Jeremiah 46:16-17
He made many stumble, and they fell, and they said one to another, ‘Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.’ Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, ‘Noisy one who lets the hour go by.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that the "falling" and stumbling isn't just from the enemy's attack, but from utter chaos where they trip over each other in their panic. This confusion is so profound that it makes these foreign mercenaries abandon their service, realizing the futility of fighting for a land that doesn't inspire their loyalty when faced with overwhelming oppression.
As the Egyptian army faces defeat at Carchemish, panic sets in, causing soldiers to stumble and fall over one another in their desperate attempt to flee. These fleeing soldiers, many of them foreign mercenaries hired by Egypt, cry out to each other to abandon the battle and return to their homelands, escaping the crushing sword of the Chaldean invaders. This chaotic retreat highlights the Egyptians' lack of true strength and the mercenary nature of their allies, who have no real loyalty to Egypt itself.
It's easy to see a battlefield as just armies clashing. But what if there's a divine hand guiding the outcome?
This verse highlights that even in the chaos of war and the confusion of a defeated army, God is the ultimate orchestrator.
The Ultimate Cause
The text states, 'He made many to fall.' The 'He' here refers to Yahweh, the Lord.
This doesn't mean God is happy about violence, but that He is sovereign. He uses the actions of nations and the outcomes of battles to accomplish His purposes, even when those purposes involve judgment.
The Result of God's Action
The immediate consequence is a chaotic, panicked retreat: 'yea, one fell upon another.' This imagery paints a vivid picture of disarray, where soldiers literally stumble over each other in their desperate flight.
When the fighting stops and the danger is real, what truly motivates people? It's not always loyalty or patriotism.
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The soldiers in this passage are revealed to be mercenaries and foreign allies, not deeply invested in Egypt's cause.
No Roots, No Resolve
Their immediate reaction to defeat is not to regroup or fight valiantly, but to flee. Their cry, 'Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth,' reveals their true allegiance: it's to their homeland, their families, and their own safety.
The 'Oppressing Sword'
They are running 'because of the sword of the oppressor' – the Chaldean army. This fear drives them to abandon their contractual duty to Egypt. Their only loyalty is to escape the immediate, brutal threat and return to the familiar comfort of home.
Understand the original words
kashal · Hebrew Verb
Refers to the collective body of troops or nations that have collapsed or failed in their military or moral pursuit. It denotes the loss of footing, whether physical, spiritual, or ethical.
cherev · Hebrew Noun
A weapon of war representing divine judgment, retribution, or the instrument of God’s sovereign discipline upon nations. It symbolizes violent death and the inevitability of God's justice.
Paroh · Hebrew Noun
The title of the Egyptian monarch, serving as a symbol of worldly power, pride, and human authority that stands in opposition to the kingdom of God. In Scripture, it often represents a false refuge or an oppressor of God's people.
This verse captures the fear and disarray of foreign mercenaries fighting for Egypt, who, after a crushing defeat by the Babylonians, decide to flee back to their own countries rather than face the 'oppressor's sword'.
c. 605 BC
Battle of Carchemish
The Babylonian army, led by Nebuchadnezzar, decisively defeats the Egyptian forces. This marks the end of Egyptian influence in the region and shifts the balance of power to Babylon.
c. 601 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar's Invasion of Egypt
Following the victory at Carchemish, Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt. While not a complete conquest, it inflicts significant damage and sows chaos within the Egyptian military.
c. 601 BC
Egyptian Mercenaries Desert
Foreign mercenaries fighting for Egypt, demoralized by the defeat and the threat of Babylonian conquest, decide to abandon Egypt and return to their homelands.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling many Judeans to Babylon. This event is a major backdrop to Jeremiah's prophecies.
This passage directly precedes the verse in question, describing the panic and flight of the Egyptian forces, mirroring the confusion and falling mentioned in verse 16.
Jeremiah 46:9This verse mentions the 'mercenary troops' and 'foreigners' fighting for Egypt, providing context for the 'own people' and 'land of nativity' that the soldiers in verse 16 wish to return to.
Isaiah 13:14-15This passage describes the scattering and fleeing of a defeated people, with individuals falling upon one another in their panic, a scene paralleled by the description in Jeremiah 46:16.
Lamentations 4:18This verse speaks of those who tried to escape a pursuing enemy but were caught, illustrating the futility of fleeing from God's judgment and the 'oppressing sword'.
Matthew 10:21-22Jesus foretells that his followers will be hated and persecuted, leading to flight and betrayal, which echoes the theme of individuals seeking to escape a threatening force and return to safety.
clarkeJeremiah 46:16: "He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword."
One fell upon another - In their terror and confusion ranks fell on ranks, and overturned each other. Let us go again to our own people - Let us flee to our own country with all possible speed. These were the auxiliaries.
barnesJeremiah 46:16: "He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword."
Literally, as in the margin, i. e., Yahweh hath made many to stumble. Arise ... - The Egyptian army being composed of mercenaries, has no patriotic feeling and immediately that the battle is lost, they propose to abandon the country which has hired them, and return each to his native land.
The verse highlights that the "falling" and stumbling isn't just from the enemy's attack, but from utter chaos where they trip over each other in their panic. This confusion is so profound that it makes these foreign mercenaries abandon their service, realizing the futility of fighting for a land that doesn't inspire their loyalty when faced with overwhelming oppression.
As the Egyptian army faces defeat at Carchemish, panic sets in, causing soldiers to stumble and fall over one another in their desperate attempt to flee. These fleeing soldiers, many of them foreign mercenaries hired by Egypt, cry out to each other to abandon the battle and return to their homelands, escaping the crushing sword of the Chaldean invaders. This chaotic retreat highlights the Egyptians' lack of true strength and the mercenary nature of their allies, who have no real loyalty to Egypt itself.
As the Egyptian army faces defeat at Carchemish, panic sets in, causing soldiers to stumble and fall over one another in their desperate attempt to flee. These fleeing soldiers, many of them foreign mercenaries hired by Egypt, cry out to each other to abandon the battle and return to their homelands, escaping the crushing sword of the Chaldean invaders. This chaotic retreat highlights the Egyptians' lack of true strength and the mercenary nature of their allies, who have no real loyalty to Egypt itself.
"He made many stumble, and they fell, and they said one to another, ‘Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.’ Call the name of Pharaoh, kin…" — The verse highlights that the "falling" and stumbling isn't just from the enemy's attack, but from utter chaos where they trip over each other in their panic. This confusion is so profound that it ma…
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