Jeremiah 46:17
Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, ‘Noisy one who lets the hour go by.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse isn't just describing Pharaoh's failure, it's revealing his true identity: "noisy one who lets the hour go by" is a prophetic name given to him. This isn't just a description of his actions, but a pronouncement that his boastful commotion ultimately accomplishes nothing, highlighting God's sovereign timing over human plans.
Jeremiah has been declaring God's judgment against Egypt, detailing their military defeat at Carchemish by the Babylonians. This verse continues that prophecy by mocking Pharaoh Neco, revealing that his boasts and the promises of aid from his allies amounted to nothing more than empty noise. The Egyptians and their foreign mercenaries will lament that Pharaoh let his divinely appointed time for action, or perhaps his time for repentance, pass by unused, leading to their downfall.
Imagine being so boastful that your very name becomes a byword for empty threats. That's exactly what happens to Pharaoh here. What does it mean to be all talk and no action, especially when God's judgment is near?
Jeremiah declares that Pharaoh, the mighty king of Egypt, will be called 'Noise' (Shaon in Hebrew). This isn't just a random insult; it's a prophetic name that strips away his power and exposes his true nature.
All Sound, No Substance
We all have deadlines, right? But what happens when the 'appointed time' isn't just about a missed meeting, but about missing God's window for mercy?
The second part of the verse says Pharaoh 'lets the hour go by.' This isn't just about poor time management; it's a profound spiritual reality.
The Slipping Season of Grace
Understand the original words
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 criticizes Pharaoh as someone who boasts and makes a lot of noise, but ultimately misses his opportunities and fails to act decisively when it counts, a reflection of Egypt's historical struggles against Babylon.
c. 609 BC
Battle of Carchemish
The Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar decisively defeated the Egyptian forces of Pharaoh Necho II, marking the end of Egyptian dominance in the Near East and the rise of Babylonian power.
c. 605-595 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Campaigns
Following Carchemish, Nebuchadnezzar conducted further campaigns into the Levant, consolidating Babylonian control and subjugating various kingdoms, including Judah.
c. 595-589 BC
Egyptian Provocations
Despite Babylonian dominance, Pharaoh Necho II and later Pharaoh Apries encouraged rebellion among Judah and other Levantine states, promising aid that often failed to materialize.
c. 589 BC— this verse
Siege of Jerusalem
Following Judah's rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem. The Egyptian army under Pharaoh Apries attempted to relieve the city but was forced to retreat.
This passage also illustrates the practice of assigning symbolic, prophetic names to individuals to signify their future or current state, similar to how Jeremiah is instructed to call Pharaoh 'Noisy one who lets the hour go by'.
Isaiah 8:3This verse shows a similar prophetic naming convention, where a child is given a name ('Swift Loot, Plunderer Comes') that announces impending judgment, mirroring the symbolic denunciation of Pharaoh's empty boasts and missed opportunities.
Isaiah 30:7This verse speaks of Egypt's 'boastful, noisy' nature and their 'inactivity,' aligning with the description of Pharaoh as 'Noisy one who lets the hour go by' – all pointing to Egypt's ultimate ineffectiveness and impending doom.
1 Corinthians 13:1The concept of 'noise' or 'empty sound' in Jeremiah 46:17 directly parallels Paul's description of being 'a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal' – highlighting that without substance or action, even great pronouncements are ultimately meaningless.
barnesJeremiah 46:17: "They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed."
Translate it with the versions: "They have called (or, Call ye) the name of Pharaoh king of Egypt - A noise: he hath overstepped the appointed time." For this custom of giving prophetic names see Jeremiah 20:3 ; Isaiah 8:3 , ... The words mean that Pharaoh is a mere empty sound, and that he has allowed the years of prosperity, which he enjoyed at the beginning of his reign, to pass by;…
pooleJeremiah 46:17: "They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed."
That is, the Ethiopians and Lubims that should come to help the king of Egypt should cry, or the Chaldeans or the Egyptians themselves should cry, Pharaoh is but a noise, that is, hath made a great noise, but it cometh to nothing: others make the sense, Pharaoh is a man of noise, or tumult. that hath made a great deal of disturbance to himself and us. He hath passed the time appointed;…
The verse isn't just describing Pharaoh's failure, it's revealing his true identity: "noisy one who lets the hour go by" is a prophetic name given to him. This isn't just a description of his actions, but a pronouncement that his boastful commotion ultimately accomplishes nothing, highlighting God's sovereign timing over human plans.
Jeremiah has been declaring God's judgment against Egypt, detailing their military defeat at Carchemish by the Babylonians. This verse continues that prophecy by mocking Pharaoh Neco, revealing that his boasts and the promises of aid from his allies amounted to nothing more than empty noise. The Egyptians and their foreign mercenaries will lament that Pharaoh let his divinely appointed time for action, or perhaps his time for repentance, pass by unused, leading to their downfall.
Jeremiah has been declaring God's judgment against Egypt, detailing their military defeat at Carchemish by the Babylonians. This verse continues that prophecy by mocking Pharaoh Neco, revealing that his boasts and the promises of aid from his allies amounted to nothing more than empty noise. The Egyptians and their foreign mercenaries will lament that Pharaoh let his divinely appointed time for action, or perhaps his time for repentance, pass by unused, leading to their downfall.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Jeremiah 46:17 is available in the Sola app.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and exiling a significant portion of the population. This fulfilled Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment on Judah.
c. 568-567 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Egyptian Campaign
Nebuchadnezzar eventually led a military expedition into Egypt itself, further humbling the nation and demonstrating the futility of Egyptian military might.
"Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, ‘Noisy one who lets the hour go by.’" — The verse isn't just describing Pharaoh's failure, it's revealing his true identity: "noisy one who lets the hour go by" is a prophetic name given to him. This isn't just a description of his actions…
