God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 46:22
22Egypt will hiss like a snake as it slithers away. Its enemies will come with full force. They will attack it with axes like those who chop wood.
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
20“Egypt is like a beautiful cow, but a horsefly from the north will attack it. 21Egypt’s hired soldiers are like fattened calves. They will turn and run away together. They won’t stand their ground. The day of destruction is coming. At that time they will be punished. Egypt will hiss like a snake as it slithers away. Its enemies will come with full force. They will attack it with axes like those who chop wood. 23They will cut down the forest,” declares the Lord, “since Egypt can’t be found. They are more numerous than locusts; they can’t be counted. 24The people of Egypt will be put to shame. They will be handed over to the people from the north.”
Read all of Jeremiah 46Jeremiah 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 29:4When you have fallen, you will speak as you lie on the ground. Your words will be muffled by the dust. Your voice will come out of the ground like that of a ghost. Your words will be whispered from the dust.
- Micah 1:8I will mourn and cry because of this. I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will cry like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich.
- Micah 7:16Nations will see this and be ashamed in spite of all their strength. They will put their hands over their mouths. Their ears will become deaf.
- Jeremiah 51:20“You are my war club and my weapon for battle. I will use you to crush nations. I will use you to destroy kingdoms.
- Isaiah 10:15Can an ax attack the person who cuts with it? Can a saw make itself greater than the person who saws with it? A rod cannot move the person who lifts it. A wooden stick cannot pick up a person.
- Isaiah 14:8Even the cypresses rejoice over you. The cedars of Lebanon say, “Since you have fallen, no lumberjack has come to attack us.”
- Isaiah 37:24Through your servants you defy the Lord and say, “With my many chariots I’ll ride up the high mountains, up the slopes of Lebanon. I’ll cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypresses. I’ll come to its most distant heights and its most fertile forests.
- Zechariah 11:2Cry, cypress trees, because the cedars have fallen and the stately trees have been destroyed. Cry, oak trees of Bashan, because your dense forest has fallen 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
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
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