42. 17). CaI (continued)
Jeremiah Forclelleth the Overthrow JEREMIAH XLVI. of the E<jyptians by Nebuchadnezzar.
fiiult, t(2., fear for his I'.fe hy reason of the suspicions which lie incurred in tlie eyes of his countrymen (cf. ch.
back in "dismay." The prophet sees this in prophetic vision, fled apace—lit., /led aj Ught, i. e., flee precipitately, look not back—they do not even dare to look back at their pursuers. 6. L.ct not—equivalent to the strongest negation. Let not any of the Egyptian warriors think to escape by swiftness or by might, toward the north— /. e., in respect to Egypt or Judea. In the northward region, by the Euphrates (see i'. 2). 7. as a flood—(Ch. 47. 2; Isaiah 8. 7, 8; Daniel 11. 22.) The figure is appropriate ia addressing Egyptians, as the Nile, their great river, yearly overspreads their lands with a turbid, muddy flood. So their army, swelling with arrogance, sliall over.spread the region south of Euphrates; but it, like the Nile, shall retreat as fast as it advanced. 8. Answer to the question in V. 7. waters . . . moved like tl»e rivers—tlie rise of the Nile is gentle; but at the mouth it, unlik« most rivers, is much agitated, owing to the sandbanks impeding its course, and so it rushes into the sea like a cataract. 9. Ironical exhortation, as in v. 3. The Egyptians, owing to the heat of their climate and abstinence from animal food, were physically weak, and therefore employed mercenary soldiers. Ethiopians— J/cforew), Cash; Abyssinia and Nubia. lilbyans— /"/iit, Mauritania, west of Egypt (cf. Genesis 10. 6). shield—the Libyans borrowed from Egypt the use of the long shield extending to the feet. (XenoPHOJJ, Cyr., 6. and 7.) Lydians—not the Lydians west of Asia Minor (Genesis 10.22; Ezekiel 30. 5), but the Ludim, an African nation descended from Egypt (Mizraim) (Genesis 10. 13; Ezekiel 30. 5; Nahum 3. 9). handle and bend the bow—the employment of two verbs expresses the manner of bending the bow, viz., the foot being pressed on the centre, and the hands holding the ends of it. 10. vengeance—for the slaughter of Josiah (2 Kings 23. 29). sword sikall devonx- . . , be . . . di'iink—poetical personification (Deuteronomy 32. 42). a sacrifice—(Isaiah 34. 6; Ezekiel 39. 17.) The slaughter of the Egyptians is represented as a sacrifice to satiate His righteous vengeance. 11. Gllead . . . balm {Note, ch. 8. 22); viz., for curing the wounds ; but no medicine will avail, so desperate shall be the slaughter, virgin—Egypt is so called on account of her effeminate luxury, and as having never yet been brought under foreign yoke, thoii shalt not be cured
06. 17), as if he was a favourer of the Chaldeans (cli. 43. 3), and Instigator of Jeremiah; also ingratitude in speaking
(if his "grief," Ac, whereas he ought to deem himself highly blessed in being employed by God to record Jeremiah's prophecies, added—rescued from tlie peril of my first writing (ch. 36. 26). I am again involved in a similar peril. lie upbraids God as dealing harshly with him. I laiiifed— rather, 7 am ivcary. 110 rest—no quiet restingpiaee. 4. that wlilcli 1 Iiave bnllt . . . planted I will pluck lip— (Isaiah 5. 5.) Tliis whole nation (the Jews) which I founded and planted with such extraordinary care and lavour, I will overthrow. 5. seekest tliou great things for thyself—thou art over-fastidious and selfseeking. When my own peculiar people, a "whole" nation ic. 4), and the temple, are being given to ruin, dost
II10U expect to beexenipt from all hardship? Baruch liad l al.sed his expectations too high in this world, and this made his distresses harder to be borne. The frowns of the world would not disquiet ns, if we did not so eagerly covet its smiles. What folly to seek great things for ourselves here, where every thing is little, and nothing certain! all flesh—the whole Jewish nation and even foreign peoples (ch. 25. 2G). b«it tliy life . . . for a prey esteem it enougli at sucli a general crisis that thy life shall be granted thee. Be content with this boon of life which I will rescue from imminent death, even as when all things are given up to plunder, if one escape wiUi aught, he has a something saved as his "prey" (ch. 21. 9).
It is striking how Jeremiah, who once used such complaining language himself, is enabled now to minister the counsel requisite for Baruch when falling into the same sin (ch. 12. 1-5; 15. 10-lS). This is part of God's design in suU'ering His servants to be tempted, that their temptations may adapt them lor ministering to their fellow-servants when tempted.
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 prophflight, 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, Moabbut 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 ^yorl 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 succusslve 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 astonishthe 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 conaieut, that an army ho well equipped should be driven federates and mercenaries, exhorting one auothor to iie«