Jeremiah 46:25 Komentář

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 (Jer 46:1-12) 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 (Jer 46:13-26). III. A word of comfort to the Israel of God in the midst of those calamities (Jer 46:27, Jer 46:28).

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 46 This chapter contains two prophecies relating to Egypt; one concerning the overthrow of Pharaohnecho, king of it, which was quickly accomplished; and the other concerning the destruction of the land, fulfilled many years after, and both by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and the chapter is concluded with a word of comfort to the people of Israel. It begins with a general title to prophecies in this and the five following chapters, Jer 46:1; then follows a particular prophecy of the route of Pharaoh's army; of the place where, and time when, Jer 46:2; the preparations of the Egyptians for the battle, with a variety of warlike instruments, Jer 46:3; the consternation, flight, and destruction of them, Jer 46:5; notwithstanding their confidence of getting the victory, Jer 46:7; the reason of it, because it was the day of the Lord's vengeance on them, and therefore their ruin was inevitable, Jer 46:10; the consequence of which was shame and confusion, Jer 46:12; next follows another prophecy of the destruction of the land itself by Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 46:13; the places that should be destroyed, Jer 46:14; the multitude that should be slain, Jer 46:15; a description of the calamity; the instrument, manner, and consequence of it, Jer 46:20; the certainty of it, Jer 46:18; and the whole is closed with a promise of the return of the Jews, and of their salvation; though they should not be without divine corrections, Jer 46:27.

The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith,.... These titles are often given to the Lord, and set before prophecies that come from him; and, according to Kimchi, the reason why he is here spoken of as the God of Israel was, because the vengeance threatened to the Egyptians should come upon them, as a punishment for using Israel ill; as Shishak king of Egypt, and Pharaohnecho, who slew Josiah: behold, I will punish the multitude of No; the inhabitants of it, which were many, called "populous No", Nah 3:8; a famous city in Egypt. Some take it to be Diospolis or Thebes; and others (p) the same that is now called Alexandria; and so the Targum renders it; and which is followed by the Vulgate Latin version: and Jarchi calls it the seignory or government of Alexandria; and takes Amon, the word for "multitude", to signify the prince of this place; and so Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it, king of a city called No: rather Jupiter Ammon (q) is meant, an idol of the Egyptians, which had a temple in Thebes, and was worshipped in it; and who had his name from Ham, the son of Noah. Hillerus (r), by various arguments, endeavours to prove that No is the same city with Memphis, and that No Amon signifies "the habitation of the nourished"; that is, of Apis, which was nourished here. But be he who he will, or the place what it will, he or that would certainly be punished; and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; Pharaoh, the present king of Egypt, who was Pharaohhophra, and all the land of Egypt; and all their numerous idols, which were many indeed; and the several governors of the nomes or provinces into which the land was distributed; these should be punished, and suffer in the general calamity; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him; the Jews that dwelt in Egypt, and who thought themselves safe under his protection; such who went along with Johanan thither, contrary to the will of God; these should not escape punishment, but be involved in the same destruction. (p) R. David Ganz. Chronolog. par. 2. fol. 10. 1. Elias in Tishbi, p. 11. (q) Vid. Schmidt in loc & Stockium, p. 71. So Bochart. Phaleg. l. 1. c. 1. col. 5, 6. (r) Onomastic. Sacr. p. 571, &c.

The Egyptians call Zeus Ammon. For this reason it is also called the Ammonian land. They have furnished the largest sacred precinct for this deity. He calls Ammon “Egypt’s son” on the grounds that Ammon was a god created by it, since a statue is something made by human hands. Thus, he threatens to give Ammon and their other gods to the Babylonians, for he says this: “And on Pharaoh and on Egypt and on its gods and those who trust in them, he says that the enemy will overcome them all alike—the king, rulers, idols and bodyguards.” Once Egypt has been given over to the king of the Babylonians, he will recover his earlier dominion.

THE PROPHECIES, FORTY-SIXTH THROUGH FIFTY-SECOND CHAPTERS, REFER TO FOREIGN PEOPLES. (Jer. 46:1-28) General heading of the next six chapters of prophecies concerning the Gentiles; the prophecies are arranged according to nations, not by the dates.

multitude--Hebrew, "Amon" (Nah 3:8, Margin, "No-Ammon"), the same as Thebes or Diospolis in Upper Egypt, where Jupiter Ammon had his famous temple. In English Version, "multitude" answers to "populous No" (Nah 3:8; Eze 30:15). The reference to "their gods" which follows, makes the translation more likely, "Ammon of No," that is, No and her idol Ammon; so the Chaldee Version. So called either from Ham, the son of Noah; or, the "nourisher," as the word means. their kings--the kings of the nations in league with Egypt.