Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 46:15
Why are thy valiant [men] swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.
15. Why swept away?] The mg. is to be preferred. The adjective in the Hebrew is plural, while both the verb connected with it and the pronouns that follow are in the singular. Hence we conclude that the singular is right. But probably we should, with LXX, divide the Hebrew verb rendered “swept away” into two words, translating with them, “Why is Apis fled? Thy mighty one stood not, because, etc.” The sacred bull Apis worshipped at Memphis is called the mighty one (the word in MT. being often used of bulls), i.e. the deity of Egypt, ‘just as Jehovah is named the Mighty One of Jacob or of Israel in Gen 49:24; Isa 1:24; Isa 49:26, etc. “The authority of the Egyptian-Jewish version in a prophecy relative to Egypt is not slight” (Cheyne, ad loc.). A failure to understand this application of the word may have early induced a Hebrew copyist to alter it to the plural (which was effected by the insertion of the smallest Hebrew letter). For the thought of the Egyptian gods as overthrown before the Eastern power cp. Isa 19:1; Isa 46:1 f.
drive them ] rather, as mg. thrust them down.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Translate it: Why is thy mighty one cast down? He stood not, because Yahweh thrust him down. The mighty one is explained by the Septuagint to be the bull Apis. Thus:
(1) the chief deity of Egypt Jer 46:15;
(2) the army of mercenaries Jer 46:16;
(3) the king, Pharaoh Jer 46:17, are the three upon whom the Egyptians trusted.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. They stood not, because the Lord did drive them.] The Lord panic-struck them, and drove them back.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The prophet first propoundeth a question, then returneth answer to himself. Egypt was full of valiant men, yet, saith the prophet, they shall be swept away, or broken down, as fruit or grass is beaten down with a violent storm of hail (so the word is used, Pro 28:3). How comes this to pass? (saith the prophet). He answereth himself; Because it was of God to destroy Egypt, who worketh, and none can let him; when he strikes, none can stand before him; none can stand up against him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. thy valiant menmanuscripts,the Septuagint, and Vulgate read, “thy valiantone,” Apis, the bull-shaped Egyptian idol worshipped at Noph orMemphis. The contrast thus is between the palpable impotence of theidol and the might attributed to it by the worshippers. TheHebrew term, “strong,” or “valiant,” isapplied to bulls (Ps 22:12).Cambyses in his invasion of Egypt destroyed the sacred bull.
drive them(Compare Jer46:5). The Hebrew word is used of a sweeping rain (Pr28:3).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Why are thy valiant [men] swept away?…. As with a mighty torrent, or a sweeping rain; so the word is used in Pr 28:3; to which the Chaldean army may be compared; which came with such irresistible force as to drive the Egyptians from their posts, so that they could not stand their ground. The Septuagint renders it,
“why does Apis flee from thee? thy choice ox does not continue.”
Which was the god of the Egyptians, they worshipped in the form of an ox; this could not protect them, though thought by them to be very mighty and powerful; so Aelianus i says Apis with the Egyptians is believed to be a most powerful deity; yet could not save them; but the word signifies their nobles, their mighty men of war, their generals and officers, at least their valiant soldiers; who yet were not able to stand the tide of power that came against them. The reason was,
because the Lord did drive them; by means of the Chaldeans; he dispirited them; he put them into a panic, and they fled from their posts; there is no standing against the Lord.
i De Animal. l. 11. c. 10.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
By these words the Prophet expresses more clearly what I have just referred to, that the Egyptians would not be able to resist, though they might have gathered auxiliaries on every side, because God would carry on war against them. In astonishment he asks, “How has it happened, or, how is it, that thy valiant men have been thus scattered?” The verb, indeed, means to sweep, but here it means to scatter. He immediately answers, Because God has driven them, they could not stand The reason for such a question we explained yesterday, even because the unbelieving regarded as a fable whatever they heard from the Prophets; and as long as things went on prosperously, they slept, in a manner, over their good fortune, and became inebriated with it, so that they feared nothing, and did not think themselves exposed to any adversities. As then ungodly men proudly disregarded God, the Prophets, appealing to common sense, asked them, How comes this? For Jeremiah spoke of things as yet hidden, and which had not fallen under the observation of men. We hence see why this wonder was expressed, How have thy valiant fallen? Then he says, Because Jehovah has driven them, they could not stand
Here, again, we must bear in mind, what we briefly referred to yesterday, that ungodly men deceive themselves by a false confidence, when they set up in opposition to God’s power their earthly helps and subsidies, and think that they are well secured when they possess many forces and strongholds, and when they can procure auxiliaries for themselves from every quarter. Let us know that nothing is more fatal than to confide in earthly helps, when God declares that he is our adversary. Hence the Prophet says, that they did not stand, because Jehovah drove them; as though he had said, that Egyptians would have to do not only with the king of Babylon, but with God himself, whom they had provoked. It follows, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) Why are thy valiant men swept away?Better, Why is thy strong bull dragged away! The Hebrew verbs are in the singular, and the adjective is given in the same number both in the LXX. and Vulgate. The former gives the rendering Why did Apis flee from thee, and thy chosen calf abode not as if referring to the bull Apis as the representative of Osiris, the chief deity of Egypt; and this version receives some support from the use of the Hebrew words for oxen, bulls, beasts, in Isa. 34:7 and Psa. 22:12; Psa. 68:30, and from the fact that the same word is used in Isa. 1:24; Isa. 49:26 as a Divine name the mighty one of Israel. So understood, the prophets words contemplate the triumph of the God of Israel over the theriomorphic deity of Egypt. We may find a literal fulfilment of the words in the slaughter of the sacred bull by Cambyses (Herod. iii. 29).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Valiant The original is plural in the common text, but the verb and the pronoun are singular. The literal reading of the verse is, Why is thy valiant cast down? He stood not, because Jehovah thrust him down. Instead of this plural form many MSS. and the most important ancient Versions the LXX, the Vulgate, and several of the other old Greek Versions, all have the singular. As to the meaning of the word: in several passages it is translated stallions; elsewhere as an epithet of bulls. The probability, then, seems to lie in the direction of the singular form of the noun, which, for some reason, perhaps from a misapprehension of the meaning on the part of the copyists, has become pluralized; and that the true meaning is apis, a bull. The reference, then, is to the god Apis, or the power which represents him. Why is thy strong one swept away?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 46:15. Why are thy valiant men swept away Why is the valiant one swept away? He could not stand because the Lord drove him. The prophet speaks of Pharaoh-necho. Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 46:15 Why are thy valiant [men] swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.
Ver. 15. They stood not, because the Lord did drive them. ] He struck a panic terror into them; and then no wonder that men flee at the noise of a shaken leaf.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
valiant men. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read “one” (singular), perhaps referring to Apis their sacred bull.
swept away = laid prostrate (singular) Compare 1Sa 5:3.
they stood not = he made no stand.
did drive them = had driven him back.
them = him.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thy: Jer 46:5, Jer 46:21, Jdg 5:20, Jdg 5:21, Isa 66:15, Isa 66:16
the Lord: Exo 6:1, Deu 11:23, Psa 18:14, Psa 18:39, Psa 44:2, Psa 68:2, Psa 114:2-7
Reciprocal: 1Ch 19:14 – they fled Isa 19:1 – the heart Isa 19:3 – the spirit
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 46:15. Why are? . , . because means the utter defeat of their men of war will be due to the driving force of the Lord.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The Egyptian gods were unable to stand against the aggressor. The bulls of Egypt-symbols of the nation, its gods, and its leaders-were in humiliating retreat. The Lord had overthrown them repeatedly. The allies of Egypt would speak of going home.
"In this oracle it is deity against deity, bull against bull, king against king." [Note: Smothers, p. 293.]