is telling her that she is a little stream to Yahweh, who will quench His thirst for vengeance against her through His instrument, Babylon. Though they travel north through Gilead, looking, figuratively speaking, for healing like the balm of Gilead, there will be no healing, only defeat.

 ¹³ This is the message Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to attack Egypt:

¹⁴ “Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol; proclaim it also in Memphis and Tahpanhes: Take your positions and get ready, for the sword devours those around you.’ ¹⁵ Why will your warriors be laid low? They cannot stand, for Yahweh will push them down. ¹⁶ They will stumble repeatedly; they will fall over each other. They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back to our own people and our native lands, away from the sword of the oppressor.’ ¹⁷ There they will exclaim, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise; he has missed his opportunity.’

¹⁸ “As surely as I live,” declares the King, whose name is Yahweh Almighty, “one will come who is like Tabor among the mountains, like Carmel by the sea. ¹⁹ Pack your belongings for exile, you who live in Egypt, for Memphis will be laid waste and lie in ruins without inhabitant. ²⁰ “Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly is coming against her from the north. ²¹ The mercenaries in her ranks are like fattened calves. They too will turn and flee together, they will not stand their ground, for the day of disaster is coming upon them, the time for them to be punished. ²² Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent as the enemy advances in force; they will come against her with axes, like men who cut down trees. ²³ They will chop down her forest,” declares Yahweh, “dense though it be. They are more numerous than locusts, they cannot be counted. ²⁴ Daughter Egypt will be put to shame, given into the hands of the people of the north.”

²⁵ Yahweh Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes, on Pharaoh, on Egypt and her gods and her kings, and on those who rely on Pharaoh. ²⁶ I will give them into the hands of those who want to kill them—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited as in times past,” declares Yahweh.

Yahweh uses several metaphors for Egypt’s plight.

• Warriors pushed down by Yahweh
• Pharaoh merely a loud noise
• Egypt packing her bags for exile
• Heifers stung by gadflies
• Mercenaries (Cush, Put, Lydia) like fattened calves ready for slaughter
• Fleeing serpents
• A forest that will be chopped down

²⁷ “Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid. ²⁸ Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant, for I am with you,” declares Yahweh. “Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”

In the midst of all this judgment on Egypt, Judah will not be exempted. But unlike Egypt and any other nations God judges, Judah will be restored from exile after her punishment, and live once again in peace and security.

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Discussion Questions:

1. Why is God concerned about nations other than Israel if He is not in covenant with them?
2. Why did God need to be avenged on Egypt?
3. God is not only judging Egypt and her leaders, but their gods. How is this a judgment on them?
4. Why does Judah get a mention in this oracle against Egypt?