God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 46:11
11Go to Gilead, and get medicine, dear people of Egypt. You have used many medicines without results; you can’t be cured.
Jeremiah 46:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.
- New International Version (NIV)“Go up to Gilead and get balm, Virgin Daughter Egypt. But you try many medicines in vain; there is no healing for you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Go up to Gilead and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt; In vain you will use many medicines; You shall not be cured.
Context of Jeremiah 46:11
9Go into battle, you horsemen. Drive wildly, you chariot drivers. March into battle, you warriors, you warriors from Sudan and Put who carry shields, you warriors from Lydia who use bows and arrows. 10That day belongs to the Almighty Lord of Armies. It is a day of vengeance when he will take revenge on his enemies. His sword will devour until it has had enough, and it will drink their blood until it’s full. The Almighty Lord of Armies will offer them as sacrifices in the north by the Euphrates River. Go to Gilead, and get medicine, dear people of Egypt. You have used many medicines without results; you can’t be cured. 12The nations have heard of your shame; your cry fills the earth. One warrior will stumble over another, and both will fall together.” 13The Lord spoke this message to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who will defeat Egypt.
Read all of Jeremiah 46Jeremiah 46:11 word by word
עֲלִ֤י גִלְעָד֙ וּקְחִ֣י צֳרִ֔י בְּתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם לַשָּׁוְא֙ הִרְבֵּ֣ית רְפֻא֔וֹת תְּעָלָ֖ה אֵ֥ין לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- into Gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · GileadH1568
- and takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- balmצֳרִיtserîy tsŏrîy · balsamH6875
- O virginבְּתוּלָהbethûlâh · virginH1330
- the daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- in vainשָׁוְאshâv' shav · vanity: vainH7723
- shalt thou use manyרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- medicinesרְפֻאָהrephû'âh · remedyH7499
- thou shalt not be curedתְּעָלָהte‛âlâh · healingH8585
Cross-references for Jeremiah 46:11
- Jeremiah 8:22Isn’t there medicine in Gilead? Aren’t there doctors there? Then why hasn’t the health of my dear people been restored?
- Jeremiah 51:8Babylon will suddenly fall and be shattered. Cry for it. Bring medicine for its pain. Maybe it can be healed.
- Genesis 37:25As they sat down to eat, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying the materials for cosmetics, medicine, and embalming. They were on their way to take them to Egypt.
- Genesis 43:11Then their father Israel said to them, “If that’s the way it has to be, then take the man a gift. Put some of the best products of the land in your bags. Take a little balm, a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
- Ezekiel 27:17Judah and Israel traded with you. They exchanged wheat from Minnith, baked goods, honey, olive oil, and balsam for your goods.
- Jeremiah 14:17“Say this to them: ‘My eyes flow with tears day and night without stopping because my dear people will suffer massive destruction. It will be a very serious blow.’ ”
- Isaiah 47:1Go, sit in the dirt, virgin princess of Babylon! Sit on the ground, not on a throne, princess of the Babylonians! You will no longer be called soft and delicate.
- Jeremiah 30:12“This is what the Lord says: Your wound is incurable. Your injury is beyond healing.
- Ezekiel 30:21“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. His arm isn’t bandaged, so it can’t heal and be strong enough to hold a sword.
- Micah 1:9Samaria’s wounds are incurable. ⌞The news about Samaria⌟ will come to Judah. It will reach the gates of my people in Jerusalem.
- Nahum 3:19There is no relief for your collapse. Your wound is fatal. All who hear the news about you will clap their hands. Who hasn’t suffered from your endless evil?
- Matthew 5:26I can guarantee this truth: You will never get out until you pay every penny of your fine.
- Luke 8:43A woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years was in the crowd. No one could cure her.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 46:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Go up into Gilead, and take balm - An irony. Egypt is so completely enfeebled by this overthrow, that her political wound is utterly incurable. This figure is used with the more propriety here, as the Egyptians have been celebrated from the remotest antiquity for their knowledge of medicine.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Balm - i. e., balsam, the usual remedy for wounds Jeremiah 8:22. In vain shalt - Or, in vain hast thou multiplied medicines: healing-plaster hast thou none. Nothing shall avail to heal the blow.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11Gilead was famous for its healing plants (compare Jeremiah 8:22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. Gilead ... balm--(See on Jr 8:22); namely, for curing the wounds; but no medicine will avail, so desperate shall be the slaughter. virgin--Egypt is so called on account of her effeminate luxury, and as having never yet been brought under foreign yoke. thou shalt not be cured--literally, "there shall be no cure for thee" (Jr 30:13; Eze 30:21). Not that the kingdom of Egypt should cease to exist, but it should not recover its former strength; the blow…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 46:11
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries