John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 46:18

"As I live, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come." — Jeremiah 46:18 (ASV)

Why did the Prophet say this, if not because the Egyptians thought they had escaped, because the time had been delayed? Since, then, the length of time had deceived them, thinking, as they did, that God had spoken falsely, or that he had forgotten what he had predicted through his Prophets, he says, I live, says Jehovah, that is, by my life. For God here swears by his life that what he now declares would come to pass. This seems to be the true meaning.

Nor did the Prophet speak thus only for the sake of the Egyptians, but also for the sake of the Jews. For we know that it was usual and common for them to proudly assert that what the Prophets had spoken from God’s mouth was all vain: hence that proverbial saying:

“Tomorrow we shall die, let us eat and drink.”
(Isaiah 22:13)

They also called the prophecies burdens, by way of reproach and contempt. Since the ungodly promised themselves impunity through God’s forbearance, it was necessary to testify to them what we read here: that whatever God had threatened would come to pass, even though he delayed it for a time. For he suspends his punishment, but his vengeance finally breaks out when the unbelieving think that all things will turn out prosperously; yes, when they say:

“Peace and security, then sudden destruction overtakes them.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:3)

By the word מועד, muod, then, the Prophets mean a fixed time, not that they had pointed out a certain day, but that they had spoken of the destruction of Egypt, as though God had already gone forth as the judge.

Since, then, they said that the time had passed, God here swears by his life; and therefore he says, whose name is King, Jehovah of hosts. God here sets forth his own greatness in opposition to the power of Pharaoh and of all other kings.

For prosperity commonly brings pride with it, and those who excel in dignity and power become self-willed and insolent. Therefore, to repress this haughty insolence, he says that the name of King, the God of hosts, does not properly belong to any but to himself alone.

It shall come, he says, as Tabor is in the mountains, and Carmel in the sea. The exposition of those who say, “As wild beasts fleeing from hunters pass over from neighboring mountains to Mount Tabor, and as trees cut on Carmel are carried to the sea,” is not suitable. This is an extremely forced explanation and cannot be adapted to the present passage.

For what is the Prophet’s design? It is to show that what he had just declared would be immutable and so fixed that it could not be reversed; indeed, even if the whole world attempted to frustrate what God had decreed, nothing could be done.

Then he says, As Tabor is in the mountains, that is, as Mount Tabor is surrounded by other mountains and has its deep roots there, so that it cannot be torn up; and as Carmel is in the sea.

Now this Carmel was not understood by the Jews to have been that mount where Nabal dwelt, but a mountain not far from Ptolemais, which was encircled and washed by the sea. Therefore he says, As Carmel is a mountain in the sea.

Tabor as well as Carmel remain fixed and cannot be transferred to another place. So, he says, this prophecy shall come to pass; it is valid and shall be accomplished. It is as though he had said, “This immutable decree cannot be altered, as Carmel cannot be moved, nor Tabor transplanted elsewhere.”