Jeremiah 46
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A high resolution scan of the Aleppo Codex showing the Book of Jeremiah (the sixth book in Nevi'im).
Book	Book of Jeremiah
Hebrew Bible part	Nevi'im
Order in the Hebrew part	6
Category	Latter Prophets
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	24

Jeremiah 46 is the forty-sixth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains prophecies attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. This chapter is part of a series of "oracles against foreign nations", consisting of chapters 46 to 51.^[1] In particular, chapters 46-49 focus on Judah's neighbors.^[2] This chapter contains the poetic oracles against Egypt.^[2][3]

Text

The original text was written in Hebrew. This chapter is divided into 28 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[4] Some fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, i.e., 2QJer (2Q13; 1st century CE^[5]), with extant verses 27‑28.^[6][7]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (with a different chapter and verse numbering), made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G))}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G))}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G))}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G))}$^Q; 6th century).^[8]

Parashot

The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex.^[9] Jeremiah 46 is a part of the prophecies in Jeremiah 46-49 in the section of Prophecies against the nations (Jeremiah 46-51). {P}: open parashah; {S}: closed parashah.

{P} 46:1-12 {P} 46:13-19 {S} 46:20-26 {P} 46:27-28 {P}

Verse numbering

The order of chapters and verses of the Book of Jeremiah in the English Bibles, Masoretic Text (Hebrew), and Vulgate (Latin), in some places differs from that in the Septuagint (LXX, the Greek Bible used in the Eastern Orthodox Church and others) according to Rahlfs or Brenton. The following table is taken with minor adjustments from Brenton's Septuagint, page 971.^[10]

The order of Computer Assisted Tools for Septuagint/Scriptural Study (CATSS) based on Alfred Rahlfs' Septuaginta (1935) differs in some details from Joseph Ziegler's critical edition (1957) in Göttingen LXX. Swete's Introduction mostly agrees with Rahlfs' edition (=CATSS).^[10]

Judgment on Egypt (46:1–26)

Verse 1

The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the nations.^[11]

• Cross reference: Jeremiah 25:13

This statement serves as an introduction to the oracles, as Jeremiah 1:2, 14:1 and 25:1 act as introductions to other sections.^[3]

Verse 2

Against Egypt.

Concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, which was by the River Euphrates in Carchemish, and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:^[12]

• Cross reference: 2 Chronicles 35:20

In May/June 605 BCE the army of Nebuchadnezzar, at the time the Crown Prince of Babylon, defeated the troops of Pharaoh Necho II at Carchemish, on the northern Euphrates 95 km (59 mi) west of Haran (Genesis 11:31), and pursued the troop to the border of Egypt.^[3]

Verse 3

"Order the buckler and shield,

And draw near to battle!^[13]

For "order", some commentators read "prepare" or, more literally, "set in line".^[14] O'Connor suggests that "it is not clear which army is being addressed, the Egyptian for the defence or the Babylonian for the attack".^[2] "Harness the horses" (verse 4, coupled with verse 9) suggests the appeal is addressed to the Egyptian armies, whereas the nineteenth century commentator Edward Plumptre argues that this verse is "a summons to the hosts of Nebuchadnezzar to prepare for their victory".^[15]

Verse 11

Go up into Gilead and take balm,

O virgin daughter of Egypt;

in vain you shall use many medicines,

for you will not be cured.^[16]

• "Virgin daughter": alluding to Egypt’s geographical isolation that provides safety and protection "enjoyed by a virgin living at home under her father’s protection"^[17]

God will preserve Israel (46:27–28)

This passage contains hope-restoring words for the dismayed exiles (verse 27), that Israel (Jacob), unlike the 'exiled Egypt', will return after YHWH makes an end of all the nations 'among which I banished you' for punishment (verse 28).^[18]