saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants
JOHN CALVIN we see that nothing is wanting to our enemies for victory even over the Church of
God, let what the Prophet says here be remembered by us, that there is no reason why we should despond, though we may be filled with wonder and amazement; for
God will so work as to break down, without the hand of man, those who shake the whole world with terror. It afterwards follows, ---
Jeremiah 46:6
6. Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.
6. Ne effugiat volex, et ne servetur fortis; in Aquilone (in Septentrione) super ripam fluvii Euphratis impingent (vel, impegerunt, est proeteriti temporis,) et ceciderunt ({}כשלsignificat etiam corruere, ideo vertunt alii, corruerunt, sed videtur esse species gradationis.)
He then says first that they would gain power, but he speaks presently of their fall, unless it be thought that the same thing is repeated: and the beginning of the verse may be read affirmatively, ``The swift shall not flee,'' etc. But as the particle
{,}אלal, is often used in a prohibitory sense, the verse may be evidently explained as spoken by God, and thus it may be read in connection with the previous verse,
Let not the swift flee, nor the brave escape For God here declares authoritatively, that celerity and courage would be of no avail to the Egyptians, because the swiftest would be taken by their enemies, and the bravest would fall. 359
He says, In the land of the north, on the bank of the river We know that Babylon and Assyria and Chaldea and those countries, were northward with respect to Judea.
Whenever then the Prophets speak of the Babylonians, they call them Northlanders; but Egypt was to the south, as it is clear from many parts of Scripture. But as the
Prophet here speaks of the Egyptians, he rightly makes Chaldea to be northward.
Then he says, On the bank of the river Euphrates they shall stumble, or fall. The meaning is, that the event of war is in the power of God, so that he would tear in pieces and lay prostrate or scatter the Egyptians, however well equipped they might be, and trust in their own strength.
We must also observe, that whatever subsidies men pro-cum for themselves in order to protect their safety, they are nothing when God is opposed to them. The
Prophet indeed mentions only two things; but he means that though men may excel in many things and possess many endowments, they must yet perish, when that is
God's will: flight cannot save the swift, nor strength the valiant. It follows ---
Jeremiah 46:7-8
7. Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?
7. Quis iste tanquam lacus ascendet (vel, ascendit, ad verbum) tanquam fluvii sese agitant (aut, moventur) aquae ejus?
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.
8. Aegyptus tanquam lacus ascendit (ascendet, ad verbum, sed significat contin-
359It is more consistent with the passage to render the verbs in the future tense, — Not flee shall the swift, Nor escape shall the strong; In the north, by the side of the river Euphrates, Have they stumbled and fallen. — Ed.