Westminster Annotations, Jeremiah · Chapter 46 – Chapter 47
CHAP. XLVI.
Vers. 1. THe word of the LORD which came, &c.] See Chap. 1. 2, 4.
against the Gentiles] Divers nations; mentioned in the foure Chapters next ensuing.
V. 2. against Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh-necho, &c.] Or, Concerning Egypt, and concerning the army, &c. as Esther 3. 2. Psal. 91. 11.
which was by the river Euphrates] 2 King. 23. 29. 2 Chron. 35. 20.
king of Babylon smote] 2 King. 24. 7.
V. 3. Order ye] Or, Make ready: or, Weld. 1 Chron. 12. 8.
the buckler and shield] Make warlike preparations against the Chaldeans, that come to invade you. Psal. 35. 2, 3. Isa. 22. 6.
V. Harnesse the horses] Heb. Bind. 1 King. 18. 44. gird and saddle them.
V. 5. Wherefore have I seen] This he speaketh, as beholding in a vision their affrightment, flight and shamefull discomfiture. Chap. 30. 6. Or, do I see.
their mighty ones are beaten down] Heb. broken in pieces. Mic. 1. 7.
are fled apace] Heb. fled a flight.
fear was round about] Chap. 6. 25. & 20. 3.
V. 6. Let not the swift flee away] Or, The swift shall not fl… away: shall not escape by flight. Chap. 25. 35. Amos 2. 14.
nor the mighty man escape] Or, nor shall the mighty man escape: save himself by his might. Psal. 33. 16, 17.
fall toward the north] Being overthrown by the Chaldeans. Vers. 10. out of their own countrey, in a land more northward. Vers. 2.
by the river Euphrates] Heb. hand (that is, side, or bank, Josh. 15. 46.) of the river.
V. 7. Who is this that cometh up as a floud] He derideth the Egyptians vaunting and vain confidence; that thought to overflow all countries far and neer, as the river Nilus swelling up used to do theirs. Is. 8. 7. & 59. 19. Chap. 49. 19.
V. 8. I will destroy the citie] The Citie Charchemish. Vers. 2.
V. 9. the Ethiopians] Heb. Cush. Isa. 18. 1. People of Africa, that served under Pharaoh; of whose originall, see Gen. 10. 6.
the Libyans] Heb. Put. 1 Chron. 1. 6.
the Lydians] Isai. 66. 19.
bend the bow] Heb. tread. Chap. 50. 14, 29.
V. 10. a day of vengeance] Isai. 61. 2. & 63. 4. Chap. 51. 6.
the sword shall devoure, &c.] Isai. 34. 6.
hath a sacrifice] A great solemn slaughter of the Egyptians and their assistants: the slaughter of Gods obstinate enemies being as pleasing to him as any sacrifice. Isa. 34. 6.
in the north-countrey] Vers. 6.
by the river Euphrates] At Carchemish; which the Egyptian King went to take. 2 King. 23. 29. vers. 1. 8.
V. 11. Go up into Gilead] Or, unto Gilead. where the most soveraign balm for wounds was. Chap. 8. 22. & 51. 8.
O virgin, the daughter of Egypt] A Virgin, as yet unconquered: or, as the name is usually given to other great States; thou that art fair and beautifull, and pridest thy self, as a young maiden, in the goodlinesse of thine estate. Isai. 47. 1. vers. 20.
in vain shalt thou use many medicines] Heb. multiplie medicines. as Chap. 2. 22. No m…dicine shall avail thee against the stroke of Gods hand. Chap. 51. 8, 9. Ezek. 30. 21.
thou shalt not be cured] Heb. no cure shall be unto thee. Chap. 30. 13.
the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty] One against another: as is usuall in confusion and flight. Chap. 13. 14. Vers. 16. Or, one upon another; their carcasses lying on heaps in the field, as is usuall after a great slaughter. Judg. 15. 16. Vers. 10.
V. 13. how Nebuchadrezzar, &c.] Isa. 19. Ezek. 29. & 30. 32. Chap. 44. 30.
V. 14. publish in Mig…ol, &c.] In all parts of it. Chap. 44. 1. in Migdol, to the east; Tahpanhes, to the North; Noph, to the South: for as for the Western part, that lay out of the Chaldeans way.
the sword shall devoure round about thee] All thy neighbouring Nations; and so cleered the passage to thee. 2 King. 24. 7.
V. 15. thy valiant men swept away] Put to flight and cut off: A metaphor taken from a violent showre, that beateth down; or a strong stream, that beareth down, and carryeth all away without resistance before it Jud. 5. 21. Prov. 28. 3.
they stood not] Or, could not stand. Josh. 21. 44.
because the LORD did drive them] And who is able to stand before him? Exod. 14. 25. Psal. 76. 7.
V. 16. He made many to fall, Heb. multiplyed the faller: as vers. 11.
one fell upon another] Heb. a man on his fellow. Levit. 26. 37. Chap. 19. 9. & 36. 16. See vers. 12.
they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, &c.] They of other Nations, that assisted the Egyptians: repenting of their undertakings, when they perceived the issue of them: as Chap. 51. 9.
from the oppressing sword] Of the Chaldean king, that destroyeth all before it. See Chap. 25. 38. & 50. 16.
V. 17. They did cry there] At Carchemish. vers. 2.
Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise] Or, wastnesse. Chap. 48. 45. He is a man of words; one that promiseth, or threatneth much, but performeth nothing: Or, he is wasted, and utterly ruined.
he hath passed the time appointed] Let slip his opportunities; or the fit season for warre.
V. 18. whose name is the LORD of hosts] Isai. 47. 4. & 48. 2. Chap. 48. 15.
as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come] Or, it come. As sure as these two mountains stand and keep their severall stations; so sure shall what I threaten, come to passe. Or, Nebuchadnezzar shall come to subdue and bring under all before him, as Tabor doth advance it self above, and overlook, the lesser hils and lower grounds; and Carmel the sea neer unto it. Jud. 4. 6, 14. 1 King. 18. 42, 43.
V. 19. dwelling in Egypt] That seemest there to have a sure seat of abode, as Chap. 10. 17. & 21. 13.
furnish thy self to go into captivity] Heb. make thee instruments of captivitie: or, captivitie furniture. Ezek. 12. 3.
Noph shall be waste] Or, Memphis. Chap. 44. 1.
desolate without an inhabitant] Chap. 9. 10.
V. 20. Egypt is like a very fair heiser] A goodly State, not enured to the yoke of subjection. Hos. 10. 11.
out of the north] From Chaldea. Chap. 1. 14. & 4. 6. & 6. 1.
V. 21. in the midst of her] Or, within her. Isa. 5. 18.
like fatted bullocks] Heb. bullocks of the stall. Mal. 4. 2. Mighty and lusty; likely to perform what they undertake.
for] Or, but. Psal. 118. 17. Psal. 22. 12.
they did not stand] Or, could not. Vers. 15.
the day of their calamity was come] Chap. 50. 27.
V. 22. The voyce thereof shall go like a serpent] Or, Her voyce. To wit, of Egypt: she shall then speak lowly and submissely; or, shall be scarce able to speak for fear; Isai. 29. 4. not bellow aloud, like an heifer; Isai. 51. 5. or like a bull; Chap. 50. 11. as formerly she had wont to do.
for] Or, when. as Gen. 4. 12.
they shall march with an army] Her enemies the Chaldeans. Vers. 13.
come against her with axes, &c.] See Chap. 22. 7.
V. 23. They shall cut down her forest] The multitude of her men of warre and mighty ones. Isai. 10. 18.
it cannot be searched] 2 Chron. 4. 18.
because they are, &c.] Or, though they be, as Josh. 17. 18.
are inmomerable] Heb. there is no number of them.
V. 24. into the hand] Or, power. vers. 26.
the people of the north] Vers. 20.
V. 25. I will punish] Heb. visit. Chap. 36. 61.
the multitude of No] Or, nourisher. Heb. Amon. of No, of Alexandria; that populous Citie. Nahum 3. 8. so is the word Amon used, Chap. 52. 15.
with their gods] Exod. 12. 12. Chap. 43. 12.
and their kings] Princes and rulers. Chap. 50. 41. & 51. 28.
all them that trust in him] Among the rest, those Jewes that seek to him, and relie on him, for succour. Isai. 30. 1, 2. & 31. 1. Chap. 44. 12-14.
V. 26. I will deliver them] Chap. 44. 30.
into the hand] Or, power. Chap. 34. 20.
that seek their lives] Heb. soul. Chap. 34. 20, 21. so again and again afterward.
afterwards it shall be inhabited] Heb. dwell: or, inhabit. Chap. 50. 39. After the space of fortie years shall Egypt be restored. Isai. 19. 22. Ezek. 29. 13.
as in the dayes of old] Heb. antiquity. Lam. 1. 7.
V. 27. fear not thou, &c.] Isai. 41. 13. & 43. 5. & 44. 2. Chap. 30. 10. Thus God still comforteth those of his, that were abroad in captivitie, and those few of them that remained in Egypt; for he never forsaketh his. Esal. 9. 10. & 94. 14.
I will save thee from afarre off] Or, save and bring thee from a farre countrey. as Isai. 38. 17. Or, bring thee safe from afarre. as Act. 23. 24.
I will not make a full end of thee] Chap. 30. 11.
but correct thee in measure] Heb. judgement. Chap. 10. 24.
yet will I not, &c.] Or, not utterly cut thee off.
leave thee wholly unpunished] Heb. acquiting acquite. Chap. 30. 11.
CHAP. XLVII.
Vers. 1. THe word, &c.] See Chap. 1. 2, 4.
against the Philistines] Isa. 14. 29. Chap. 25. 20. Ezek. 25. 15. Amos 1. 6. Zeph. 2. 4, 5.
before that] So that the ruine of that State was foretold by the Prophet, while it was yet in a prosperous, and flourishing condition, before it was impaired by any notable losse.
Pharaoh] Nechoh in likelihood; in his expedition against the Assyrians, 2 King. 23. 29.
smote Gaza] Heb. Azzah. a strong citie of the Philistines, Judg. 16. 1.
V. 2. waters rise up out of the north] The Chaldeans break in as a land-floud, surrounding all; Isa. 8. 7. & 59. 19. from their own countrey, lying north of Palestine: Isa. 14. 21. Chap. 46. 20.
all that is therein] Heb. the fulnesse thereof. Psal. 24. 1.
V. 3. of his strong horses] Chap. 8. 16. & 50. 11.
at the rusting of his chariots] Or, rustling. Isa. 17. 12. Or, ra… ling. Nahum 3. 2.
the fathers shall not look back to their children] Extreamitie of fear shall overwhelm affection: their hearts shall so fail them, that every one shall be glad to shift for himself: as Chap. 16. 6, 7. and 49. 5.
V. 4. to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon] Which being of the posteritie of Canaan the sonne of Cham, and bordering on the Philistines, Josh. 19. 29. were on all occasions ready to assist them.
the remnant of the countrey] Heb. the isle. Isa. 20. 6. & 42. 15. Chap. 2. 10.
of Caphtor] Which coming also of the same race with the Philistines, dwelt neer unto them; possessing sometime the countrey thereabout even unto Gaza; Deut. 2. 23. and, as may seem, having sometime subdued the Philistines, Amos 9. 7. but were now in confederacie with them; and like to fare as they did. Some suppose them to be put here for the Philistines, called the remnant of them, because descended from them, or left by them, when they over-ranne their countrey, and carried many of them away captive: but they seem rather distinct, as the other places here mentioned: and that they are called the remnant of that land, either because the Egyptians had made spoil of them before-time, when they invaded the Philistines countrey; vers. 1. or because the Chaldeans had begun with them, ere they fell upon the Philistines countrey. See the like Chap. 25. 20.
V. 5. Baldnesse is come upon, &c.] Signs of sorrow and mourning: of which see Chap. 16. 6, 7. & 41. 5. & 48. 37. Ezek. 3. 18.
Gaza] Vers. 1.
Ashkelon] A chief citie of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 6. 17. … Sam. 1. 20.
how long wilt thou cut thy self] Levit. 19. 28. Chap. 16. 6.
V. 6. O thou sword of the LORD, &c.] The Prophets lamentation, bemoaning the havock of men made by the sword, ranging to and fro so long together: and supplication for a stay.
put up thy self into thy scabbard] Heb. gather thy self. or, betake thy self (as Exod. 9. 19. Num. 11. 30.) unto thy scabbard.
and be still] Heb. be silent. Psal. 4. 4. Isa. 23. 2.
V. 7. How can it be quiet, &c.] Heb. how canst thou. as Ezek. 31. 10. An answer to the Prophets suit. Or his own replie, as recalling himself. It cannot stay, till Gods work be done, and his will and word fulfilled.
against Ashkelon] Vers. 5.
against the sea-shore] The Philistines: whose countrey coasted on the midland sea. Josh. 15. 46, 47.