1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Jeremiah 46:1 The word of the Lord, that came to Jeremias, the prophet, against the Gentiles,

Gentiles, to whom Jeremias was sent, Jeremias 1:5. What follows regards them, (Calmet) if we except the last chapter. (Haydock) --- It was thought proper to place these predictions here, though out of their chronological order, to which the Septuagint have more adhered, placing them after Jeremias 25. (Calmet) --- The punishment of the chief enemies of the Jews is foretold. (Worthington)
Jeremiah 46:2 Against Egypt, against the army of Pharao Nechao, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates, in Charcamis, whom Nabuchodonosor, the king of Babylon, defeated, in the fourth year *of Joakim, the son of Josias, king of Juda.

Year of the World 3397, Year before Christ 607. Nechao. He slew Josias, and took all as far as Charcamis, 4 Kings xxiii. Four years after Nabopolasser associated his son, and sent him to conquer these countries, which he effected, 4 Kings 24:7. (Josephus)
Jeremiah 46:3 Prepare ye the shield and buckler, and go forth to battle.

Prepare Egyptians, the enemy is at hand. (Calmet)
Jeremiah 46:4 Harness the horses, and get up, ye horsemen; stand forth with helmets, furbish the spears, put on coats of mail.

Jeremiah 46:5 What then? I have seen them dismayed, and turning their backs, their valiant ones slain: they fled apace, and they looked not back: terror was round about, saith the Lord.

Seen. The prophets usually speak as if things were already past. (Worthington)
Jeremiah 46:6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the strong think to escape: they are overthrown, and fallen down, towards the north, by the river Euphrates.

Away. It will be in vain. (Calmet) --- Nechao went to defend Charcamis, but lost "many myriads in the battle," and all the country "as far as Pelusium, except Judea." (Josephus, [Antiquities?] 10:7.)
Jeremiah 46:7 Who is this that cometh up as a flood: and his streams swell like those of rivers?

Rivers. He alludes to the Nile. The king of Egypt had a numerous army.
Jeremiah 46:8 Egypt riseth up like a flood, and the waves thereof shall be moved as rivers, and he shall say: I will go up, and will cover the earth: I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.

City; Babylon, and every fort which shall oppose my progress. (Calmet)
Jeremiah 46:9 Get ye up on horses, and glory in chariots, and let the valiant men come forth, the Ethiopians, and the Lybians, that hold the shield, and the Lydians that take, and shoot arrows.

Men. Soldiers formed one of the principal classes among the Egyptians. (Herodotus 2:164.) --- Ethiopians. Hebrew, "Cush," in Lower Egypt, on the Red Sea. --- Lybians. Hebrew, "Phut, another son of Cham, inhabiting the Nome Phtenethu," Ezechiel 30:5., and Nahum 3:2. --- Lydians. Their situation is not known.
Jeremiah 46:10 For this is the day of the Lord, the God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may revenge himself of his enemies: the sword shall devour, and shall be filled, and shall be drunk with their blood: for there is a sacrifice of the Lord God of hosts in the north country, by the river Euphrates.

Devour. It seems animated, and eager to slay the victim, Ezechiel 39:17.
Jeremiah 46:11 Go up into Galaad, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain dost thou multiply medicines, there shall be no cure for thee.

Of Egypt; or ye Egyptians, who have been wounded. The balm (Haydock) or resina of Galaad was then very famous, Genesis 37:25. (Calmet) --- Egypt thought itself invulnerable, and is derided. Its cure was hopeless, ver. 16. (Worthington)
Jeremiah 46:12 The nations have heard of thy disgrace, and thy howling hath filled the land: for the strong hath stumbled against the strong, and both are fallen together.

Jeremiah 46:13 The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremias, the prophet, how Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon, should come and strike the land of Egypt:

Egypt, under Apries, about thirty-five years after the former expedition, Jeremias 44:30., and Ezechiel xxix., and xxxi. This country was invaded the last, ver. 14.
Jeremiah 46:14 Declare ye to Egypt, and publish in Magdal, *and let it be known in Memphis, and in Taphnis: say ye: Stand up, and prepare thyself: for the sword shall devour all round about thee.

Jeremias 44:1.
Jeremiah 46:15 Why are thy valiant men come to nothing? they stood not: because the Lord hath overthrown them,

Men. Literally, "man." Hebrew abir, (Haydock) where Apis has been perhaps formed. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "Why has Apis (Complutensian omits this word) fled from thee? thy calf, thy chosen one has not remained." (Haydock) --- He derides the chief idol of Egypt; or he alludes to those who fell at Charcamis, or rather who fled after they had come out to assist Sedecias, Jeremias 37:5., and Ezechiel 30:21.
Jeremiah 46:16 He hath multiplied them that fall, and one hath fallen upon another, and they shall say: Arise, and let us return to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the sword of the dove.

Dove. Hebrew also, "of the destroyer." Septuagint, "Greeks," or Ionians. (Calmet) --- See Jeremias 25:35. (Challoner) --- Nebuchodonosor came with expedition, or had a dove on his standards. (Menochius)
Jeremiah 46:17 Call ye the name of Pharao, king of Egypt, a tumult time hath brought.

Pharao. Septuagint add, "Nechao." But Apries seems rather to be meant. (Calmet) --- A. Hebrew shaon hehebir hamohed. Protestants, "is but a noise, he hath passed the time appointed;" (Haydock) or, "the height which the crowd (or God, who raised) hath displaced." (Calmet) --- Septuagint retain the original: but the middle word varies in their copies. (Haydock) --- All the boasts of Pharao ended in smoke. He lost the proper opportunity, and caused his own kingdom to be laid waste. Syriac, "the disturber, who deranges the times." (Calmet)
Jeremiah 46:18 As I live (saith the king, whose name is the Lord of hosts) as Thabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.

He, the destroyer; (ver. 16.) or "it," my word (Haydock) shall surely stand as long as the mountains, (Calmet) yea, longer than heaven and earth. (Haydock) --- My decrees shall be put in execution in spite of the efforts of man. (Calmet)
Jeremiah 46:19 Furnish thyself to go into captivity, thou daughter inhabitant of Egypt: for Memphis shall be made desolate, and shall be forsaken and uninhabited.

Furnish. Literally, "make thyself vessels of captivity," or pack up what thou mayst want there. (Haydock) (Ezechiel 12:3., and 29:11.) --- Many returned under Cyrus, ver. 26.
Jeremiah 46:20 Egypt is like a fair and beautiful heifer: there shall come from the north one that shall goad her.

Goad her. Nabuchodonosor shall subdue the country.
Jeremiah 46:21 Her hirelings also that lived in the midst of her, like fatted calves are turned back, and are fled away together, and they could not stand: for the day of their slaughter is come upon them, the time of their visitation.

Hirelings. Apries had thirty thousand Carians, etc., who were defeated by Amasis. (Herodotus 2:163.)
Jeremiah 46:22 Her voice shall sound like brass, for they shall hasten with an army, and with axes they shall come against her, as hewers of wood.

Brass. Septuagint, "hissing serpent;" lamenting in secret, Isaias 29:4. --- Wood. Battle-axes were then used. Great cities and monarchs shall fall, Zacharias 11:2., and Ezechiel 31:3. (Calmet)
Jeremiah 46:23 They have cut down her forest, saith the Lord, which cannot be counted: they are multiplied above locusts, and are without number.

Above, or "more than locusts," (Haydock) which destroy all herbs where they light.
Jeremiah 46:24 The daughter of Egypt is confounded, and delivered into the hand of the people of the north.

Jeremiah 46:25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, hath said: Behold, I will visit upon the tumult of Alexandria, and upon Pharao, and upon Egypt, and upon her gods, and upon her kings, and upon Pharao, upon them that trust in him.

Visit upon. That is, punish. --- Alexandria. In the Hebrew No; which was the ancient name of the city, to which Alexander [the Great] gave afterwards the name of Alexandria; (Challoner) or this city was built near Rachotes, the harbour. "Ammon of No" was rather Diospolis, (Ezechiel 30:14.; Septuagint) in the [Nile] Delta, north of Busiris. Ammon was the chief god adored at No, Nahum 3:8. Alexandrian Septuagint, "I will revenge myself on Ammon, her son, on Egypt, or Pharao, and on them." (Haydock) --- Ammon was of their invention, and for this the people were justly punished. It means also, "a multitude." --- Kings. Jeremias 42:12. Apries was slain, (chap. 44:33.; Calmet) and his two successors perished miserably by sentence of Cambyses. (Herodotus 3:14, 16.)
Jeremiah 46:26 And I will deliver them into the hand of them that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterwards it shall be inhabited *as in the days of old, saith the Lord.

Ezechiel 29:13.
Afterwards, forty years being expired (Ezechiel 29:14.) from the time when Apries made his unsuccessful attack on Cyrene, and his subjects revolted.
Jeremiah 46:27 *And thou, my servant, Jacob, fear not and be not thou dismayed, O Israel: for behold I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed out of the land of thy captivity: and Jacob shall return, and be at rest, and prosper: and there shall be none to terrify him.

Isaias 43:1.; Isaias 44:2.
Off from all countries, (Calmet) particularly from Egypt; (Haydock) on occasion of which country's deliverance, that of Jacob is foretold. (Calmet) --- If God would bring the Egyptians back, much more would he deliver the Jews. (Worthington)
Jeremiah 46:28 And thou, my servant, Jacob, fear not, saith the Lord: because I am with thee, for I will consume all the nations to which I have cast thee out: but thee I will not consume, but I will correct thee in judgment, neither will I spare thee, as if thou wert innocent.

Nations of Assyria, Chaldea, etc., Jeremias 30:11. (Calmet)