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?
• 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?
• New Living Translation (NLT)“What have you gained by your alliances with Egypt and your covenants with Assyria? What good to you are the streams of the Nile or the waters of the Euphrates River?

Context of Jeremiah 2:18

16Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. 17Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God, when he led you in the way? 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? 19Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord God of hosts. 20"For long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds; but you said, 'I will not serve.' Yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a whore.

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 2:36How much you go about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.
• Jeremiah 37:5The army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt. And when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 30:1"Ah, stubborn children," declares the Lord, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
• Isaiah 31:1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!
• Lamentations 4:17Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save.
• Ezekiel 17:15But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape?
• Hosea 7:11Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.
• Joshua 13:3(from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim,
• 2 Kings 16:7So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me."
• 2 Chronicles 28:20So Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.
• Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.

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