The big picture
Jeremiah 46 opens in verse 1 with “The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say…”, and closes in verse 28 with “Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD : for I am with thee; for I will make…” Repeated or prominent terms include Egypt, LORD, king, mighty, hand. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 28Jeremiah 46:1-7
1–7: The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the…
Jeremiah 46:1–7 opens with “The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;” and reaches “Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 46 develops its own movement around Egypt, LORD, king, mighty, hand, with particular weight carried by king, back, Egypt.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;” Naming Gentiles and Jeremiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Jeremiah 46:1-7
King James Version1The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;
2Against 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 Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.
3Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.
4Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines.
5Wherefore 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 .
6Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.
7Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?
Jeremiah 46:8-14
8–14: Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers…
Jeremiah 46:8–14 opens with “Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go…” and reaches “Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 46 develops its own movement around Egypt, LORD, king, mighty, hand, with particular weight carried by Egypt, LORD, mighty.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that…” Naming Come and Ethiopians keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“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…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Jeremiah 46:8-14
King James Version8Egypt 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.
9Come 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 Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
10For 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 country by the river Euphrates.
11Go 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.
12The 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.
13The word that the LORD spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.
14Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee.
Jeremiah 46:15-21
15–21: Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did…
Jeremiah 46:15–21 opens with “Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.” and reaches “Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 46 develops its own movement around Egypt, LORD, king, mighty, hand, with particular weight carried by Egypt, cometh, king.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Jeremiah 46:15-21
King James Version15Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.
16He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.
17They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed.
18As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.
19O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.
20Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.
21Also 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.
Jeremiah 46:22-28
22–28: The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an…
Jeremiah 46:22–28 opens with “The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against…” and reaches “Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD : for I am with thee; for I will make a full…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 46 develops its own movement around Egypt, LORD, king, mighty, hand, with particular weight carried by hand, LORD, Jacob.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD , though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Jeremiah 46:22-28
King James Version22The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.
23They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD , though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable.
24The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.
25The 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:
26And 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 afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD .
27But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
28Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD : for I am with thee; for I will make 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 46:1 begins with “The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 46:15 forms a natural hinge: “Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.”
The final note
Jeremiah 46:28 leaves the reader with “Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD : for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Egypt, LORD, king, mighty, hand, hosts help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Why is the vision before departure significant?
Jacob receives reassurance that leaving the promised land does not mean leaving God's presence or purpose.
What does the long list contribute?
It gives names and relationships to the people who will become the nation in Exodus.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.