Ver. 1. The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah against the Gentiles.] God had at first set him over the nations and over the kingdoms—as a plenipotentiary—“to root out and to pull down, and to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:10) This power of his the prophet had put forth and exercised against his own nation of the Jews, whom he had doomed to destruction, and lived to see execution done accordtngly. Now he takes their enemies, the neighbour nations, to do, telling them individually what they shall trust to. And this indeed the prophet had done before in part, and in fewer words, under the type of a cup of wine to be divided among and drunk up by the nations, (Jeremiah 25:15-33) but here to the end of Jer. 51. more plainly and plentifully. Isaiah had done the same in effect (Isa. 13-24), Ezekiel also, from Eze. 25-33, that by the mouth of three such witnesses every word might stand, and this burden of the nations might be confirmed. Jeremiah beginneth fitly with the Egyptians, who besides the old enmity, had lately slain good King Josiah, with whom died all the prosperity of the Jewish people, who were thenceforth known, as the Thebans also were after the death of their Epaminondas, only by their overthrows and calamities.
Ver. 2. Against Egypt.] First, That the Jews might not rely on that broken reed, as they did to their ruin, because they would never be warned. Against the army of Pharaohnecho.] Who had beaten Nebuchadnezzar Priscus at Carchemish, and gotten all the country from Egypt to Euphrates; but was afterwards himself beaten out again, by Nebuchadnessar II, surnamed Magnus, in the first year of his reign, which was the fourth year of Jehoiakim, who also was glad to become his tributary. Now this overthrow of the Egyptian, who was driven out of all Syria, as far as Pelusium, by the Babylonian, is here foretold. Joseph., lib. x. cap. 7.
Ver. 3. Order ye the buckler and shield.] So Pharaoh is brought in bespeaking his forces, when he was going to fight against Nebuchadnezzar. Or so the prophet bespeaketh the Egyptians ironically, and by way of scoff; q.d., Do so, but all shall be to no purpose, See the like Isaiah 8:9. Congregamini et vincemini. We are assembled and will be conquered. Yea, though upon Pharaoh’s shield should be the same inscription that was once upon Agamemnon’s, This is the terror of all mortal wights. Hypotuposis ironica. State galeati, loricati, lanceati: sed frustra. Ουτος μεν φσβος εστι βροτων.— Pausan.
Ver. 4. Harness the horses.] Those warlike creatures, but yet vain things for safety. (Psalms 33:17 Proverbs 21:31) Egypt was famous for the best horses; (Deuteronomy 17:16 1 Kings 10:26,28) but the Lord delighteth not in the strength of a horse, &c. (Psalms 147:10,11)
Ver. 5. Wherefore have I seen them dismayed?] Surprised with a panic terror. And are fled apace.] Heb., Fled to flight. For fear was round about.] A proverbial form. (Jeremiah 6:25)
Ver. 6. Let not the swift fly away,] i.e., Think to save themselves by flight. Nor the mighty man escape,] i.e., Think to save himself by his might, be he never so stout hearted. Toward the north,] i.e., Toward Carchemish, the stage of the war, where Pharaohnecho had beaten Nebuchadnezzar the elder, and is now beaten in the same place by Nebuchadnezzar the younger, alterna victoria in another victory. Herod., lib. ii., αλλοπροσαλλος.
Ver. 7. Who is this that cometh up like a flood?] Pharaoh with his forces is here notably described, vivo sermonum colore, and compared to an impetuous river, that threateneth to overflow and swallow up all. See Isaiah 8:7.
Ver. 8. Egypt riseth up like a flood.] Like the Nile. The Egyptians were an ancient, proud, luxurious people. And he saith, I will go up and cover the earth.] See the like vain vaunts of this proud people, Exodus 15:9,10.
Ver. 9. Come up, ye horses,] i.e., Ye horsemen, all the cavalry of Egypt. [as Exodus 14:7] And rage.] Or, Bestir yourselves as if ye were wild or mad: instar furiarum discurrite per campos. The Ethiopians and the Lybians.] The Africans that were confederates and auxiliaries to the Egyptians.
Ver. 10. For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts.] See Isaiah 34:5-8.
Ver. 11. Go up unto Gilead, and take balm.] See Jeremiah 8:22 cf. Ge 37:25; q.d., Thy calamity is no less incurable than ignominious.
Ver. 12. The nations have heard of thy shame.] Of the shameful defeat given thee; so that thou who wast once a terror to them art now a scorn. For the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty.] And this is the sum of the talk that goeth of thee.
Ver. 13. The word that the Lord spake.] Another prophecy, but against Egypt also. God had yet a further quarrel to that country for the death of good Josiah; their delivering up Uriah, God’s faithful servant, to the sword of Jehoiakim; their idolatry, pride, perfidy, &c. How Nebuchadnezzar…should come and smite the land of Egypt.] In the twentieth-fifth year of his reign, as Jeremiah also had set forth by a sign. (Jeremiah 44:30)
Ver. 14. Publish in Noph, and in Tahpanhes.] See Jeremiah 44:1. For the sword shall devour roundabout thee.] Egypt was no whit amended by the former discomfiture at Carchemish; therefore is now wholly subdued by the Babylonian conqueror, about three and twenty years after. And the like befell the Greek empire, overturned by the Turks.
Ver. 15. They stood not, because the Lord did drive them.] He struck a panic terror into them; and then no wonder that men flee at the noise of a shaken leaf.
Ver. 16. Yea, one fell upon another.] See Jeremiah 46:12. In a confused flight it is wont so to be. And they said.] The auxiliary and stipendiary soldiers said so, when once they saw that there was no good to be done for the Egyptians, Nebuchadnezzar having so wasted all.
Ver. 17. Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise,] A mere flash, one that vaunteth and vapoureth, and that is all. So of Charles VIII, King of France, Guicciardini saith, that in his expedition to Naples he came into the field like thunder and lightning, but went out like a snuff; more than a man at first, and less than a woman at last. He hath passed the time appointed.] He let slip his best opportunity, which, in giving battle, is sometimes the loss of all. Charles, King of Sicily and Jerusalem, was for this fault called Carolus Cunctator, i.e., The Delayer. Strepitus est.
Ver. 18. As I live.] Formula iurandi elliptica, et Deo propria. Let none presume to swear in that sort. Surely as Tabor is among the mountains.] As Tabor surmounts and commandeth the little hills round about it, and Carmel the adjoining sea, over which it hangeth a promontory, so shall Nebuchadnezzar come into Egypt and subdue the whole country.
Ver. 19. O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt.] But not likely to dwell long there. Furnish thyself to go into captivity.] Heb., Make thee instruments or implements of captivity. Sarcinis reculisque collectis, prepare to be packing.
Ver. 20. Egypt is like a very fair heifer.] Vitula elegans, a trim bullock; worshipping Apis the bull and Mnevis the cow, and unaccustomed to the yoke of subjection, [as Hosea 10:11] but I shall bring her to it. Destruction cometh.] Or, Excision from the north cometh, cometh, certo, cito, penitus venit (Ezekiel 7:6) There come those that shall cut up this fair heifer or fat calf. Iuvenca petulca.
Ver. 21. Also her hired men in the midst of her like fatted bullocks.] Heb., Bullocks of the stall, not like to do much good service in respect of their luxury and petulancy; fat Eglon had but sluggish soldiers. Campania with her delicacies marred Hannibal’s forces. These mercenaries carried themselves as if hired non ad militiam sed saginam. not to fight, but to fat themselves
Ver. 22. The voice thereof (of Egypt) shall go like a serpent.] Submissa voce loquetur. She shall hiss and whisper, as being daunted and damped, scarce able to mutter or utter aught for fear. (Isaiah 29:4) Vox trepida et prae metu instar serpentum stridula.
Ver. 23. They shall cut down her forest,] i.e., Her many cities. Herodotus telleth of one thousand and twenty cities that were in the land of Egypt in the days of King Amasis. Because they are more than the grasshoppers.] The Babylonian sellers are; and those many hands will make light work. Lib. ii.; Diodor., lib. i. cap. 31.
Ver. 24. The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded.] This is, in plain terms, the sum of all that had been said before. Subiungit epiphonema.
Ver. 25. The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith.] And shall he say and not do? (Numbers 23:19) Shall the word of God be broken (John 10:35)
Ver. 26. Behold, I will punish the multitude of No.] Called populous No, (Nahum 3:8) populous as Nineveh; so Galilee of the Gentiles. Some render it nourishing No. And their kings.] Here Calvin conjectureth that Pharaoh had made many of his princes kings for his greater magnificence; but this came down soon after. A bulging wall is near unto a downfall. And Pharaoh.] Hophra. (Jeremiah 44:30) And all them that trust in him.] As the Jews in Egypt did. And afterward it shall be inhabited.] Forty years after (Ezekiel 29:13) -sc., in the days of Amasis, whom Cambyses the Persian conquered, after which it remained subject to the Persian monarchs one hundred and fifty years, saith Eusebius, being but a base and tributary kingdom. Hodie dicitur Alexandria. Today it is called Alexandria.
Ver. 27. But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob.] If Egypt find so much favour, [as Jeremiah 46:26] what mayest not thou hope for? See the same, Jeremiah 30:10.
Ver. 28. Fear thou not, O Jacob, &c.] See Jeremiah 30:11. But correct thee in measure, &c.] God dealeth much otherwise with his own people than he doth with unbelievers, whose prosperity, as it is full of thorns, so their adversity is but a foretaste of eternal torment; whereas “all things,” even afflictions also, “work together for good to them that love God.”