Jeremiah 46:21

Jeremiah 46:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.
• New International Version (NIV)The mercenaries in her ranks are like fattened calves. They too will turn and flee together, they will not stand their ground, for the day of disaster is coming upon them, the time for them to be punished.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Even her hired soldiers in her midst are like fattened calves; yes, they have turned and fled together; they did not stand, for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their punishment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also her mercenaries are in her midst like fat bulls, For they also are turned back, They have fled away together. They did not stand, For the day of their calamity had come upon them, The time of their punishment.

Context of Jeremiah 46:21

19O you daughter who dwells in Egypt and you who dwell with her, Prepare yourselves [with all you will need] to go into exile, For Memphis will become desolate; It will even be burned down and without inhabitant. 20Egypt is a very pretty heifer, But a horsefly (Babylonia) is coming [against her] out of the north! Also her mercenaries in her army Are like fattened calves, For they too have turned back and have fled together; They did not stand [their ground], Because the day of their disaster has come upon them, The time of their punishment. 22The sound [of Egypt fleeing from the enemy] is like [the rustling of] an escaping serpent, For her foes advance with a mighty army And come against her like woodcutters with axes. 23They have cut down her forest,” says the Lord; “Certainly it will no longer be found, Because they (the invaders) are more numerous than locusts And cannot be counted.

Jeremiah 46:21 word by word

גַּם־שְׂכִרֶ֤יהָ בְקִרְבָּהּ֙ כְּעֶגְלֵ֣י מַרְבֵּ֔ק כִּֽי־גַם־הֵ֧מָּה הִפְנ֛וּ נָ֥סוּ יַחְדָּ֖יו לֹ֣א עָמָ֑דוּ כִּ֣י י֥וֹם אֵידָ֛ם בָּ֥א עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם עֵ֥ת פְּקֻדָּתָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Also her hired menשָׂכִירώâkîyr · hiredH7916
• in the midstקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
• of her like fattedמַרְבֵּקmarbêq · stallH4770
• bullocksעֵ֫גֶל‛êgel · calfH5695
• for they also are turned backפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• are fled awayנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
• they did not standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• because the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of their calamityאֵיד'êyd · calamityH343
• was comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• the timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• of their visitationפְּקֻדָּהpeqûddâh · punishmentH6486

Cross-references for Jeremiah 46:21

• Jeremiah 46:9Charge, you horses, And drive like madmen, you chariots! Let the warriors go forward: Ethiopia and Put (Libya) who handle the shield, And the Lydians who handle and bend the bow.
• 2 Samuel 10:6When the Ammonites saw that they had become an object of hatred to David, they sent word and hired the Arameans (Syrians) of Beth-rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men [to fight for them].
• 2 Kings 7:6For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of chariots, and the sound of horses, the sound of a great army. They had said to one another, “The king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come [and fight] against us.”
• Ezekiel 27:10“Persia and Lud and Put (Libya) were in your army as your men of war. They hung the shield and the helmet on you; they gave you splendor.
• Ezekiel 30:4A sword will come upon Egypt, And anguish and trembling will be in Ethiopia (Cush), When the slain fall in Egypt And they [of Babylon] carry away her great mass of people and her riches And her foundations are torn down.
• Jeremiah 50:11“Though you are glad, though you rejoice, O you who plunder My heritage, Though you are wanton and skip about like a heifer in the grass And neigh like stallions,
• Isaiah 34:7Wild oxen will also fall with them And the young bulls with the strong bulls; And their land will be soaked with blood, And their dust made greasy with fat.
• Proverbs 15:17Better is a dinner of vegetables and herbs where love is present Than a fattened ox served with hatred.
• Amos 6:4Those who lie on [luxurious] beds of ivory And lounge around out on their couches, And eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall,
• Jeremiah 46:5Why have I seen it? They are terrified And have turned back, And their warriors are beaten down. They take flight in haste Without looking back; Terror is on every side!” Says the Lord.
• Jeremiah 18:17I will scatter them like an east wind Before the enemy; I will show them My back and not My face In the day of their disaster [says the Lord].’ ”
• Deuteronomy 32:15“But Jeshurun (Israel) became fat and kicked [at God]. You became fat, thick, sleek, and obstinate! Then he abandoned God who had made him, And scorned the Rock of his salvation.
• Psalms 37:13The Lord laughs at him [the wicked one—the one who oppresses the righteous], For He sees that his day [of defeat] is coming.
• Isaiah 10:3Now what will you do in the day of [God’s] punishment, And in the storm of devastation which will come from far away? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your wealth [for safekeeping]?
• Ezekiel 35:5Because you [descendants of Esau] have had an everlasting hatred [for Jacob (Israel)] and you handed over the sons of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their tragedy, at the time of their final punishment [the Babylonian conquest],
• Hosea 9:7The days of punishment have come; The days of retribution are at hand; Let Israel know this! The prophet is [considered] a fool; The man [of God] who is inspired is [treated as if] demented, Because of the abundance of your wickedness and guilt, And because your deep antagonism [toward God and the prophets] is so great.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 46:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Are fled away together - Perhaps there is a reference here to the case of a cow stung with gnats. She runs hither and thither not knowing where to go; so shall it be with this scattered people.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Rather, “Also her hirelings in the midst of her are like calves of the stall.” The mercenaries of Egypt - Nubians, Moors, and Lydians Jeremiah 46:9 - were destroyed at the battle of Carchemish, and their place was taken by hirelings from Asia Minor, Carians, and Ionians, whom Hophra took into his pay to the number of 30,000 men. These he settled in the midst of Egypt, in the fertile lands above Bubastis, in the Delta, where, well paid and fed and with…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-28Verses 13-28 Those who encroached on others, shall now be themselves encroached on. Egypt is now like a very fair heifer, not accustomed to the yoke of subjection; but destruction comes out of the north: the Chaldeans shall come. Comfort and peace are spoken to the Israel of God, designed to encourage them when the judgments of God were abroad among the nations. He will be with them, and only correct them in measure; and will not punish them with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Egypt relied on mercenaries from other countries who did not want to die for Egypt. When threatened, they would flee.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2613-26. Prophecy of the invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, which took place sixteen years after the taking of Jerusalem. Having spent thirteen years in the siege of Tyre, and having obtained nothing for his pains, he is promised by God Egypt for his reward in humbling Tyre (Eze 29:17-20; 30:1-31:18). The intestine commotions between Amasis and Pharaoh-hophra prepared his way (compare Note, see on Is 19:1, &c.).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 46:21

• Babylon
• War

In the dictionaries

• Harness
• Nebuchadnezzar
• Army
• Calamity
• Calf
• Ezekiel
• Hire
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah (2)
• Visitation

Commentaries on Jeremiah 46

• 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