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?
• English Standard Version (ESV)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?
• 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?

Context of Jeremiah 2:18

16Even the soldiers from Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skulls, people of Israel. 17You have brought all this on yourself, Israel, by deserting the Lord your God when he was leading you along the right path. What good will it do you then to go down to Egypt to seek help from the Egyptians? What good will it do you to go over to Assyria to seek help from the Assyrians? 19Your own wickedness will bring about your punishment. Your unfaithful acts will bring down discipline on you. Know, then, and realize how utterly harmful it was for you to reject me, the Lord your God, to show no respect for me,” says the Lord God who rules over all. 20“Indeed, long ago you threw off my authority and refused to be subject to me. You said, ‘I will not serve you.’ Instead, you gave yourself to other gods on every high hill and under every green tree, like a prostitute sprawls out before her lovers.

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 2:36Why do you constantly go about changing your political allegiances? You will get no help from Egypt just as you got no help from Assyria.
• Jeremiah 37:5At that time the Babylonian forces had temporarily given up their siege against Jerusalem. They had had it under siege, but withdrew when they heard that the army of Pharaoh had set out from Egypt.)
• Isaiah 30:1“The rebellious children are as good as dead,” says the Lord, “those who make plans without consulting me, who form alliances without consulting my Spirit, and thereby compound their sin.
• Isaiah 31:1Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, those who rely on war horses, and trust in Egypt’s many chariots and in their many, many horsemen. But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel and do not seek help from the Lord.
• Lamentations 4:17Our eyes continually failed us as we looked in vain for help. From our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue us. צ (Tsade)
• Ezekiel 17:15But this one from Israel’s royal family rebelled against the king of Babylon by sending his emissaries to Egypt to obtain horses and a large army. Will he prosper? Will the one doing these things escape? Can he break the covenant and escape?
• Hosea 7:11Ephraim has been like a dove, easily deceived and lacking discernment. They called to Egypt for help; they turned to Assyria for protection.
• Joshua 13:3from the Shihor River east of Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land
• 2 Kings 16:7Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. March up and rescue me from the power of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked me.”
• 2 Chronicles 28:20King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support.
• Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and begged its great king for help. But he will not be able to heal you! He cannot cure 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