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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just asking about political alliances; it's a clever wordplay about seeking life from false sources. By "drinking the waters of the Nile" or the "Euphrates," Israel is depicted as trying to find sustenance and life from powerful, yet ultimately empty, pagan nations, instead of the true "fountain of living waters" that God represents.
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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah is directly addressing the people of Judah, calling out their unfaithfulness to God. Instead of relying on the Lord, they are seeking alliances and help from the powerful empires of Egypt and Assyria, symbolized by their great rivers. This pursuit of foreign aid is presented as foolish and ultimately self-destructive, a betrayal of the covenant relationship they have with God.
Why would God compare mighty empires to rivers? And why is drinking from them a bad thing?
Jeremiah uses the great rivers of Egypt (the Nile, called Sihor) and Assyria/Mesopotamia (the Euphrates) as powerful symbols for these dominant world empires.
By asking, "What do you gain by drinking these waters?" God is questioning Israel's reliance on these political and military alliances. These nations offered a sense of security and strength, but they were not God's chosen source of provision or protection for His people.
Israel was supposed to trust in God, not foreign powers. So why did they keep going back to Egypt and Assyria?
This verse is a powerful indictment of Israel's repeated pattern of seeking security in human alliances rather than in God.
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Jeremiah's imagery of drinking from the Nile and Euphrates powerfully critiques Judah's dangerous reliance on foreign alliances, likening them to treacherous, polluted waters compared to God's life-giving 'fountain of living waters'.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and destruction of Israel
The northern kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, marking the end of its existence as a separate entity and intensifying the power of Assyria in the region.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem. Though Jerusalem is miraculously spared, many other cities are destroyed, and Judah becomes a vassal state.
626 BC - 609 BC
Neo-Babylonian Empire rises
Nabopolassar declares independence from Assyria and establishes the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Assyria's power wanes as Babylon rises to prominence.
609 BC
Battle of Carchemish
The Babylonian army, led by Nebuchadnezzar II, decisively defeats the Egyptian forces and their Assyrian allies. This battle shifts the regional balance of power.
c. 600 BC— this verse
Jeremiah prophesies against foreign alliances
Jeremiah vehemently warns Judah against seeking help from Egypt, symbolizing it as drinking from the polluted Nile, and from Assyria/Babylon, symbolized by the Euphrates.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
Nebuchadnezzar II conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and deports a significant portion of the population to Babylon, ending the Davidic monarchy.
This passage directly parallels Jeremiah's metaphor, describing the people's turning away from God to trust in the 'waters of Shiloah that flow gently' (a peaceful, God-given source) instead of the powerful rivers of Assyria, highlighting the folly of seeking aid from worldly powers.
Isaiah 30:1-3Here, the prophet Isaiah also rebukes the people for seeking help from Egypt, calling it a 'worthless help' and a 'pride that causes shame,' which directly echoes Jeremiah's questioning of the benefit of relying on Egypt's 'waters'.
Hosea 7:11This verse critiques Israel's similar tendency to seek alliances with foreign nations, specifically mentioning Egypt, and likens their actions to a 'stupid dove' that lacks sense, reinforcing the theme of misplaced trust that Jeremiah addresses.
Jeremiah 2:13This preceding verse sets up the metaphor for Jeremiah 2:18 by contrasting God as the 'fountain of living waters' with the people digging their own 'broken cisterns,' making the reference to foreign rivers a clear picture of seeking life and help from unreliable, man-made sources.
Romans 8:5-8Paul contrasts those who live according to the flesh, setting their minds on worldly things and human wisdom (akin to relying on Egypt or Assyria), with those who live according to the Spirit, highlighting the spiritual deadness and ultimate futility of seeking life apart from God.
clarkeJeremiah 2:18: "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?"
What 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 Euphrat…
pulpitJeremiah 2:18: "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?"
Verse 18. - What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt? rather, with the way to Egypt. Isaiah (Isaiah 30:2-5; Isaiah 31:1) and Hosea (Hosea 7:11, 16) had already inveighed against an Egyptian alliance. The name given by Manasseh to his sen and successor (Amen) suggests that at one period in his reign an Egyptian policy wa…
This verse isn't just asking about political alliances; it's a clever wordplay about seeking life from false sources. By "drinking the waters of the Nile" or the "Euphrates," Israel is depicted as trying to find sustenance and life from powerful, yet ultimately empty, pagan nations, instead of the true "fountain of living waters" that God represents.
The prophet Jeremiah is directly addressing the people of Judah, calling out their unfaithfulness to God. Instead of relying on the Lord, they are seeking alliances and help from the powerful empires of Egypt and Assyria, symbolized by their great rivers. This pursuit of foreign aid is presented as foolish and ultimately self-destructive, a betrayal of the covenant relationship they have with God.
The prophet Jeremiah is directly addressing the people of Judah, calling out their unfaithfulness to God. Instead of relying on the Lord, they are seeking alliances and help from the powerful empires of Egypt and Assyria, symbolized by their great rivers. This pursuit of foreign aid is presented as foolish and ultimately self-destructive, a betrayal of the covenant relationship they have with God.
"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?" — This verse isn't just asking about political alliances; it's a clever wordplay about seeking life from false sources. By "drinking the waters of the Nile" or the "Euphrates," Israel is depicted as tr…
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Last reviewed October 2026