Jeremiah 46:22

Jeremiah 46:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.
• New International Version (NIV)Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent as the enemy advances in force; they will come against her with axes, like men who cut down trees.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"She makes a sound like a serpent gliding away; for her enemies march in force and come against her with axes like those who fell trees.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Her noise shall go like a serpent, For they shall march with an army And come against her with axes, Like those who chop wood.

Context of Jeremiah 46:22

20Egypt is a very pretty heifer, But a horsefly (Babylonia) is coming [against her] out of the north! 21Also 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. The 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. 24The Daughter of Egypt has been shamed, Given over to the power of the people of the north [the Chaldeans of Babylonia].”

Jeremiah 46:22 word by word

קוֹלָ֖הּ כַּנָּחָ֣שׁ יֵלֵ֑ךְ כִּֽי־בְחַ֣יִל יֵלֵ֔כוּ וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת֙ בָּ֣אוּ לָ֔הּ כְּחֹטְבֵ֖י עֵצִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
• thereof shall goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• like a serpentנָחָשׁnâchâsh · serpentH5175
• with an armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• and comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• against her with axesקַרְדֹּםqardôm · axeH7134
• as hewersחָטַבchâţab · to chopH2404
• of woodעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086

Cross-references for Jeremiah 46:22

• Isaiah 29:4Then you [Jerusalem] will be brought low, You will speak from the earth, And from the dust where you lie face down Your muffled words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a spirit from the earth [like one produced by a medium], And your speech will whisper and squeak from the dust.
• Micah 1:8Because of this I [Micah] must lament (mourn over with expressions of grief) and wail, I must go barefoot and naked [without outer garments as if robbed]; I must wail like the jackals And lament [with a loud, mournful cry] like the ostriches.
• Micah 7:16The [pagan] nations shall see [God’s omnipotence in delivering Israel] and be ashamed Of all their might [which cannot be compared to His]. They shall put their hand on their mouth [in silent astonishment]; Their ears shall be deaf.
• Jeremiah 51:20“You [Cyrus of Persia, soon to conquer Babylon] are My battle-axe and weapon of war— For with you I shatter nations, With you I destroy kingdoms.
• Isaiah 10:15Is the axe able to lift itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw able to magnify itself over the one who wields it? That would be like a club moving those who lift it, Or like a staff raising him who is not [made of] wood [like itself]!
• Isaiah 14:8Even the cypress trees rejoice over you [kings of Babylon], even the cedars of Lebanon, saying, ‘Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.’
• Isaiah 37:24Through your servants you have taunted and defied the Lord, And you have said, ‘With my many chariots I have gone up to the heights of the mountains, To the remotest parts of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars and its choicest cypress trees; And I will go to its remotest height, its most luxuriant and thickest forest.
• Zechariah 11:2Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the magnificent trees have been destroyed; Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the inaccessible forest [on the steep mountainside] has come down.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 46:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22The voice - shall go like a serpent - See Isaiah 29:4; (note), and the note there.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22The voice thereof - Her voice, i. e., the voice of Egypt. The word here probably means the busy sound of life and activity in the towns of Egypt, the tramping of her hosts, and the turmoil of camp and city. All this at the approach of the Chaldaean army shall depart, as the snake flees away when disturbed in its haunts by the wood-cutters. March with an army - Advance with might. With axes - The comparison of the Chaldaean warriors to woodcutters arose…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. 22-23The image of a serpent slithering away shows the fear that took over Egypt. The invaders attacked the people fiercely, like woodsmen chopping wood, after entering the country like a swarm of locusts.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 46:22

• Ax
• Babylon

In the dictionaries

• Harness
• Nebuchadnezzar
• Ax (axe); Ax-Head
• Ezekiel
• Hewer
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah (2)
• Nebuchadnezzar, or Nebuchadrezzar

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