Jeremiah 46:21 kjv
Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.
Jeremiah 46:21 nkjv
Also her mercenaries are in her midst like fat bulls, For they also are turned back, They have fled away together. They did not stand, For the day of their calamity had come upon them, The time of their punishment.
Jeremiah 46:21 niv
The mercenaries in her ranks are like fattened calves. They too will turn and flee together, they will not stand their ground, for the day of disaster is coming upon them, the time for them to be punished.
Jeremiah 46:21 esv
Even her hired soldiers in her midst are like fattened calves; yes, they have turned and fled together; they did not stand, for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their punishment.
Jeremiah 46:21 nlt
Egypt's mercenaries have become like fattened calves.
They, too, will turn and run,
for it is a day of great disaster for Egypt,
a time of great punishment.
Jeremiah 46 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 46:21 | "Even her hired mercenaries, in her midst, are like fattened calves; for they too turn their backs and flee together..." | Predictive judgment against Egypt for its arrogance and opposition to God's will. |
| Jeremiah 1:16 | "And I will declare my judgments against them for all their evil in abandoning me..." | God's pronouncements of judgment against His people for apostasy. |
| Jeremiah 2:34 | "Also, your hands are defiled with blood, and your skirts; yet you say, ‘I am innocent; the Lord is not with me’..." | Accusation against Egypt for its complicity in injustice and bloodshed. |
| Isaiah 30:16 | "You said, ‘No, for we will flee on horses’; therefore you shall flee! And, ‘We will ride swift steeds’; therefore your pursuers shall be swift." | Parallels the futility of Egypt's reliance on military strength against God's power. |
| Isaiah 31:3 | "Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh and not spirit; when the Lord stretches out His hand, the helper will stagger, and the helped will fall..." | Emphasizes the weakness of Egypt compared to the might of the Lord. |
| Isaiah 47:12 | "Stand fast, in your enchantments and in the multitude of your sorceries with which you have labored from your youth..." | Challenges Egypt's reliance on sorcery and false wisdom, highlighting their vulnerability. |
| Ezekiel 29:3 | "Speak, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster that lies in the midst of his rivers…”' " | Pronouncement of God's opposition to Egypt, personified by Pharaoh. |
| Ezekiel 30:13 | "Thus says the Lord God: ‘I will also destroy the idols and make the images to cease from Noph; there shall be no prince from the land of Egypt anymore; then I will put fear in the land of Egypt.’ " | Further prophecy of Egypt's defeat and the demise of its power and idolatry. |
| Ezekiel 30:20 | "Indeed on the first day of the first month of the eleventh year..." | Prophetic timeframe related to judgment upon Egypt. |
| Daniel 11:7 | "But when he takes his stand, one of her own house shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army and enter the fortress of the king of the North..." | Prophecy involving military conflicts and shifts in power affecting Egypt. |
| Nahum 3:8-9 | "Are you better than No Amon that was situated by the Nile, with water all around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the sea?..." | Compares the fall of Thebes (No Amon) to the impending fall of Nineveh, showing a pattern of divine judgment. |
| Romans 9:19 | "You will say to me then, ‘Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?’" | Discusses God's sovereignty and human responsibility in the context of judgment. |
| 1 Corinthians 10:13 | "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able..." | While not a direct reference, it speaks to human frailty in the face of overwhelming circumstances. |
| Psalm 18:45 | "The foreigners shall be faint of heart and come trembling from their confined places." | Depicts the fear and subjugation of foreign enemies. |
| Psalm 76:5 | "The stouthearted were plundered, they have all fallen asleep; and none of the men of might have found their hands." | Imagery of fallen warriors unable to fight back. |
| Lamentations 1:6 | "And from the daughter of Zion all her splendor has departed. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture; they have fled without strength before the pursuer." | Similar imagery of fallen leaders fleeing like helpless deer. |
| Ezekiel 32:2 | "Son of man, wail for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: ‘You compare yourself to a young lion of the nations, but you are like a monster in the seas…’" | Continues the theme of God's judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt. |
| Isaiah 19:16 | "In that day it shall be like women, and shall be like a great tempest against them; and it shall be like a great tempest that day." | Depicts Egypt's distress and weakness as akin to women's fear during a storm. |
| Hosea 7:11 | "Also, Ephraim is like a silly dove without heart; They call to Egypt, They go to Assyria." | Illustrates the foolishness of seeking help from Egypt, characterizing them as lacking wisdom. |
| Joel 2:4 | "They look like horses; they run like cavalry." | Description of an invading force, contrasting with the fleeing Egyptians. |
Jeremiah 46 verses
Jeremiah 46 21 Meaning
This verse describes the Egyptian soldiers as weak and fleeing, like calves in a trampled field. They are unable to stand against God's judgment and the invading forces, experiencing ruin and dispersion.
Jeremiah 46 21 Context
Jeremiah 46 is a prophecy concerning Egypt, issued during the reign of King Jehoiakim, likely around the time of the Battle of Carchemish (circa 605 BC) where the Babylonians defeated the Egyptians. The chapter details God's impending judgment upon Egypt, a nation often seen as a powerful ally or antagonist to Israel and Judah. The preceding verses (1-12) describe the advance of the Babylonian army and the ensuing defeat of the Egyptians. Verse 21, therefore, describes the broken state of these Egyptian soldiers, highlighting their rout and vulnerability after being overcome. This prophecy served as a warning and a demonstration of God's sovereignty over all nations, even the mighty Egypt, especially in how He used His chosen instrument (Babylon) for judgment.
Jeremiah 46 21 Word Analysis
“Even”: (Hebrew: גַּם — gam) — Also, moreover. It introduces an additional aspect of the defeat, emphasizing that even their own mercenary forces were affected.
“her”: (referring to Egypt) — Refers to the nation of Egypt and its people.
“hired mercenaries”: (Hebrew: שְׂכִירִים — səkîrîm) — Paid soldiers, foreign troops hired for service. This highlights that Egypt's army was not purely Egyptian, but also comprised those fighting for payment.
“in her midst”: (Hebrew: בְּתוֹכָהּ — bəṯôkāh) — Within Egypt itself, among the Egyptian forces.
“are like”: (Hebrew: כְּמוֹ — kəmô) — Similar to, like. Used for simile.
“fattened calves”: (Hebrew: עֶגְלִים — ʿeḡlîm, meaning young bulls or calves) — This is a significant metaphor. Fattened calves were often symbols of prosperity but also of immaturity, placidity, and ultimately, sacrifice or being easily led to slaughter. They are gentle, easily frightened, and without true strength or resilience when threatened. The imagery suggests they are well-fed but easily spooked and lacking in true martial prowess or resolve.
“for”: (Hebrew: כִּי — kî) — Because, for the reason that. Connects the preceding description to the following explanation of their action.
“they too”: (Hebrew: גַּם הֵמָּה — gam hêm·mâ) — Also they, indicating a shared fate or characteristic with others previously mentioned or implied.
“turn their backs”: (Hebrew: נָסוֹגוּ — nāsôḡû) — Fled, retreated, turned back. The active decision to flee.
“and flee”: (Hebrew: וְנָסוּ — wənāsû) — And run away, escape. Reinforces the act of fleeing.
“together”: (Hebrew: יַחְדָּו — yaḥ·ḏāw) — United, in one accord. This adds a layer of irony – they are "together" in their common disgrace and flight, not in any sort of organized retreat.
Words-Group Analysis:
- “fattened calves... turn their backs and flee together”: This collective phrase powerfully depicts the disarray and panic of the Egyptian army. The imagery of fattened calves transformed into fleeing, frightened animals conveys a sense of weakness and helplessness. They are depicted not as valorous warriors but as panicked livestock, easily dispersed and showing no valor or stand. Their being "fattened" might also imply a sense of complacency that made them ill-equipped for the harsh realities of war.
Jeremiah 46 21 Bonus Section
The reference to "fattened calves" resonates with cultural understanding of animals prized for their meat, which were also often handled more gently and kept in more controlled environments, making them susceptible to sudden fright when exposed to the chaos of battle. This specific imagery of calves can be found in other prophetic judgments, such as Hosea's critique of Israel where he calls Ephraim "a silly dove without sense" (Hosea 7:11), suggesting a similar lack of discernment and propensity for foolish action when seeking foreign aid. The prophecy against Egypt here can be seen as part of a broader pattern of divine judgment against nations that opposed God’s will or relied on their own strength. The use of such animal imagery by the prophets was a powerful rhetorical device to make the message relatable and striking to their audience.
Jeremiah 46 21 Commentary
Jeremiah 46:21 vividly portrays the rout of the Egyptian forces. The simile of "fattened calves" emphasizes their unpreparedness for battle and their eventual panicked flight. Unlike formidable warriors, they are depicted as docile creatures easily scattered. This imagery highlights God's judgment, which renders even a seemingly strong military power weak and ineffective. The mercenaries, hired for their strength, ultimately demonstrate the same panic and futility as their counterparts. This verse underscores the biblical theme that human strength and military might are no match for God's power and divine judgment. It signifies a total collapse of Egyptian military effectiveness, a consequence of their defiance and misplaced trust in their own power rather than in the Lord.