New English Translation
Jeremiah 46:23
23The population of Egypt is like a vast, impenetrable forest. But I, the Lord, affirm that the enemy will cut them down. For those who chop them down will be more numerous than locusts. They will be too numerous to count.
Jeremiah 46:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They shall cut down her forest, saith the Lord, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable.
- New International Version (NIV)They will chop down her forest,” declares the Lord, “dense though it be. They are more numerous than locusts, they cannot be counted.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They shall cut down her forest, declares the Lord, though it is impenetrable, because they are more numerous than locusts; they are without number.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“They shall cut down her forest,” says the Lord, “Though it cannot be searched, Because they are innumerable, And more numerous than grasshoppers.
Context of Jeremiah 46:23
21Even her mercenaries will prove to be like pampered, well-fed calves. For they too will turn and run away. They will not stand their ground when the time for them to be destroyed comes, the time for them to be punished. 22Egypt will run away, hissing like a snake, as the enemy comes marching up in force. They will come against her with axes as if they were woodsmen chopping down trees. The population of Egypt is like a vast, impenetrable forest. But I, the Lord, affirm that the enemy will cut them down. For those who chop them down will be more numerous than locusts. They will be too numerous to count. 24Poor dear Egypt will be put to shame. She will be handed over to the people from the north.” 25The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes. I will punish Egypt, its gods, and its kings. I will punish Pharaoh and all who trust in him.
Read all of Jeremiah 46Jeremiah 46:23 word by word
כָּרְת֤וּ יַעְרָהּ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֖י לֹ֣א יֵֽחָקֵ֑ר כִּ֤י רַבּוּ֙ מֵֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מִסְפָּֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They shall cut downכָּרַתkârath · to cut: cutH3772
- her forestיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- though it cannot be searchedחָקַרchâqar · to searchH2713
- because they are moreרָבַבrâbab · to multiplyH7231
- than the grasshoppersאַרְבֶּה'arbeh · locustH697
- innumerableמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
- innumerableאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
Cross-references for Jeremiah 46:23
- Isaiah 10:18The splendor of his forest and his orchard will be completely destroyed, as when a sick man’s life ebbs away.
- Ezekiel 20:46“Son of man, turn toward the south, and speak out against the south. Prophesy against the open scrub land of the Negev,
- Judges 6:5When they invaded with their cattle and tents, they were as thick as locusts. Neither they nor their camels could be counted. They came to devour the land.
- Judges 7:12Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels could not be counted; they were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore.
- Joel 2:25I will make up for the years that the ‘arbeh-locust consumed your crops – the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust – my great army that I sent against you.
- Revelation 9:2He opened the shaft of the abyss and smoke rose out of it like smoke from a giant furnace. The sun and the air were darkened with smoke from the shaft.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 46:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23They shall cut down her forest - Supposed to mean her cities, of which Egypt had no fewer than one thousand and twenty.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Or, “They have cut down her forest, saith Yahweh, for it is impenetrable,” i. e., just as a pathless forest must be cleared to assist agriculture and the passage to and fro of men, so must the false worship and the material prosperity of Egypt be overthrown. Grasshoppers - The invading host advances as multitudinous as the locusts which consume the whole vegetation of the land on which they alight.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 46:23
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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