John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 46

Jeremiah begins here to prophesy against foreign nations and continues to do so until the second to last chapter. This is not to say that he then began for the first time to announce these oracles; rather, as I have already said, a volume was eventually formed that included his prophecies, where the chronological order was not always observed.

For we see in chapter 25 that he threatened pagan nations with the punishments they had deserved before Jehoiakim was made king. But as I have said, the prophecies concerning pagan nations have been separated, although, in terms of timing, Jeremiah had predicted what would later happen.

He then says that he had prophesied of the destruction of the Egyptian army which King Nebuchadnezzar overthrew in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. Jeremiah had therefore foretold before this time what was to happen.

It might have been that Jeremiah predicted what would take place before Pharaoh-necho prepared his army; but it is probable that this prophecy was announced at the time when Pharaoh-necho went out against the Chaldeans, for he was then fighting for the Assyrians.

Since they were not equal to the Chaldeans, they made a treaty with the Egyptians. They had then come for a subsidy to drive away the Babylonians and thus to defend the Assyrians against their forces. But at first the expedition was successful; yet in the end, what the Prophet had predicted was fulfilled.

It is not known whether or not the purpose of this prophecy was to alleviate the sorrow of the people; and yet I am inclined to accept what most interpreters have held: that since the people were in the greatest trouble at that time, this prophecy was given so that the faithful might know that God had not stopped caring for His people.

But we must especially pay attention to the historical truth, for when Pharaoh-necho was persuaded, as has been said, by the Assyrians to lead his army to the Euphrates, the pious King Josiah met him. Josiah was then an ally of the Babylonians, because there had been friendly relations between the Chaldeans and the Jews since the reign of Hezekiah.

Since Josiah wished to render service to a king who was his friend, he opposed Pharaoh's army; but he was defeated and killed. Now, Pharaoh's expedition was fortunate and successful for a time, but when he began to boast of victory, he was suddenly brought down. For King Nebuchadnezzar not only curbed his boldness but, after routing his army, forced him to return to Egypt and occupied the whole country from the Euphrates to Palusium.

That country had not yet been exposed to those continual changes which later happened; that is, when those robbers who had succeeded Alexander the Great boasted that they were the kings of kings, and when everyone strove to draw all things to himself. For thus it happened that sometimes Egyptian kings, and at other times Asiatic kings, often shook that land as much as they could.

This had not yet happened when Jeremiah prophesied, nor had Alexander yet been born, but it still appears that these regions were even then subject to changes, so that there was nothing settled or permanent connected with them.

We must therefore bear in mind that the outcomes of wars were uncertain, so that, at one time, the Egyptians forcibly seized a portion of Asia, and at another time the Assyrians diminished their power, and then again the Chaldeans. Pharaoh-necho was then so repulsed that he never dared to come out again, as sacred history testifies (2 Kings 24:7).

Let us now come to the Prophecy of Jeremiah. He says that he prophesied against the army of Pharaoh-necho, when it was at Euphrates; that is, when he fought there and thought he would be a conqueror, as he had desolated a hostile land far and wide and brought many cities under his authority.

Therefore, when he had met with great successes, Jeremiah was then commanded to prophesy against his army, so that the Jews might know that the death of pious Josiah would not go unpunished. God had purposed to destroy that great army by which Josiah had been killed, and so to break down and lay prostrate the power of Egypt, such that King Pharaoh would thereafter remain as if shut up in prison, as indeed later happened.

The rest tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that since you have been pleased to call us to the spiritual warfare, we may never be wearied; and, as our weakness is so great that we are unequal to our conflicts, grant that, being supported by the power of your Spirit, we may persevere in the course of your holy calling, and never be broken down by anything that may happen to us, but learn so to break through all dangers as to commit our life into your hands, and in the meantime be prepared to live or to die, until you gather us into that blessed rest which is laid up for us in heaven, through Christ our Lord. — Amen.

Jeremiah now uses a form of speaking very common among the Prophets, though different from common usage. For the Prophets, when they announce God’s judgments and punishments on the ungodly, do not speak in simple language, as if they were merely giving a narrative. Instead, they used figurative expressions, as if they wished to draw people into the very scene itself. And so that their doctrine might more effectively penetrate the hearts of people, they introduce various speakers: at one time they introduce God as speaking, at another they pronounce things according to the views of others, and at yet another time, they declare God’s commands.

Jeremiah begins here by summoning the Egyptians, as if he were Pharaoh’s herald, and thus speaks in the persona of another. He says, Prepare. The verb ערך, orec, properly means “to set in order,” but here it signifies “to prepare.” Prepare, then, the buckler and the shield. The word צנה, tsane, was a shield of a larger form, and מגן, megen, seems to have been a buckler carried by lightly armed horsemen.

And come near to battle. He then adds, Bind or tie the horses. The manner of fighting is not the same now as it was formerly; they fought in chariots, as pagan authors abundantly show. He therefore says, tie the horses, that is, join them together so that they may draw the chariots.

Go up, you horsemen, stand in your helmets, clean your lances, and put on your coats of mail. The meaning is that the Egyptians would come well prepared with all kinds of weapons, so that they might be formidable to their enemies. And thus the vengeance appeared more clearly, because they were so well equipped that they seemed to have gained the victory even before they engaged with their enemies.

This is why the Prophet lists their complete armor, omitting no significant part; he mentions the lances, the helmets, the coats of mail, the chariots, the horses, and the shield, so that victory, according to human judgment, was already theirs. This is the first point.

But we must observe the Holy Spirit’s purpose. His purpose was to remove the veil from the eyes of the faithful, a veil which usually prevents us from seeing God’s power as clearly as we should. For when we fix our attention on military preparations, we do not think that anything is left for God to do, because those who are well prepared seem to be beyond the risk of defeat.

So that the Jews then might know that it would be no difficult matter for God to punish the Egyptians, the Prophet records this preparation. And there is a kind of concession when he says they will indeed be equipped with a helmet, a coat of mail, a shield, a sword, and a lance; but all this would avail nothing in the outcome.

Then from this prophetic word let us learn that God takes no account of all those things which people prepare when they wish to effect anything. For everything that dazzles our eyes is like smoke; so military forces and weapons have no importance before God, for by a single blast He can scatter all such clouds.

And this truth is very useful, for we look at external things, and when anything superficially impressive presents itself to us, we are immediately captivated by it and rob God of all power; for we transfer His glory to these masks which appear before us. We now then understand why the Prophet speaks here of bucklers, and shields, and lances, and chariots, and helmets, and coats of mail.

For it immediately follows, Why, or how, have I seen them broken? Here the Prophet, on the other hand, disregards all the things which he previously listed in such grand terms, for he spoke, so to speak, according to common human judgment. And, as I have said, he adopted the persona of a herald, as if Pharaoh himself had commanded the Egyptians immediately to take up arms.

This preparation, then, was apparently very formidable. But the Prophet now speaks as if standing on a high vantage point, and says, ‘How or what is this?’ For מדוע, meduo, is a particle of wonder, meaning ‘How!’ He then transitions from the common human viewpoint (the flesh) to the prophetic Spirit, as if he had said, “If anyone were to judge the Egyptians by their external splendor, he would say that they would be victorious over their enemies. But if anyone were to ascend higher and form a judgment, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, he would see that all this is frail and fleeting.”

But the question, How? is to be taken as emphatic, for it could hardly have been believed that such a well-equipped army could become prey to the Babylonians and that it was rushing to its own ruin. Since this then seemed incredible to anyone considering the matter, the Prophet asks, “How have I seen them?”

He says, however, that he saw them, precisely because God had set him, as we have said, so to speak, on a watchtower. This, however, may apply to seeing with the body as well as with the mind. I saw them turned backward, even though they were rushing forward, as he says afterwards, like a flood.

Their valiant men, he says, have been smitten, and by flight they have fled. He means, in short, that the Egyptians would not have enough courage to withstand their enemies’ onslaught, because they would be broken down by God’s hidden power. He also adds that their flight would be accompanied by such great dread that they would not dare to look behind them, so that their danger would increase their haste.

Finally, he adds in God’s name, Terror on every side, says Jehovah. Here he changes the speaker for the third time, for he declares as from God’s own mouth that there would be terror on every side. And thus it is an answer to the question, ‘How?’ or ‘Why?’—namely, because God, he says, executes His judgment on them. Therefore, whenever we see that our enemies lack nothing for victory, even over the Church of God, let us remember what the Prophet says here: there is no reason why we should lose hope, though we may be filled with wonder and amazement, for God will work in such a way as to break down, without human intervention, those who shake the whole world with terror.

He first says that they would gain power, but he speaks soon after of their fall. This might seem like a repetition, unless one considers that the beginning of the verse may also be read affirmatively: The swift shall not flee, etc. But as the particle אל, al, is often used in a prohibitory sense, the verse can clearly be explained as spoken by God. Thus, it can be read in connection with the previous verse: Let not the swift flee, nor the brave escape. For God here declares authoritatively that speed and courage would be of no use to the Egyptians, because the swiftest would be taken by their enemies, and the bravest would fall.

He says, In the land of the north, on the bank of the river. We know that Babylon, Assyria, Chaldea, and those countries were north of Judea. Whenever the Prophets speak of the Babylonians, they call them Northlanders. Egypt, however, was to the south, as is clear from many parts of Scripture. But as the Prophet here speaks of the Egyptians, he rightly describes Chaldea as being to the north. Then he says, On the bank of the river Euphrates they shall stumble, or fall. The meaning is that the outcome of war is in God's power, so that he would tear in pieces and lay prostrate or scatter the Egyptians, however well equipped they might be and however much they trusted in their own strength.

We must also observe that whatever provisions men procure for themselves to protect their safety, they are worthless when God opposes them. The Prophet indeed mentions only two things. However, he means that even if men excel in many things and possess many endowments, they must still perish when that is God’s will: flight cannot save the swift, nor strength the valiant.

The Prophet again addresses those doubts that might have possessed the minds of the godly, preventing them from receiving this prophecy in faith and with due reverence. For we have said that when our thoughts are occupied with external things, God's power is disregarded. Therefore, when we speak of some impregnable kingdom, it does not occur to us that all strongholds are of no account to God.

It was therefore necessary to highly extol God's power when the Prophets spoke of His judgments. Otherwise, the flesh, as we have stated, would have said, “Those who are well fortified must be free from evils and, as it were, beyond the reach of weapons; and therefore, there is nothing for them to fear.” And it is with this false imagination that the proud deceive themselves, for they set up their forces, their auxiliaries, and all the things they deem, according to the judgment of the flesh, as sufficient to protect their safety. Thus it happens that they heedlessly disregard all threats, because they think that the resources they have are so many fortresses against all attacks.

It is for this purpose that the Prophet now says, Who is this that as a lake rises, or swells, as rivers are moved, or, whose waters are agitated? But he speaks according to the common judgment of men, for the very sight could not help but fill men with fear; and so the Jews could never have thought possible what the Prophet here asserts.

He then, as it were, introduces them all as anxiously inquiring according to their own judgment, Who is this? as though Pharaoh were not a mortal, but something above human. For the gist of the question is this: that Pharaoh was, as it were, exempted from the common condition of men because his power increased like a river rising or swelling; and its waters, he says, make a noise.

Then he adds, Egypt is like rivers and like a lake: it made a noise with its forces, as though a river were rolling along its waters. But all this would be nothing, as he afterwards tells us; he adds, he hath said, I will ascend, I will cover the land, I will destroy the city, etc.

He puts city in the singular instead of the plural number; I will destroy cities, he says, and all who dwell in them. In short, he sets forth Pharaoh here as one who triumphed before he fought, because he could cover the land with the multitude of his footmen and horsemen.

He continues with the same subject and enumerates whatever might discredit his prophecy. For when the faithful saw that the Egyptians embarked on that expedition not only with immense forces but also had, as foreign allies, the Ethiopians and the Libyans, and even soldiers from overseas Lydia—and when they saw hired soldiers from all regions joined with the Egyptians—it was scarcely believable that such an army could be put to flight. The Prophet then says here that even though Pharaoh hired the Ethiopians, the Libyans, and the Lydians, he would still perish with all these forces.

He again speaks in the name of Pharaoh: Ascend, you horses; toss, you chariots, and let the valiant come forth. This 'coming forth' may refer to the lands from where they came. He mentions first the Ethiopians, who were near the Egyptians, though separated from them. Then he adds the people of Libya, who were Africans, or who were located in the middle between Egypt and Africa.

Then he says that they took hold of the shield. He points out their principal armor, not that they were without a helmet, sword, and other arms, but they mainly trusted in their shields. Just as we know that the Macedonians wore the pelta and were remarkable for that piece of armor, so the Prophet says that the Ethiopians and Libyans were furnished with bucklers or shields.

He also mentions the Lydians, who were from another region, even from the opposite shore of the sea; for we know that the Lydians were in Asia Minor, while the Egyptians were situated between Africa and Judea. The Mediterranean Sea was therefore between them. It thus appears that Pharaoh procured auxiliaries from a distance and at great expense when he undertook this war. And it is also probable that other nations were hired; but the Prophet mentions only the Ethiopians, Libyans, and Lydians, and states that those named last took hold of the bow because they were the best archers.