Chapter XLVI
Ver. 1-2S. The Prophecies, Chapters 46.-52., kefeb TO KouEiGN PEOPLE.S. He begins with Egypt, being the country to which he had been removed. Chapter 46. contains two prophecies concerning it; the discomfiture of Piiaraoh-necho at Carcliemish by Nebuchadnezzar, and
lit., theie shall be no cure /or <7iee (ch. 30. 13 ; Ezekiel 30.21). Not that the kingdom of Egypt should cease to exist, but
it should not recover its former strength; the blow should be irretrievable. 13. mighty . . . stunkbled against . . . mighty . . . fallen both together—their very multitude shall prove an impediment in their confused
tlie long subsequent conquest of Egypt by the same king
also the preservation of the Jews (v. 27, 28). 1. General
hi iuling of tlie next six chapters of prophecies concerning the Gentiles; the prophecies are arranged according to nations, not by the dates, a. Inscription of the first proph-
flight, one treading on the other. 13, &c. Prophecy of the invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, which took place sixteen years after the taking of .lerusalem. 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.;
ee.y. Pliaraoh-ncelio—he, when going against Carcliemish (Cercusiuni, near tlie Euphrates), encountered Josiah, king of Judah (the all.v of Assyria), at Megiddo, and slew him there (2 Kings 23. 2!) ; 2 Chronicles 35. 20-24)
31). Tlie intestine commotions between Amasis and Pliaraoh-hophra prepared his way (cf. Isaiah 19. 1, Ac, Notes). 14. Declare . . . publish—as if giving sentence from a tribunal. Migdol . . . Noph . . . Tahpanhes—east, south, and north. Ho 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, swortl shall devour round al>out thee viz., the Syrians, Jews, Moab-
but was four years subseiiuenllyovereomeat Carchemish, by Neliucliadnezzar, as is foretohl here; and lost all the territory which had been subject to the Pharaohs west
of the Euphrates, and between it and the Nile. The prediction would mitigate the Jews' grief for Josiah, and •^how his death was not to be unavenged (2 Kings 24.7). He is famed as having fitted out a fleet of discovery from
tlie Ked Sea, wliicli doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and
returned to Egypt by the Mediterranean. 3. Derisive >;ummons to battle. With all your mighty preparation
ites, and Ammonites {Note, ch. IS. 1). The exhortation is ironical, as v. 4, 10. 15. thy valiant men—MSS., the LXX., 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 llio might attributed to It b.v-Uie worshippers. The Hebrew U'vm, strong, or valiant, is applied
for the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, when ye come to the encounter ye shall be "dismayed" (u.5). Your mighty threats shall end in nothing. Imekler— smaller, and carried by tlic light-armed cavalry, shield—of larger
size, and carried liy the heavily-armed infantry. 4. Harness the horses—Di'z., to the war-chariots, for which
to bulls (Psalm 22. 12). Camhyses in his invasion of Egypt destroyed the sacred bull, drive tl»em—(Cf. v. 5.) The Hebrew ^yor^l is used of a swee))iug rain (Proverbs 2S. 3), 10. He—Jehovali. made many to fall—/i7., mnltijiliea
i:gy|)t was famed (Exodus 14. 7; 15. 4). get up, ye horsemen—j/r-Z up into the chariots. MAliiiKlt, because of the parallel "horses," translates, "Mount the steeds." But it
IS rather describing the succu^sslve steps in e(iuipping the war-chariots ; first harness the horses to them, then let the horsemen mount them, brignndlnes—cuirasses, or coats of mail. 5. (A'ote, v. 3.) The language of astonish-
the faller, i.e., falters, one fell upon another—(K. 6, 12): even before the enemy strikes them (Leviticus 26. 37). let us go again to our own peopU;- t he language of the con-
aieut, that an army ho well equipped should be driven
federates and mercenaries, exhorting one auothor to iie«
Ivtaet Comforted. JEREMIAH XLYII, XLVIII. Prophecy against the Philiislima,
Repeated from ch. 30. 10, 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. 1.5). Whereas the godless "nations" are consumed even though they survive, as the Egyptians after tlieir overthrow; because tliey are radically accursed and doomed. [Calvin.]
sen tue Egyptian stainl;irtl, and return to their respective
homes (i>. 9, 21). from t!ie oppressing sword—from tlie cruel sword, liz., of tlie Clialiieans (cf. cli. 2.5. 38). 17. there —in tlieir own country severally, tlie foreign soldiers (v.
l6)c?-3/, " Pharaoh is," &c. bxit a Molsc—He llireatens great things, but when the need arises. He does nothing; His threats are mere rwise (cf. 1 Corinthians 13. 1). Mauker
franslatcs, " is ruined," lit. (in appropriate abruptness of language), "Pharaoh, king, &e., ruin." The context favours Ettf/lish Version, Hi.s vauntings of what he would do when the time of battle should come liave proved to be empty sounds ; he hath passed the time apiminled (viz., for bat-