Jeremiah 46:22 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.
Jeremiah 46:22 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.
Jeremiah 46:22 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.
Jeremiah 46:22 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.
Jeremiah 46:22 nlt
Egypt flees, silent as a serpent gliding away.
The invading army marches in;
they come against her with axes like woodsmen.
Jeremiah 46 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 46:5 | "Why have I seen them dismayed and turned backward?..." | Egypt's retreat foreshadowed. |
| Jer 46:6-7 | "Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape... Who is this that rises like the Nile..." | Egypt's former pride and impending fall. |
| Jer 25:9 | "...I am bringing all the tribes of the north and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant..." | Babylon as God's instrument of judgment. |
| Isa 19:1 | "An oracle concerning Egypt... The LORD rides on a swift cloud..." | God's judgment pronounced over Egypt. |
| Ezek 29:19-20 | "Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon..." | Confirmation of Babylonian conquest of Egypt. |
| Isa 30:7 | "Egypt's help is worthless and empty..." | Futility of trusting in Egypt's strength. |
| Isa 31:1-3 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help... their chariots are many..." | Trusting human strength over God's. |
| Ps 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." | Contrast in sources of trust. |
| Isa 10:5 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger..." | Nations as instruments of divine judgment. |
| Jer 51:20 | "You are my war club, my weapon of war..." | Babylon also seen as God's destructive tool. |
| Ps 58:4 | "...They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder..." | Serpent imagery: venomous/harmful words. |
| Mic 7:17 | "They shall lick the dust like a serpent..." | Serpent imagery: humiliation and submission. |
| Gen 3:1 | "Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast..." | Serpent imagery: cunning and treachery. |
| Job 26:13 | "...by his hand he pierced the fleeting serpent." | God's power over even the strongest foes. |
| Ezek 30:21-26 | "I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt..." | Egypt's military might broken. |
| Jer 47:2 | "...behold, waters are rising out of the north and will become an overflowing torrent..." | Invaders described as overwhelming forces. |
| Nahum 1:9 | "...affliction will not rise up a second time." | Total destruction/end of an enemy. |
| Isa 14:12 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star..." | Contrast of past glory and subsequent fall. |
| Deut 20:19-20 | "...you may eat from them, but you shall not cut them down..." | Rules for war, including felling trees during sieges. |
| Judg 9:48 | "...Abimelech and all who were with him rushed to Mount Zalmon... and cut down a bundle of brushwood..." | Examples of tree felling in warfare. |
| Ps 76:12 | "He cuts off the spirit of princes; he is to be feared by the kings of the earth." | God's power over earthly rulers. |
| Hos 13:8 | "...I will devour them like a lion; a wild beast will tear them apart." | God's fierce judgment. |
| Rev 12:9 | "And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent..." | Broader symbolism of the serpent as adversary. |
Jeremiah 46 verses
Jeremiah 46 22 Meaning
Jeremiah 46:22 prophesies the utter humiliation and devastating defeat of Egypt at the hands of its enemies, likely the Babylonians. Its former roar of power will be replaced by a faint, desperate sound, like a serpent's hiss or retreat. The enemy forces, depicted as overwhelming and methodical, will systematically lay waste to the land with an unsparing thoroughness, much like woodcutters clear a forest.
Jeremiah 46 22 Context
Jeremiah chapter 46 contains a series of prophetic oracles against foreign nations, with a significant portion (verses 1-26) specifically targeting Egypt. This particular oracle primarily concerns the defeat of Pharaoh Neco's army at Carchemish by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 605 BC, as well as a broader prophecy about a future Babylonian invasion and conquest of Egypt. The context reveals Egypt's initial pride and formidable military presence, depicted earlier in the chapter as a surging river. However, this verse abruptly shifts to portray its subsequent humiliation and destruction. The "they" refers to the invading Babylonian forces, instruments of God's judgment against Egypt, who was often an unreliable ally for Judah and a symbol of worldly strength.
Jeremiah 46 22 Word analysis
- The sound thereof: Hebrew: qōlāh (קֹלָה). Qōl refers to a voice, sound, or roar. Here, the possessive suffix '-ah' refers to Egypt, indicating her characteristic sound. This is a dramatic contrast to the mighty "sound" or "roar" like the Nile's torrent depicted earlier (Jer 46:7-8).
- shall go like a serpent: Hebrew: yēleḵ kə-nāḥāš (יֵלֶךְ כְּנָחָשׁ).
- Yēleḵ (from hālak): he will go, move, walk. Implies motion.
- Kə-nāḥāš (כְּנָחָשׁ): like a serpent, like a snake. This vivid simile carries multiple interpretations:
- Hiss of retreat/fear: Egypt's grand "roar" is reduced to a weak, frightened hiss as its forces flee. A wounded or cornered serpent often hisses in pain or defiance, or slips away quietly. This highlights Egypt's abject defeat and desperate escape.
- Silent, insidious advance: Less likely for Egypt's sound, but possibly referring to the quiet, creeping movement of the invading force itself.
- Humiliation: Serpents are often associated with being low, crawling in the dust, and defeated (Gen 3:14-15; Mic 7:17), thus signifying Egypt's humbling.
- for they shall march with an army: Hebrew: kî bə-ḥayil yēlkû (כִּי בְחַיִל יֵלְכוּ).
- Kî: for, because, indeed. Introduces the reason for Egypt's condition.
- Bə-ḥayil (בְּחַיִל): with might, with power, with a host/army. Emphasizes the strength, military force, and disciplined movement of the attackers.
- Yēlkû: they will go/march. Denotes an organized military advance, not a scattered group. This refers to the Babylonians.
- and come against her with axes: Hebrew: ū-ḇə-qarədummōt yābōʾû lāh (וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת יָבֹאוּ לָהּ).
- Ū-ḇə-qarədummōt (וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת): and with axes, with hatchets, battle-axes. These are not merely woodcutting tools but instruments used in war for destruction, siege operations, and felling obstacles or breaking through defenses.
- Yābōʾû (from bôʾ): they will come, advance.
- Lāh: to her, against her (Egypt).
- as hewers of wood: Hebrew: kə-ḥōṭəbê ‘ēṣîm (כְּחֹטְבֵי עֵצִים).
- Kə-ḥōṭəbê (כְּחֹטְבֵי): like choppers, like cutters, like hewers (of wood).
- ‘Ēṣîm: trees, wood. This simile portrays the devastating effect of the invasion. It suggests a methodical, relentless, and comprehensive demolition of Egypt's land, infrastructure, and perhaps even its population. It's not just a battle, but a systematic clearance, leaving nothing standing.
Jeremiah 46 22 Bonus section
The abrupt shift in imagery within Jeremiah 46, from Egypt rising like the Nile (Jer 46:7-8) to her sound becoming like a serpent (Jer 46:22), is a deliberate literary device emphasizing the profound reversal of fortune. The mighty, uncontrollable flood of the Nile, a source of life and power for Egypt, turns into the feeble, desperate sound of a low-lying serpent, signifying Egypt's complete debasement and vulnerability. Furthermore, the "axes as hewers of wood" not only implies widespread devastation but could also allude to the practice of invaders felling trees, even fruit-bearing ones, to deny resources, build siege engines, or simply to clear land and inflict maximum damage during conquest, showing no mercy (Deut 20:19-20). This imagery extends beyond military defeat to environmental and economic ruin.
Jeremiah 46 22 Commentary
Jeremiah 46:22 serves as a striking prophecy contrasting Egypt's previous martial grandeur with its impending humiliating downfall. The serpent imagery graphically illustrates the shift from a mighty roar to a pitiful hiss of a wounded or fleeing creature. This portrays Egypt's total emasculation in the face of judgment. The advance of the enemy, specifically the Babylonians, is described with military precision ("march with an army") and an intent to annihilate. The comparison to "hewers of wood" with "axes" underscores the systematic and comprehensive nature of the destruction. It suggests that the land of Egypt would be thoroughly dismantled, its resources plundered, and its inhabitants swept away, leaving it utterly laid bare. This prophetic vision highlights God's sovereign control over nations and His use of one kingdom (Babylon) to humble another (Egypt) for their pride and failure to acknowledge His authority. It emphasizes that no human power, no matter how great or formidable, can withstand the purposes of the Almighty God.