John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 46:23

"They shall cut down her forest, saith Jehovah, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable." — Jeremiah 46:23 (ASV)

They shall cut down her forest, says the Lord
The land of Egypt, compared to a forest, for the multitude of its cities and towns, and the inhabitants of them; which should be destroyed by the Chaldeans, as a forest is cut down by hewers of wood; the metaphor is here continued.

The Targum interprets this of the princes of Egypt, and the destruction of them; though it cannot be searched ;
either the forest of Egypt, which was so thick of trees; that is, the land was so full of towns and cities, that they could not be searched and numbered; and though the way through it seemed impassable, yet was made passable by the hewers of wood: or its destruction would be so general, "that it cannot be searched" ^F15 ; or found out, where this forest was, where those trees grew, not one of them standing: or else this is to be understood of the Chaldean army, which was so great, that it could not be numbered:

because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable ;
which creatures come in large numbers, and eat up every green tree and herb; and so the Chaldean army, being alike numerous, would easily cut down the trees of this forest, though they were so many.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F15: (rqxy al yk) "ut non investigetur", Calvin.