Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
5. when the Chaldeans heard tidings of them, they brake up ] We do not know whether the retreat on the part of the Egyptians which followed was due to a defeat from the Chaldaeans, or not. The former is at least suggested by Eze 30:21. Pharaoh Hophra (called Apries by Herodotus) reigned b.c. 590 571. For his overthrow see ch. Jer 44:30.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Then – And. Pharaoh-Hophra Jer 44:30, the Apries of Herodotus, probably withdrew without giving Nebuchadnezzar battle. After a reign of 25 years, he was dethroned by Amasis, but allowed to inhabit his palace at Sais, where finally he was strangled.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Then Pharaoh’s army] This was Pharao-hophra or Apries, who then reigned in Egypt in place of his father Necho. See Eze 29:6, &c. Nebuchadnezzar, hearing that the Egyptian army, on which the Jews so much depended, was on their march to relieve the city, suddenly raised the siege, and went to meet them. In the interim Zedekiah sent to Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord to know whether they might consider themselves in safety.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Zedekiah was set up by the king of Babylon, instead of Jehoiachin, whom the king of Babylon had carried into Babylon. Zedekiah (as is usual in those cases, and as it appeareth, Eze 17:16) had taken an oath of allegiance to the king of Babylon, but brake it, and the covenant which he made with him, Jer 37:16 and, Jer 37:15,
rebelled against him, and sent his ambassador into Egypt for horses, and much people. Now the king of Egypt came in person no more after the great overthrow given him in Carchemish, by the river Euphrates, of which we read Jer 46:2, which was thirteen or fourteen years before this; yet he sent an army at Zedekiahs request to relieve him, at this time besieged by the armies of the king of Babylon. The Chaldeans that were in the siege of Jerusalem hearing of it, raised the siege for a time, during which time (probably) it was that Zedekiah sent to the prophet to pray for them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. After this temporarydiversion, caused by Pharaoh in favor of Jerusalem, the Egyptiansreturned no more to its help (2Ki24:7). Judea had the misfortune to lie between the two greatcontending powers, Babylon and Egypt, and so was exposed to thealternate inroads of the one or the other. Josiah, taking side withAssyria, fell in battle with Pharaoh-necho at Megiddo (2Ki23:29). Zedekiah, seeking the Egyptian alliance in violation ofhis oath, was now about to be taken by Nebuchadnezzar (2Ch 36:13;Eze 17:15; Eze 17:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt,…. At the time the above message was sent to Jeremiah. Zedekiah, though he had took an oath of homage to the king of Babylon, rebelled against him, and entered into a league with the king of Egypt, to whom he sent for succours in his distress; and who, according to agreement, sent his army out of Egypt to break up the siege of Jerusalem; for though the king of Egypt came no more in person out of his land, after his defeat at Carchemish by Nebuchadnezzar, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim,
Jer 46:2; yet he sent his army to the relief of Jerusalem:
and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem; which was in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign that they first besieged it, and is the time here referred to, Jer 39:1;
heard tidings of them; the Egyptian army, and of its coming out against them; the rumour of which might be spread by the Jews themselves, to intimidate them; or which might come to them by spies they had in all parts to give them intelligence of what was doing; and what they had was good and certain, and on which they acted:
they departed from Jerusalem: not through fear, but to meet the Egyptian army, and give them battle, before they could be joined by any considerable force of the Jews. It was at this time the covenant was broken about the manumission of servants, Jer 34:10; which conduct ill agrees with their desire of the prophet’s prayer.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) Then Pharaohs army was come forth out of Egypt.The despatch of the Egyptian army was the result of negotiations which Zedekiah had opened with Pharaoh-Hophra, with a view to resisting the power of Nebuchadnezzar (Eze. 17:15). Like the Egyptian armies in general, it was strong in chariots and horses (Eze. 17:15; Isa. 31:1; Isa. 36:9), and able to carry out the operations of a siege (Eze. 17:17). In Jer. 44:30 we have the full name of the Egyptian king.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Pharaoh’s army Pharaoh Hophra. He reigned twenty-five years, and was then dethroned by Amasis. According to Nagelsbach, this was the first or second year of his reign, and seventeen years after the battle of Carchemish.
They departed Whether he was defeated or withdrew without giving battle we do not know. The language suggests the latter.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 37:5. Pharaoh’s army was come forth Zedekiah, contrary to the oath that he had taken to Nebuchadnezzar, made an alliance with the king of Egypt, and contracted with him for assistance against the king of Babylon; accordingly the king of Egypt sent an army to his relief, which obliged the Chaldeans to raise the siege of Jerusalem, in order to fight this Egyptian army. Calmet is of opinion, that the Pharaoh here mentioned was the Apries of Herodotus, called Hophra in Scripture. See ch. Jer 44:30. Instead of They departed, we may read, They were forced to depart.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Who but must admire the Prophet upon this occasion. Oh! for a portion of the same Almighty Spirit, to be imparted to all that minister in holy things, and especially in a time of prevailing corruption. Reader! observe the temporary relief, the Lord in mercy gave, by the removal of the Chaldean army at the approach of the Egyptians. But, as the Prophet declared, and the history afterwards proved, it was but temporary. So is it with the forbearance of God to sinners, who harden themselves therefrom, in their wickedness. Observe what the Prophet saith, even wounded men shall be enough to destroy, when the Lord commissions them.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 37:5 Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
Ver. 5. Then Pharaoh’s army was come out of Egypt.] This, then, seemeth to be the occasion that moved Zedekiah to send to the prophet for his prayers – viz., that God would be pleased to prosper the Egyptians coming to raise the siege, and to keep off the Chaldeans from returning to Jerusalem. But God had before signified his will to the contrary; and the Jews, trusting to human helps, took not a right course for their own preservation. See Jer 34:17-22
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pharaoh’s: i.e. Pharaoh Hophra’s. Compare Jer 44:30. The Apries of Herodotus, and fourth successor of Psammeticus on the throne of Egypt. He came to help Zedekiah (Eze 17:15-17), but was defeated by the Chaldeans, and Egypt subdued. Compare 2Ki 24:7. Eze 29:1-16 and chs. 30-33. Also Jer 43:9-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pharaoh’s: This was Pharaoh Hophra, or Apries, as he is called by Herodotus, who succeeded his father Psammis on the throne of Egypt, am 3410, bc 594, and reigned twenty-five years. Having entered into a confederacy with Zedekiah – Eze 17:15, he marched out of Egypt with a great army to his relief; which caused Nebuchadnezzar to raise the siege of Jerusalem to meet him; during which period the transactions detailed here took place. Jer 37:7, 2Ki 24:7, Eze 17:15
they: Jer 37:11, Jer 34:21
Reciprocal: Isa 30:2 – walk Isa 30:3 – the strength Isa 36:6 – General Jer 2:18 – what hast Jer 34:11 – General Eze 4:6 – forty days Eze 17:7 – another Eze 29:7 – they took Eze 29:16 – the confidence
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 37:5. The Egyptians were not favorably disposed toward the Babylonians, and when the latter had come up against Jerusalem, the Egyptians came up and offered to help the Jews to resist the siege. Seeing this, the Babylonians withdrew from Jerusalem for the time In order to meet the Egyptians; I shall quote some history on this event: Now when Zedekiah had preserved the league of mutual assistance that he had made with the Babylonians eight years, he brake it, and revolted to the Egyptians, in hopes, by their assistance, of overcoming the Babylonians. When the king of Babylon knew this, he made war against him. He laid his country waste, and took his fortified towns, and came to the city of Jerusalem itself to besiege it. But when the king of Egypt heard what circumstances Zedekiah was in, he took a great army with him, and came into Judea, as if he would raise the seige; upon which the king of Babylon departed from Jerusalem, and met the Egyptians, and joined battle with them, and beat them; and when he had put them to flight, he pursued them, and drove them out of all Syria [Palestine], Now as soon as the king of Babylon was departed from Jeru-salem, the false prophet deceived Zedekiah, and said, that the king of Babylon would not any more make war against him or his people, nor remove them out of their own country into Babylon; and that those men in captivity would return, with all those vessels of the temple, of which the king of Babylon had despoiled that temple. Josephus, Antiquities, Book 10, Chapter 7, Section 3. I trust the reader will take careful note of this historical quotation as it explains many of the verses just now before us.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
37:5 Then Pharaoh’s army had {e} come from Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
(e) To help the Jews.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
About this time, Pharaoh Hophra’s Egyptian army moved eastward toward Judah to support Zedekiah in his revolt against Babylon (2Ki 24:7; Eze 17:11-21). This prompted the Babylonians to lift the siege of Jerusalem and prepare to fight the Egyptians (cf. Jer 34:8-11).