Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 46:21
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.
21. her hired men ] her mercenary troops.
like calves of the stall ] See on Jer 44:30. The reference is to the Ionian and Carian soldiers, who (Herod. II. 163) numbered 30,000, and lived on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile in a fertile district. Hence they seem to have earned the description given of them here, and were useless in war (Herod. II. 152 ff.). Cp. Mal 4:2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Rather, Also her hirelings in the midst of her are like calves of the stall. The mercenaries of Egypt – Nubians, Moors, and Lydians Jer 46:9 – were destroyed at the battle of Carchemish, and their place was taken by hirelings from Asia Minor, Carians, and Ionians, whom Hophra took into his pay to the number of 30,000 men. These he settled in the midst of Egypt, in the fertile lands above Bubastis, in the Delta, where, well paid and fed and with great privileges, they became as calves of the stall. Their mutiny cost Hophra his crown.
For they also are turned back … – literally, for they also have lurched the back, they flee together, they stand not: for the day of their destruction is come upon them, the time of their visitations.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. Are fled away together] Perhaps there is a reference here to the case of a cow stung with gnats. She runs hither and thither not knowing where to go; so shall it be with this scattered people.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; the mercenary soldiers also, which the Egyptians have hired from Cush and Phut, and other parts, are at present in a flourishing, prosperous state.
For they also are turned back, and are fled away together; they did not stand: we have translated here ill, it had been better translated but, for that is manifestly the sense. Though they at present lying in garrisons be fat and flourishing, like bullocks in the stalls, yet when it cometh to it they shall not stand, but turn back, and flee as well as the rest. Because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation; because the time is come when God resolveth to punish them, and bring calamity upon them. When the time is come which God hath set in his counsels, wherein he will punish persons or nations, no probabilities to the contrary are much considerable.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. Translate, “Also herhired men (mercenary soldiers, Jer 46:9;Jer 46:16), who are in the midstof her like fatted bullocks, even they also are turned back,”that is, shall turn their backs to flee. The same image, “heifer. . . bullocks” (Jer 46:20;Jer 46:21), is applied to Egypt’sforeign mercenaries, as to herself. Pampered with the luxuriesof Egypt, they become as enervated for battle as the nativesthemselves.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
All her hired men [are] in the midst of her like fatted bullocks,…. Or, “bullocks of the stall” k; soldiers of other countries, that were hired into the service of Egypt, and lived so deliciously there, that they were unfit for war, and were like fatted beasts prepared for the slaughter. The Targum and Jarchi interpret it, her princes l; who had the care of this heifer, and of the feeding of it; these themselves were like that, nourished for the day of slaughter:
for they also are turned back, [and] are fled away together; they turned their backs upon the enemy in battle, and fled in great confusion and precipitancy; see Jer 46:15;
they did not stand; and face the enemy, and light him, but fell or fled before him:
because the day of their calamity was come upon them, [and] the time of their visitation; the time appointed by the Lord to visit and punish them, and bring destruction on them for their sins.
k “velut vituli saginae”, Montanus, Cocceius, l So R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 50. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here the Prophet represents the mercenaries of Egypt, as we have already said, as being foreign soldiers, who had been hired here and there, and from far countries, such as Lydia was. It may yet have been, that there were not many at that time who had come from beyond the sea to the Egyptians; but they had the Ethiopians, for Ezekiel says that many came from Cush, that is, Ethiopia; and then they had some from Libya and the neighboring countries. Then Jeremiah includes them under one name, and says that they were mercenaries. Now, they who hire themselves seem to be more warlike than others; for they who defend their own country do this from necessity; but those who of themselves seek war, and depart from their own borders for the purpose of engaging in war, seem to be men fit for any bold undertaking.
But the Prophet says, also, גם , gam, also mercenaries; that is, not only the Egyptians were accustomed to a delicate and indulgent life, but also the Ethiopians and others who had been hired, They are also in the midst of it as fatted bullocks, that is, they fill themselves with the abundance of Egypt; and hence it was that they became a prey to their enemies; for we know that nothing is more injurious to soldiers than to live delicately and luxuriously. Of all ancient generals, the most celebrated is Hannibal; but how did it happen, that having an invincible army, by which he had terrified all Italy, he afterwards fell? because Campania, with its luxuries, enervated him, for he lived there not like a soldier, but had tables richly furnished for himself and for his army. Hence it was, that they were no more what they had been. So also the Prophet says, “Egypt will ruin its hired soldiers; for she will satiate them with luxuries.” What did at length happen to them? he compares them to bullocks of the stall, מרבק, merebec; some read bullocks of the pasture, but not correctly; for רבק, rebec, is properly to fatten. He then calls them the bullocks of the stall, which are fed that they may become fat and be soon slaughtered. He therefore says, They also shall turn their backs; and then he says, They shall not stand, because the time of calamity is come I cannot finish this subject now.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(21) Her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks.Literally, bullocks of the stall. The prophet harps, as it were, on the same image. The mercenariesIonians, Carians, and othersin the army of Pharaoh-Hophra, who had their camp at Bubastis (Herod. ii. 152, 163), should be like a drove of terrified cattle, fed to the full, driven to the slaughter-house.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. Hired men Mercenary soldiers.
Fatted bullocks The soldiers mentioned in Jer 46:9, the Ethiopians, Libyans, and Lydians, were allies; but after their destruction in the battle of Carchemish mercenaries were engaged from Asia Minor Carians and Ionians. As we learn from Herodotus, Pharaoh-hophra took these into his pay to the number of thirty thousand, and they were settled in the fertile lands of the Delta between Bubastis and Pelusium. So pampered were they, that in the war against Cyrene he would not expose them, but sent native soldiers instead, and this cost him his crown. In describing, then, these mercenaries as “fatted bullocks” we have an extraordinary and minute faithfulness to history.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 46:21 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.
Ver. 21. Also her hired men in the midst of her like fatted bullocks. ] Heb., Bullocks of the stall, not like to do much good service in respect of their luxury and petulancy; fat Eglon had but sluggish soldiers. Campania with her delicacies marred Hannibal’s forces. These mercenaries carried themselves as if hired non ad militiam sed saginam. not to fight, but to fat themselves
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
they did not stand = they made no stand. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Syriac, and Vulgate, read, “and they have made”, &c.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
her hired: Jer 46:9, Jer 46:16, 2Sa 10:6, 2Ki 7:6, Eze 27:10, Eze 27:11, Eze 30:4-6
like: Jer 50:11, Jer 50:27, Isa 34:7
fatted bullocks: Heb. bullocks of the stall, Pro 15:17, Amo 6:4
they did: Jer 46:5, Jer 46:15, Jer 46:16
the day: Jer 18:17, Deu 32:15, Psa 37:13, Isa 10:3, Eze 35:5, Hos 9:7, Oba 1:13, Mic 7:4
Reciprocal: Jer 11:23 – the year Jer 38:22 – they are Jer 48:44 – the year Jer 49:8 – for Jer 51:9 – forsake Eze 30:22 – I will
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 46:21. The leading men of Egypt felt independent and the country relied on them. They arc turned back is a prediction that, these men will fail the country when the king of Babylon comes against the land.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
46:21 Also her hired men {r} [are] in the midst of her like fatted bulls; for they also have turned back, [and] have fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity had come upon them, [and] the time of their judgment.
(r) As in Jer 46:9 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The mercenary soldiers that the Egyptians hired to help them would turn and run from the enemy like fat, pampered calves. They would die like sacrificial animals, because the Lord would punish them, too.
"The mercenaries mentioned were Ionians and Carians whom [Pharaoh] Psammeticus had hired, and had been retained by his successors." [Note: Harrison, Jeremiah and . . ., p. 172.]