Jeremiah 2:18

Jeremiah 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
• New International Version (NIV)Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
• New King James Version (NKJV)And now why take the road to Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? Or why take the road to Assyria, To drink the waters of the River?

Context of Jeremiah 2:18

16Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes [as powerful enemies] Have shaved the crown of your head [to degrade you]. 17Have you not brought this on yourself By abandoning (rejecting) the Lord your God When He led you in the way? Now what are you doing by going to Egypt [in search of an ally], To drink the [muddy] waters of the Nile? Or what are you doing by going to Assyria [in search of an ally], To drink the [muddy] waters of the Euphrates? 19Your own wickedness will discipline you, And your desertion of the faith will punish you. Know therefore that it is an evil and bitter thing For you to abandon (reject) the Lord your God, And for you to be indifferent to Me and dismiss the [reverent] fear of Me,” says the Lord God of hosts. 20“For long ago you broke your yoke [in deliberate disobedience] And tore off your bonds [of the law that I gave you]; You said, ‘I will not serve and obey You!’ For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down [in idolatrous worship] like a [compliant] prostitute.

Jeremiah 2:18 word by word

וְעַתָּ֗ה מַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת מֵ֣י שִׁח֑וֹר וּמַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת מֵ֥י נָהָֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And now what hast thou to do in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• to drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
• of Sihorשִׁיחוֹרshîychôr shichôr shichôr · NileH7883
• of Assyriaאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
• of the riverנָהָרnâhâr · RiverH5104

Cross-references for Jeremiah 2:18

• Jeremiah 2:36Why do you go around and wander so much Changing your way? Also, you will be shamed by Egypt As you were shamed by Assyria.
• Jeremiah 37:5Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s army had set out from Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the news about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 30:1“Woe (judgment is coming) to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “Who carry out a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance [by pouring out a libation], but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin;
• Isaiah 31:1Woe (judgment is coming) to those who go down to Egypt for help, Who rely on horses And trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek and consult the Lord!
• Lamentations 4:17[And as for us,] yet our eyes failed, Looking in vain for help. Watching [from the towers] we watched For a nation that could not save.
• Ezekiel 17:15But Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant [with Babylon] and [still] escape?
• Hosea 7:11Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without heart or good sense; They call to Egypt [for help], they go to Assyria.
• Joshua 13:3from the Shihor [waterway] which is east of Egypt [at the southern end of Canaan], northward to the border of Ekron (all of it regarded as Canaanite); the five rulers of the Philistines: the Gazite, Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the Avvite
• 2 Kings 16:7So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the kings of Aram and of Israel, who are rising up against me.”
• 2 Chronicles 28:20So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and harassed him instead of strengthening and supporting him.
• Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria [instead of the Lord] And sent to [Assyria’s] great King Jareb [for help]. But he cannot heal you Nor will he cure you of your wound [received in judgment].

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt - Why dost thou make alliances with Egypt? To drink the waters of Sihor? - This means the Nile. See on Isaiah 23:3; (note). The way of Assyria - Why make alliances with the Assyrians? All such connections will only expedite thy ruin. To drink the waters of the river? - The Euphrates, as נהר nahar or הנהר hannahar always means Euphrates, the country between the Tigris and Euphrates, is termed to this day Maher…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Sihor - The Nile. To lean upon Egypt was a violation of the principles of theocracy. The two rivers are the two empires, and to drink their waters is to adopt their principles and religion. Compare also Isaiah 8:6-7.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-19Verses 14-19 Is Israel a servant? No, they are the seed of Abraham. We may apply this spiritually: Is the soul of man a slave? No, it is not; but has sold its own liberty, and enslaved itself to divers lusts and passions. The Assyrian princes, like lions, prevailed against Israel. People from Egypt destroyed their glory and strength. They brought these calamities on themselves by departing from the Lord. The use and application of this is, Repent of thy…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Israel's alliances with Egypt and agreements with Assyria (2 Kings 15:19–19:37) brought only sorrow, not benefits. Neither the Nile in Egypt nor the Euphrates in Assyria ever helped Israel (Isaiah 30:1–3; Hosea 5:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. now--used in a reasoning sense, not of time. the way of Egypt--What hast thou to do with the way, that is, with going down to Egypt; or what ... with going to Assyria? drink ... waters--that is, to seek reinvigorating aid from them; so Jr 2:13, 36; compare "waters," meaning numerous forces (Is 8:7). Sihor--that is, the black river, in Greek, Melas ("black"), the Nile: so called from the black deposit or soil it leaves after the inundation (Is 23:3)…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 2:18

• Church
• Confidence
• Nile
• Sihor

In the dictionaries

• Assyria
• Egypt
• Assyria, Assyrian, Assyrian Empire
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Euphrates River, the River
• Attire
• Bitter
• Cry
• Degenerate
• Euphrates

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings