mh_parser/vol_split/24 - Jeremiah/Chapter 46.xml

<div2 id="Jer.xlvii" n="xlvii" next="Jer.xlviii" prev="Jer.xlvi" progress="44.75%" title="Chapter XLVI">
<h2 id="Jer.xlvii-p0.1">J E R E M I A H.</h2>
<h3 id="Jer.xlvii-p0.2">CHAP. XLVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Jer.xlvii-p1" shownumber="no">How judgment began at the house of God we have
found in the foregoing prophecy and history; but now we shall find
that it did not end there. In this and the following chapters we
have predictions of the desolations of the neighbouring nations,
and those brought upon them too mostly by the king of Babylon, till
at length Babylon itself comes to be reckoned with. The prophecy
against Egypt is here put first and takes up this whole chapter, in
which we have, I. A prophecy of the defeat of Pharaoh-necho's army
by the Chaldean forces at Carchemish, which was accomplished soon
after, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.1-Jer.46.12" parsed="|Jer|46|1|46|12" passage="Jer 46:1-12">ver. 1-12</scripRef>. II. A prophecy of the descent
which Nebuchadnezzar should make upon the land of Egypt, and his
success in it, which was accomplished some years after the
destruction of Jerusalem, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.13-Jer.46.26" parsed="|Jer|46|13|46|26" passage="Jer 46:13-26">ver.
13-26</scripRef>. III. A word of comfort to the Israel of God in
the midst of those calamities, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.27-Jer.46.28" parsed="|Jer|46|27|46|28" passage="Jer 46:27,28">ver. 27, 28</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Jer.xlvii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46" parsed="|Jer|46|0|0|0" passage="Jer 46" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Jer.xlvii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.1-Jer.46.12" parsed="|Jer|46|1|46|12" passage="Jer 46:1-12" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Jer.xlvii-p1.6">
<h4 id="Jer.xlvii-p1.7">The Judgment of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 608.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jer.xlvii-p2" shownumber="no">1 The word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p2.1">Lord</span> which came to Jeremiah the prophet against
the Gentiles;   2 Against 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.   3
Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.   4
Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with
<i>your</i> helmets; furbish the spears, <i>and</i> put on the
brigandines.   5 Wherefore have I seen them dismayed
<i>and</i> turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down,
and are fled apace, and look not back: <i>for</i> fear <i>was</i>
round about, saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p2.2">Lord</span>.  
6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they
shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.
  7 Who <i>is</i> this <i>that</i> cometh up as a flood, whose
waters are moved as the rivers?   8 Egypt riseth up like a
flood, and <i>his</i> waters are moved like the rivers; and he
saith, I will go up, <i>and</i> will cover the earth; I will
destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.   9 Come 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 <i>and</i> bend the bow.   10 For this
<i>is</i> the day of the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p2.3">God</span> 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p2.4">God</span> of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north
country by the river Euphrates.   11 Go up into Gilead, and
take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use
many medicines; <i>for</i> thou shalt not be cured.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p3" shownumber="no">The first verse is the title of that part
of this book, which relates to the neighbouring nations, and
follows here. It is <i>the word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah
against the Gentiles;</i> for God is King and Judge of nations,
knows and will call to an account those who know him not nor take
any notice of him. Both Isaiah and Ezekiel prophesied against these
nations that Jeremiah here has a separate saying to, and with
reference to the same events. In the Old Testament we have <i>the
word of the Lord</i> against <i>the Gentiles;</i> in the New
Testament we have <i>the word of the Lord</i> for <i>the
Gentiles,</i> that those who were <i>afar off are made
nigh.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p4" shownumber="no">He begins with Egypt, because they were of
old Israel's oppressors and of late their deceivers, when they put
confidence in them. In these verses he foretells the overthrow of
<i>the army of Pharaoh-necho,</i> by Nebuchadnezzar, <i>in the
fourth year of Jehoiakim,</i> which was so complete a victory to
the king of Babylon that thereby he recovered from the river of
Egypt to <i>the river Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of
Egypt,</i> and so weakened him that he <i>came not again any more
out of his land</i> (as we find, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.24.7" parsed="|2Kgs|24|7|0|0" passage="2Ki 24:7">2
Kings xxiv. 7</scripRef>), and so made him pay dearly for his
expedition against the king of Assyria four years before, in which
he slew Josiah, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.23.29" parsed="|2Kgs|23|29|0|0" passage="2Ki 23:29">2 Kings xxiii.
29</scripRef>. This is the event that is here foretold in lofty
expressions of triumph over Egypt thus foiled, which Jeremiah would
speak of with a particular pleasure, because the death of Josiah,
which he had lamented, was now avenged on Pharaoh-necho. Now
here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p5" shownumber="no">I. The Egyptians are upbraided with the
mighty preparations they made for this expedition, in which the
prophet calls to them to do their utmost, for so they would: "Come
then, <i>order the buckler,</i> let the weapons of war be got
ready," <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.3" parsed="|Jer|46|3|0|0" passage="Jer 46:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Egypt
was famous for <i>horses</i>—let them be <i>harnessed</i> and the
cavalry well mounted: <i>Get up, you horsemen, and stand forth,</i>
&amp;c., <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.4" parsed="|Jer|46|4|0|0" passage="Jer 46:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. See
what preparations the children of men make, with abundance of care
and trouble and at a vast expense, to kill one another, as if they
did not die fast enough of themselves. He compares their marching
out upon this expedition to the rising of their river Nile
(<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.7-Jer.46.8" parsed="|Jer|46|7|46|8" passage="Jer 46:7,8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>):
<i>Egypt</i> now <i>rises up like a flood,</i> scorning to keep
within its own banks and threatening to overflow all the
neighbouring lands. It is a very formidable army that the Egyptians
bring into the field upon this occasion. The prophet summons them
(<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.9" parsed="|Jer|46|9|0|0" passage="Jer 46:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>Come up,
you horses; rage, you chariots.</i> He challenges them to bring all
their confederate troops together, <i>the Ethiopians,</i> that
descended from the same stock with the Egyptians (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.6" parsed="|Gen|10|6|0|0" passage="Ge 10:6">Gen. x. 6</scripRef>), and were their neighbours
and allies, <i>the Libyans and Lydians,</i> both seated in Africa,
to the west of Egypt, and from them the Egyptians fetched their
auxiliary forces. Let them strengthen themselves with all the art
and interest they have, yet it shall be all in vain; they shall be
shamefully defeated notwithstanding, for God will fight against
them, and against him <i>there is no wisdom nor counsel,</i>
<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Prov.21.30-Prov.21.31" parsed="|Prov|21|30|21|31" passage="Pr 21:30,31">Prov. xxi. 30, 31</scripRef>. It
concerns those that go forth to war not only to <i>order the
buckler,</i> and <i>harness the horses,</i> but to repent of their
sins, and pray to God for his presence with them, and that they may
have it to keep themselves from every wicked thing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p6" shownumber="no">II. They are upbraided with the great
expectations they had from this expedition, which were quite
contrary to what God intended in bringing them together. They knew
their own thoughts, and God knew them, and sat in heaven and
laughed at them; <i>but they knew not the thoughts of the Lord,
for he gathers them as sheaves into the floor,</i> <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Mic.4.11-Mic.4.12" parsed="|Mic|4|11|4|12" passage="Mic 4:11,12">Mic. iv. 11, 12</scripRef>. Egypt saith
(<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.8" parsed="|Jer|46|8|0|0" passage="Jer 46:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>I will go
up; I will cover the earth,</i> and none shall hinder me; <i>I will
destroy the city,</i> whatever city it is that stands in my way.
Like Pharaoh of old, <i>I will pursue, I will overtake.</i> The
Egyptians say that they shall have a day of it, but God saith that
it shall be his day: <i>The is the day of the Lord God of hosts</i>
(<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.10" parsed="|Jer|46|10|0|0" passage="Jer 46:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), the day in
which he will be exalted in the overthrow of the Egyptians. They
meant one thing, but God meant another; they designed it for the
advancement of their dignity and the enlargement of their dominion,
but God designed it for the great abasement and weakening of their
kingdom. It is <i>a day of vengeance</i> for Josiah's death; it is
a day of sacrifice to divine justice, to which multitudes of the
sinners of Egypt shall fall as victims. Note, When men think to
magnify themselves by pushing on unrighteous enterprises, let them
expect that God will glorify himself by blasting them and cutting
them off.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p7" shownumber="no">III. They are upbraided with their
cowardice and inglorious flight when they come to an engagement
(<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.5-Jer.46.6" parsed="|Jer|46|5|46|6" passage="Jer 46:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>):
"<i>Wherefore have I seen them,</i> notwithstanding all these
mighty and vast preparations and all these expressions of bravery
and resolution, when the Chaldean army faces them, <i>dismayed,
turned back,</i> quite disheartened, and no spirit left in them."
1. They make a shameful retreat. Even <i>their mighty ones,</i>
who, one would think, should have stood their ground, <i>flee a
flight,</i> flee by consent, make the best of their way, flee in
confusion and with the utmost precipitation; they have neither time
nor heart to <i>look back,</i> but <i>fear is round about</i> them,
for they apprehend it so. And yet, 2. They cannot make their
escape. They have the shame of flying, and yet not the satisfaction
of saving themselves by flight; they might as well have stood their
ground and died upon the spot; for even <i>the swift shall not flee
away.</i> The lightness of their heels shall fail them when it
comes to the trial, as well as the stoutness of their hearts; the
<i>mighty</i> shall not escape, nay, they <i>are beaten down</i>
and broken to pieces. <i>They shall stumble</i> in their flight,
<i>and fall towards the north,</i> towards their enemy's country;
for such confusion were they in when they took to their feet that
instead of making homeward, as men usually do in that case, they
made forward. Note, <i>The race is not to the swift nor the battle
to the strong.</i> Valiant men are not always victorious.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p8" shownumber="no">IV. They are upbraided with their utter
inability ever to recover this blow, which should be fatal to their
nation, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.11-Jer.46.12" parsed="|Jer|46|11|46|12" passage="Jer 46:11,12"><i>v.</i> 11,
12</scripRef>. The damsel, <i>the daughter of Egypt,</i> that lived
in great pomp and state, is sorely wounded by this defeat. Let her
now seek for <i>balm in Gilead</i> and physicians there; let her
use all the medicines her wise men can prescribe for the healing of
this hurt, and the repairing of the loss sustained by this defeat;
but all in vain; <i>no cure shall be</i> to them; they shall never
be able to bring such a powerful army as this into the field again.
"<i>The nations</i> that rang of thy glory and strength <i>have</i>
now <i>heard of thy shame,</i> how shamefully thou wast routed and
how thou are weakened by it." It needs not be spread by the
triumphs of the conquerors, the shrieks and outcries of the
conquered will proclaim it: <i>Thy cry hath filled the</i> country
about. For, when they fled several ways, one <i>mighty man
stumbled</i> upon another and dashed against another, such
confusion were they in, so that <i>both together</i> became a prey
to the pursuers, an easy prey. A thousand such dreadful accidents
there should be, which should fill the country with the cry of
those that were overcome. <i>Let not the mighty man</i> therefore
<i>glory in his might,</i> for the time may come when it will stand
him in no stead.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jer.xlvii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.13-Jer.46.28" parsed="|Jer|46|13|46|28" passage="Jer 46:13-28" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Jer.xlvii-p8.3">
<h4 id="Jer.xlvii-p8.4">The Judgment of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p8.5">b. c.</span> 608.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jer.xlvii-p9" shownumber="no">12 The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy
cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against
the mighty, <i>and</i> they are fallen both together.   13 The
word that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p9.1">Lord</span> spake to Jeremiah
the prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come
<i>and</i> smite the land of Egypt.   14 Declare 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.   15 Why are thy valiant <i>men</i> swept away?
they stood not, because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p9.2">Lord</span> did
drive them.   16 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 land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.
  17 They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt <i>is but</i> a
noise; he hath passed the time appointed.   18 <i>As</i> I
live, saith the King, whose name <i>is</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p9.3">Lord</span> of hosts, Surely as Tabor <i>is</i> among
the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, <i>so</i> shall he come.
  19 O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go
into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an
inhabitant.   20 Egypt <i>is like</i> a very fair heifer,
<i>but</i> destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.  
21 Also her hired men <i>are</i> in the midst of her like fatted
bullocks; for they also are turned back, <i>and</i> are fled away
together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was
come upon them, <i>and</i> the time of their visitation.   22
The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march
with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.
  23 They shall cut down her forest, saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p9.4">Lord</span>, though it cannot be searched; because they
are more than the grasshoppers, and <i>are</i> innumerable.  
24 The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be
delivered into the hand of the people of the north.   25 The
<span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p9.5">Lord</span> 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
<i>all</i> them that trust in him:   26 And 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p9.6">Lord</span>.   27 But
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 <i>him</i> afraid.   28 Fear thou
not, O Jacob my servant, saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvii-p9.7">Lord</span>: for I <i>am</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p10" shownumber="no">In these verses we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p11" shownumber="no">I. Confusion and terror spoken to Egypt.
The accomplishment of the prediction in the former part of the
chapter disabled the Egyptians from making any attempts upon other
nations; for what could they do when their army was routed? But
still they remained strong at home, and none of their neighbours
durst make any attempts upon them. Though the kings of Egypt came
no more <i>out of their land</i> (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.24.7" parsed="|2Kgs|24|7|0|0" passage="2Ki 24:7">2
Kings xxiv. 7</scripRef>), yet they kept safe and easy in their
land; and what would they desire more than peaceably to enjoy their
own? One would think all men should be content to do this, and not
covet to invade their neighbours. But the measure of Egypt's
iniquity is full, and now they shall not long enjoy their own;
those that encroached on others shall not be themselves encroached
on. The scope of the prophecy here is to show <i>how the king of
Babylon should</i> shortly <i>come and smite the land of Egypt,</i>
and bring the war into their own bosoms which they had formerly
carried into his borders, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.13" parsed="|Jer|46|13|0|0" passage="Jer 46:13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. This was fulfilled by the same hand with the former,
even Nebuchadnezzar's, but many years after, twenty at least, and
probably the prediction of it was long after the former prediction,
and perhaps much about the same time with that other prediction of
the same event which we had <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.43.10" parsed="|Jer|43|10|0|0" passage="Jer 43:10"><i>ch.</i> xliii. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p12" shownumber="no">1. Here is the alarm of war sounded in
Egypt, to their great amazement (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.14" parsed="|Jer|46|14|0|0" passage="Jer 46:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), notice given to the country
that the enemy is approaching, <i>the sword is devouring round
about</i> in the neighbouring countries, and therefore it is time
for the Egyptians to put themselves in a posture of defence, to
prepare for war, that they may give the enemy a warm reception.
This must be proclaimed in all parts of Egypt, particularly in
Migdol, Noph, and Tahpanhes, because in these places especially the
Jewish refugees, or fugitives rather, had planted themselves, in
contempt of God's command (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.44.1" parsed="|Jer|44|1|0|0" passage="Jer 44:1"><i>ch.</i>
xliv. 1</scripRef>), and let them hear what a sorry shelter Egypt
is likely to be to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p13" shownumber="no">2. The retreat hereupon of the forces of
other nations which the Egyptians had in their pay is here
foretold. Some considerable number of those troops, it is probable,
were posted upon the frontiers to guard them, where they were
beaten off by the invaders and put to flights. Then were the
<i>valiant men swept away</i> (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.15" parsed="|Jer|46|15|0|0" passage="Jer 46:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>) as with <i>a sweeping rain</i>
(it is the word that is used <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.28.3" parsed="|Prov|28|3|0|0" passage="Pr 28:3">Prov.
xxviii. 3</scripRef>); they can none of them stand their ground,
<i>because the Lord drives them</i> from their respective posts; he
drives them by his terrors; he drives them by enabling the
Chaldeans to drive them. It is not possible that those should fix
whom the wrath of God chases. He it was (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.16" parsed="|Jer|46|16|0|0" passage="Jer 46:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>) that <i>made many to fall,
yea,</i> when their day shall come to fall, the enemy needs not
throw them down, they shall <i>fall one upon another,</i> every man
shall be a stumbling-block to his fellow, to his follower; nay, if
God please, they shall be made to <i>fall upon one another,</i>
they shall be made to <i>fall upon one another, every man's
sword</i> shall be <i>against his fellow. Her hired men,</i> the
troops Egypt has in he service, are indeed <i>in the midst of her
like fatted bullocks,</i> lusty men, able bodied and high spirited,
who were likely for action and promised to make their part good
against the enemy; but <i>they are turned back;</i> their hearts
failed them, and, instead of fighting, they have <i>fled away
together.</i> How could they withstand their fate when <i>the day
of their calamity had come,</i> the day in which God will visit
them in wrath? Some think they are compared to fatted bullocks for
their luxury; they had wantoned in pleasures, so that they were
very unfit for hardships, and therefore turned back and could not
stand. In this consternation, (1.) They all made homeward towards
their own country (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.16" parsed="|Jer|46|16|0|0" passage="Jer 46:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>): <i>They said, "Arise, and let us go again to our
own people,</i> where we may be safe <i>from the oppressing
sword</i> of the Chaldeans, that bears down all before it." In
times of exigence little confidence is to be put in mercenary
troops, that fight purely for pay, and have no interest in theirs
whom they fight for. (2.) They exclaimed vehemently against
Pharaoh, to whose cowardice or bad management, it is probably,
their defeat was owing. When he posted them there upon the borders
of his country it is probably that he told them he would within
such a time come himself with a gallant army of his own subjects to
support them; but he failed them, and, when the enemy advanced,
they found they had none to back them, so that they were perfectly
abandoned to the fury of the invaders. No marvel then that they
quitted their post and deserted the service, crying out, <i>Pharaoh
king of Egypt is but a noise</i> (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.17" parsed="|Jer|46|17|0|0" passage="Jer 46:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>); he can hector, and talk big
of the mighty things he would do, but that is all; he brings
nothing to pass. All his promises to those in alliance with him, or
that are employed for him, vanish into smoke. He brings not the
succours he engaged to bring, or not till it is too late: <i>He has
passed the time appointed;</i> he did not keep his word, nor keep
his day, and therefore they bid him farewell, they will never serve
under him any more. Note, Those that make most noise in any
business are frequently but a noise. Great talkers are little
doers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p14" shownumber="no">3. The formidable power of the Chaldean
army is here described as bearing down all before it. <i>The
King</i> of kings, <i>whose name is the Lord of hosts,</i> and
before whom the mightiest kings on earth, though gods to us, are
but as grasshoppers, he hath said it, he hath sworn it, <i>As I
live, saith</i> this <i>king, as Tabor</i> overtops <i>the
mountains and Carmel</i> overlooks <i>the sea, so shall</i> the
king of Babylon overpower all the force of Egypt, such a command
shall he have, such a sway shall he bear, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.18" parsed="|Jer|46|18|0|0" passage="Jer 46:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. He and his <i>army shall come
against</i> Egypt <i>with axes, as hewers of wood</i> (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.22" parsed="|Jer|46|22|0|0" passage="Jer 46:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), and the Egyptians
shall be no more able to resist them than the tree is to resist the
man that comes with an axe to <i>cut it down;</i> so that Egypt
shall be felled as a <i>forest</i> is <i>by the hewers of wood,</i>
which (if there by many of them, and those well provided with
instruments for the purpose) will be done in a little time. Egypt
is very populous, full of towns and cities, like a forest, the
trees of which <i>cannot be searched</i> or numbered, and very
rich, full of hidden treasures, many of which will escape the
searching eye of the Chaldean soldiers; but they shall make a great
spoil in the country, for <i>they are more than the locusts,</i>
that come in vast swarms and overrun a country, devouring every
green thing (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Joel.1.6-Joel.1.7" parsed="|Joel|1|6|1|7" passage="Joe 1:6,7">Joel i. 6,
7</scripRef>), so shall the Chaldeans do, for <i>they are
innumerable.</i> Note, The Lord of hosts hath numberless hosts at
his command.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p15" shownumber="no">4. The desolation of Egypt hereby is
foretold, and the waste that should be made of that rich country.
<i>Egypt is</i> now <i>like a very fair heifer,</i> or calf
(<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.20" parsed="|Jer|46|20|0|0" passage="Jer 46:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), fat and
shining, and not <i>accustomed to the yoke</i> of subjection,
wanton as a heifer that is well fed, and very sportful. Some think
here is an allusion to Apis, the bull or calf which the Egyptians
worshipped, from whom the children of Israel learned to worship the
golden calf. Egypt is as fair as a goddess, and adores herself,
<i>but destruction comes; cutting up comes</i> (so some read it);
<i>it comes out of the north;</i> thence the Chaldean soldiers
shall come, as so many butchers or sacrificers, to kill and cut up
this <i>fair heifer.</i> (1.) The Egyptians shall be brought down,
shall be tamed, and their tune changed: <i>The daughters of Egypt
shall be confounded</i> (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.24" parsed="|Jer|46|24|0|0" passage="Jer 46:24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>), shall be filled with astonishment. <i>Their voice
shall go like a serpent,</i> that is, it shall be very low and
submissive; they shall not low like a fair heifer, that makes a
great noise, but hiss out of their holes like serpents. They shall
not dare to make loud complaints of the cruelty of the conquerors,
but vent their griefs in silent murmurs. They shall not now, as
they used to do, answer roughly, but, with <i>the poor, use
entreaties</i> and beg for their lives. (2.) They shall be carried
away prisoners into their enemy's land (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.19" parsed="|Jer|46|19|0|0" passage="Jer 46:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): "<i>O thou daughter!
dwelling</i> securely and delicately <i>in Egypt,</i> that fruitful
pleasant country, do not think this will last always, but
<i>furnish thyself to go into captivity;</i> instead of rich
clothes, which will but tempt the enemy to strip thee, get plain
and warm clothes; instead of fine shoes, provide strong ones; and
inure thyself to hardship, that thou mayest bear it the better."
Note, It concerns us, among all our preparations, to prepare for
trouble. We provide for the entertainment of our friends, let us
not neglect to provide for the entertainment of our enemies, nor
among all our furniture omit furniture for captivity. The Egyptians
must prepare to flee; for their cities shall be evacuated. Noph
particularly <i>shall be desolate, without an inhabitant,</i> so
general shall the slaughter and the captivity be. There are some
penalties which, we say, the king and the multitude are exempted
from, but here even these are obnoxious: <i>The multitude of No
shall be punished:</i> it is called <i>populous No,</i> <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:Nah.3.8" parsed="|Nah|3|8|0|0" passage="Nah 3:8">Nah. iii. 8</scripRef>. <i>Though hand join in
hand,</i> yet they shall not escape; nor can any think to go off in
the crowd. Be they ever so many, they shall find God will be too
many for them. Their kings and all their petty princes shall fall;
and their gods too (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p15.5" osisRef="Bible:Jer.43.12-Jer.43.13" parsed="|Jer|43|12|43|13" passage="Jer 43:12,13"><i>ch.</i>
xliii. 12, 13</scripRef>), their idols and their great men. Those
which they call their tutelar deities shall be no protection to
them. Pharaoh shall be brought down, and <i>all those that trust in
him</i> (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p15.6" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.25" parsed="|Jer|46|25|0|0" passage="Jer 46:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>),
particularly the Jews that came to sojourn in his country, trusting
in him rather than in God. All these shall be <i>delivered into the
hands of the northern nations</i> (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p15.7" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.24" parsed="|Jer|46|24|0|0" passage="Jer 46:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), into the hand not only of
Nebuchadnezzar that mighty potentate, but <i>into the hands of his
servants,</i> according to the curse on Ham's posterity, of which
the Egyptians were, that they should be the <i>servants of
servants.</i> These seek their lives, and into their hands they
shall be delivered.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p16" shownumber="no">5. An intimation is given that in process
of time Egypt shall recover itself again (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.26" parsed="|Jer|46|26|0|0" passage="Jer 46:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>): <i>Afterwards it shall be
inhabited,</i> shall be peopled again, whereas by this destruction
it was almost dispeopled. Ezekiel foretels that this should be at
the end of forty years, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.29.13" parsed="|Ezek|29|13|0|0" passage="Eze 29:13">Ezek. xxix.
13</scripRef>. See what changes the nations of the earth are
subject to, how they are emptied and increased again; and let not
nations that prosper be secure, nor those that for the present are
in thraldom despair.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvii-p17" shownumber="no">II. Comfort and peace are here spoken to
the Israel of God, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.27-Jer.46.28" parsed="|Jer|46|27|46|28" passage="Jer 46:27,28"><i>v.</i> 27,
28</scripRef>. Some understand it of those whom the king of Egypt
had carried into captivity with Jehoahaz, but we read not of any
that were carried away captives with him; it may therefore rather
refer to the captives in Babylon, whom God had mercy in store for,
or, more generally, to all the people of God, designed for their
encouragement in the most difficult times, when the judgments of
God are abroad among the nations. We had these words of comfort
before, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvii-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.30.10-Jer.30.11" parsed="|Jer|30|10|30|11" passage="Jer 30:10,11"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 10,
11</scripRef>. 1. Let the wicked of the earth tremble, they have
cause for it; <i>but fear not thou, O my servant Jacob! and be not
dismayed, O Israel!</i> and again, <i>Fear thou not, O Jacob!</i>
God would not have his people to be a timorous people. 2. The
wicked of the earth <i>shall be put away like dross,</i> not be
looked after any more; but God's people, in order to their being
saved, shall be found out and gathered though they be far off,
shall be redeemed though they be held fast in captivity, and shall
return. 3. The wicked <i>is like the troubled sea when it cannot
rest;</i> they <i>flee when none pursues.</i> But Jacob, being at
home in God, <i>shall be at rest and at ease, and none shall make
him afraid;</i> for <i>what time he is afraid</i> he has a <i>God
to trust to.</i> 4. The wicked God <i>beholds afar off;</i> but,
wherever thou art, <i>O Jacob! I am with thee, a very present
help.</i> 5. A <i>full end shall be made</i> of the nations that
oppressed God's Israel, as Egypt and Babylon; but mercy shall be
kept in store for the Israel of God: they shall be corrected, but
not cast off; the correction shall be in measure, in respect of
degree and continuance. Nations have their periods; the Jewish
nation itself has come to an end as a nation; but the gospel
church, God's spiritual Israel, still continues, and will to the
end of time; in that this promise is to have its full
accomplishment, that, though God correct it, he will never <i>make
a full end of it.</i></p>
</div></div2>