Chapter 46 opens a new section in Sefer Yirmiyahu. From here until chapter 52, as the Malbim explains, are prophecies concerning the nations that Nebuchadnezzar conquered. Yirmiyahu is not a prophet to Israel alone: he is also a prophet to the nations, and he has messages and prophecies for the nations of the world as well. The chapter before us deals with Egypt, and the calamity that is to befall it.
אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא עַל־הַגּוֹיִם׃ - That which came as the word of Hashem to Yirmiyahu the prophet concerning the nations.
Metzudat David explains that the verse is, as it were, telling us: you, the narrator, recount that which was the word of Hashem to Yirmiyahu the prophet concerning the nations. In other words, this is a heading for the entire collection of prophecies from here onward.
לְמִצְרַיִם עַל־חֵיל פַּרְעֹה נְכוֹ מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה עַל־נְהַר־פְּרָת בְּכַרְכְּמִשׁ אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל בִּשְׁנַת הָרְבִיעִית לִיהוֹיָקִים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה׃ - Concerning Egypt: regarding the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Yehoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Judah.
The Targum translates "Pharaoh Necho" as "Pharaoh the lame," meaning crippled and limping. And Chazal explained the origin of this name: when the throne of Shlomo was carried off, Pharaoh wanted to ascend it, but he did not know the secret of the throne's mechanisms. When he stepped on it, the lion on the throne struck him at once, and he was crippled and injured in his leg. King Shlomo, when he would ascend the throne, the beasts would roar and birds would place a crown upon his head - all, in the phrasing of the Midrash, "with mechanisms," special mechanisms where he knew where to step and how to operate them so that the throne would work. (This is elaborated upon in the series on Sefer Melachim, in describing the uniqueness of the throne of Shlomo.) Pharaoh did not know this, and was therefore called "Necho." This is the plain meaning, that it was this very same Pharaoh; and even if time had passed and this was a different king, later kings were often named after earlier ones, as was the manner of the Pharaohs.
One should note: this is an unpleasant prophecy, a harsh prophecy. And the reason Yirmiyahu prophesies against them in this way is that it contains vengeance for Pharaoh having killed Yoshiyahu - "the breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Hashem, was captured in their pits." Yoshiyahu sought to prevent Pharaoh from passing through his land, for he was certain that it was said of his generation, "and a sword shall not pass through your land"; Pharaoh insisted on passing, and ultimately Pharaoh struck Yoshiyahu and killed him. Now comes the prophecy regarding the punishment Pharaoh is destined to receive for this.
עִרְכוּ מָגֵן וְצִנָּה וּגְשׁוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה׃ - Prepare buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!
Radak and Metzudat David explain that these words were spoken mockingly toward the king of Egypt: Organize yourselves, set your ranks in order, take up buckler and shield, fortify yourselves, and draw near to battle against the Kasdim who are fighting against you! The Malbim explains that this poetic expression depicts Egypt as not having set out for war at all yet, as it is stated in Melachim II 24:7: "And the king of Egypt came no more out of his land, for the king of Babylonia had taken from the brook of Egypt unto the river Euphrates." And yet, he is told: "Prepare buckler and draw near to battle" - according to the Malbim, this is an advance command given beforehand, even before he went out to fight at Carchemish.
What is the difference between a magen (buckler) and a tzinah (large shield)? The Malbim explains that the magen is designed to protect against archery, while the tzinah protects against sword and spear. The magen protects from only one side, whereas the tzinah protects from three directions - curved somewhat like the Hebrew letter chet - so that when a warrior holds it, he cannot be struck with a sword from his flanks either. Rashi notes that the magen was made of boiled leather, which was then anointed with oil. From here comes the adage cited by the masters of Mussar: that mockery is like an oil-anointed shield, from which arrows shot at it simply slide off and fail to penetrate. And why was the shield made of leather? Because leather is lightweight: they would fashion a light wooden frame, stretch leather over it, and the shield would not weigh down the warrior. A metal shield, by contrast, is heavy and encumbering. The tzinah, according to the Malbim following Rashi, was made of wood, resembling the large shields mentioned in the Mishnah.
אִסְרוּ הַסּוּסִים וַעֲלוּ הַפָּרָשִׁים וְהִתְיַצְּבוּ בְּכוֹבָעִים מִרְקוּ הָרְמָחִים לִבְשׁוּ הַסִּרְיֹנֹת׃ - Harness the horses, mount up, horsemen, and stand forth with helmets; polish the lances, put on the coats of mail!
"Harness the horses" - when preparing to ride a horse, one binds it, meaning fastening to it all the gear required for riding: the bridle, the saddle, and everything involved. After that, "mount up, horsemen," let the cavalry mount the horses. "Stand forth with helmets" - prepare to advance; even though they are not yet engaging in combat, at least let them stand ready. "Polish the lances" - weapons rust when left unused, so let them polish and burnish them so they will be ready for battle.
"Put on the coats of mail" - siryonot means armor (shiryonot). Metzudat Tziyon explains: an iron garment designed to protect from the strike of sword and spear, like "a coat of scale armor." There were two types of armor: One was made of solid plate metal covering the chest and arms, with joints at the elbows to permit bending - as seen in illustrations of ancient warriors - but it greatly restricted mobility. The second was lighter: a mesh-like garment upon which numerous rings or overlapping scales were fastened, bending fluidly with the warrior's body. This is "scale armor": when struck by a sword, those interlocking rings halt the blade and keep it from piercing through.
מַדּוּעַ רָאִיתִי הֵמָּה חַתִּים נְסֹגִים אָחוֹר וְגִבּוֹרֵיהֶם יֻכַּתּוּ וּמָנוֹס נָסוּ וְלֹא הִפְנוּ מָגוֹר מִסָּבִיב נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃ - Why have I seen them dismayed and turning back? Their mighty warriors are beaten down, and flee headlong without turning back; terror is all around, says the Lord.
The prophet wonders: Why are they chatim (dismayed) - from the term for brokenness, their hearts faint and shattered - and not only is faintness in their hearts, but it is also evident in action, as they retreat and flee. What is more, "their mighty warriors are beaten down": even the champions from whom one would expect fierce resistance fail to stand firm. "And flee headlong without turning back" - out of sheer terror they do not look back at all to see if anyone pursues them; the fear is so paralyzing that a fleeing soldier will not even turn his head.
And what is the answer to this question? "Terror is all around, says the Lord" - the Holy One, Blessed be He, brought dread and panic upon them. Magor means fear, as in "You shall not dread (lo taguru) any man." There is an additional explanation: that magor denotes gathering, based on the Targum, "for they gather against them from all around," meaning an army gathered all around them to wage war. Likewise, regarding the verse "You shall not dread any man," one interpretation is: "Do not hold back (gather in) your words," from the connotation of hoarding and gathering; here too, it carries the sense of gathering, as hostile forces amassed on all sides to fight against them.
אַל־יָנוּס הַקַּל וְאַל־יִמָּלֵט הַגִּבּוֹר צָפוֹנָה עַל־יַד נְהַר־פְּרָת כָּשְׁלוּ וְנָפָלוּ׃ - Let not the swift flee, nor the mighty escape; in the north, by the river Euphrates, they have stumbled and fallen.
In vain do you flee: even the swift of foot will not escape by running, nor will the warrior be saved through his might. The Malbim explains the reason for this: they should have fled south toward Egypt, but instead they fled north toward the river. Because they fled toward the river, the enemy came up behind them and pinned them against the riverbank, and there they all fell. When there is nowhere left to run and one reaches the water, he drowns. The river blocked their escape, and therefore "by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen."
מִי־זֶה כַּיְאֹר יַעֲלֶה כַּנְּהָרוֹת יִתְגָּעֲשׁוּ מֵימָיו׃ - Who is this that rises up like the Nile, whose waters surge like rivers?
Here the prophet turns mockingly toward Pharaoh, as Radak explains: Who is this that would rise from his land like the Nile, the way the Nile overflows its banks, spreads across the land, and waters the fields? And who is this whose waters surge like great rivers, foaming and washing over everything? "Its waters" is an allegory for Pharaoh's armies, which surged forward with such immense might. And now look how that same Pharaoh falls in such a humiliating manner, how he has stumbled before Nebuchadnezzar.
The Malbim explains: "Rises up like the Nile" - just as the river, namely the Nile, rises and covers the land, so Pharaoh would cover the land with his multitude of troops. "Whose waters surge like rivers" - just as the waters of a river flow in a torrential rush, so his men would advance like a flood, sweeping away entire kingdoms; whenever Pharaoh arrived, he left nothing behind.
The Malbim adds that in Lashon HaKodesh there is a distinction between a nahar (river), a nachal (brook), and a ye'or (the Nile and its canals). A ye'or is a body of water that fills from rainwater, overflows its banks, floods, and covers the land, like the Nile. Many canals and reservoirs were constructed around the Nile, for Egypt possessed highly advanced agriculture: they built reservoirs around the Nile, and when the river rose, these reservoirs filled, and from them channels were directed to irrigate all the fields. Thus, the ye'or is that whose waters swell and overflow, hence the metaphor "rises up like the Nile." In contrast, a nahar and a nachal do not burst their banks; they always remain within the valley and riverbed without overflowing, for they do not depend on such surface runoff and maintain a steady flow. The difference between them is that a nahar flows with fierce force, whereas a nachal flows gently - "As streams [nachalim] that stretch forth." This is why kings were traditionally anointed beside a nachal, symbolizing that just as the brook flows serenely, so may their reign be one of peace and tranquility. Therefore, the prophet does not compare Egypt to a nachal but to a nahar, which surges, foams, and violently sweeps away everything in its path.
מִצְרַיִם כַּיְאֹר יַעֲלֶה וְכַנְּהָרוֹת יִתְגֹּעֲשׁוּ מָיִם וַיֹּאמֶר אַעֲלֶה אֲכַסֶּה־אֶרֶץ אֹבִידָה עִיר וְיֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ׃ - Egypt rises up like the Nile, and its waters surge like rivers; and he said: "I will go up and cover the earth; I will destroy the city and its inhabitants."
This is the answer to the question "Who is this?" - it is Egypt, whose way has always been to swell like the Nile. The Malbim explains that the clauses of the verse run in parallel. As explained several times in the Book of Iyov: when a verse is constructed of four clauses, it is not read sequentially; rather, the third clause continues the first, and the fourth continues the second. Thus the verse should be read: "Egypt rises up like the Nile" - "and he said: I will go up and cover the earth," for the Nile rises and seeks to submerge the land; and "its waters surge like rivers" - "I will destroy the city and its inhabitants," for mighty rivers seek to destroy the city and all who live in it, like a roaring flood that sweeps everything away.
עֲלוּ הַסּוּסִים וְהִתְהֹלְלוּ הָרֶכֶב וְיֵצְאוּ הַגִּבּוֹרִים כּוּשׁ וּפוּט תֹּפְשֵׂי מָגֵן וְלוּדִים תֹּפְשֵׂי דֹּרְכֵי קָשֶׁת׃ - Charge, you horses, and drive furiously, you chariots! Let the mighty men march forth: Cush and Put who handle the shield, and the Ludim who handle and bend the bow.
Now that Nebuchadnezzar's army approaches, Radak explains: "Charge, you horses" - let us see what you will do, you Egyptian cavalry, against the army advancing upon you. After all, you were always the first to attack; let us see how you react now to the onslaught of Nebuchadnezzar. "And drive furiously, you chariots" - just as you were accustomed to doing from the start. "The chariots" is a collective term. This is spoken with mockery and biting irony: Well, where are you, Egyptians? Where is your might? Go ahead, charge and strike them, show them what you are capable of! Yet in truth, that day will be a day of retribution, as we will see in the next verse. Those very Egyptians from whom everyone anticipated fierce warfare, those Egyptians who were always feared - go right ahead, come and fight - but they possess no strength whatsoever, for the Holy One, Blessed is He, has delivered them over.
וְהַיּוֹם הַהוּא לַאדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה צְבָאוֹת יוֹם נְקָמָה לְהִנָּקֵם מִצָּרָיו וְאָכְלָה חֶרֶב וְשָׂבְעָה וְרָוְתָה מִדָּמָם כִּי זֶבַח לַאדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה צְבָאוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ צָפוֹן אֶל־נְהַר־פְּרָת׃ - And that day is for the Lord God of Hosts a day of vengeance, to avenge Himself of His adversaries; and the sword shall devour, and it shall be sated and drenched with their blood; for the Lord God of Hosts has a slaughter in the north country by the river Euphrates.
This day before Hashem is a day of vengeance. Because of this, the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, commands them: "Harness the horses, mount the chariots, and let the warriors go forth." In order to exact retribution from Egypt, they must be drawn out onto the battlefield where they will fall. According to the Malbim, "Harness the horses" is not spoken in mockery as the Radak explains, but is an actual command: the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, led them by the nose and brought them there, commanding all of them - Cush and Put who bear the shield, and the Lydians - to march into battle. And why? "For it is a day of vengeance, to avenge Himself of His adversaries" - a day on which Hashem causes the sword to devour the flesh of Egypt, "and it shall be sated" - an abundant devouring that leaves it full, "and drenched with their blood" - immense Egyptian blood will be shed, and the sword will be intoxicated with their blood, saturated like a drunkard.
"For the Lord God of Hosts has a slaughter in the north country by the river Euphrates": the Malbim explains that the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, prepared a sacrifice for the Euphrates River. It was customary to offer sacrifices to rivers - just as the Egyptians worshiped the Nile, which was their source of life, and offered sacrifices to it. Here, too, as it were, the Holy One, blessed be He, offers a sacrifice and brings a slaughter to the river. How so? As we saw earlier, they fled toward the river, and the enemy pressed them there until they all drowned in it; corpses piled up there, and there they were defeated. Thus, it was like a sacrifice and a gift given by the Holy One, blessed be He, to the river, to consume and be sated with their blood.
עֲלִי גִלְעָד וּקְחִי צֳרִי בְּתוּלַת בַּת־מִצְרָיִם לַשָּׁוְא הִרְבֵּית רְפֻאוֹת תְּעָלָה אֵין לָךְ׃ - Go up to Gilead and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt; in vain do you multiply remedies; there is no cure for you.
Gilead was a medical center where all kinds of medicinal herbs were cultivated, as we discussed earlier regarding the verse: "Is there no balm in Gilead?" Therefore, following the approach of the Radak that this is spoken sarcastically, the prophet says to them: Go ahead, travel to Gilead, look for remedies there, perhaps something will help you. But he immediately adds: you are wasting your time, "in vain do you multiply remedies; there is no cure for you" - you will take medicines for your wound to no avail. According to the Radak, te'alah is another term for healing, meaning: even if you go to Gilead and other places to seek assistance from other nations to help you prevail in battle - like Cush, Put, and Lud mentioned above - it will bring you no healing.
Why does he refer to her as the "virgin daughter of Egypt"? The Metzudat David explains: since Egypt had never been conquered by any nation, she was like a virgin who had never been mastered by any man - as if to say, until now you have never suffered a defeat. This magnifies the power of the prophecy: prophesying about a nation that has already fallen in the past is no great feat - it fell before, and it will fall again; that is only natural. But prophesying that a nation that has never fallen is destined to fall - that is truly powerful. This is what the prophet tells her: even though you are the "virgin daughter of Egypt," know that your time has arrived and your downfall has come.
The Malbim explains differently: after Pharaoh's defeat, he still sought to consolidate his power through the rule that remained under his control in the land of Syria, from Syria to the Jordan River, and the capital of that territory was Gilead. Thus, scripture portrays him as though he is going to fetch balm for his wound from Gilead, where balm grew. Regarding this, it is said, "in vain do you multiply remedies" - through all kinds of medicines and drugs. And what is meant by "there is no te'alah for you"? Unlike the Radak, the Malbim does not interpret "remedies and te'alah" as a redundant phrase for healing; rather, te'alah refers to the marrow within the bones, the body's natural moisture. In other words: you have no medicine that can cure the dryness that has already gripped your bones - and as is known from the vision of the dry bones, dryness in the bones signifies death itself. There is no medication that can restore the bone marrow, the natural moisture that has already been lost. In simple terms: if you have now retreated to Syria, the Transjordan, and Gilead to recruit allies and reinforcements, do not expect other nations to stand by your side once the cream of your warriors has fallen.
שָׁמְעוּ גוֹיִם קְלוֹנֵךְ וְצִוְחָתֵךְ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ כִּי־גִבּוֹר בְּגִבּוֹר כָּשָׁלוּ יַחְדָּיו נָפְלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם׃ - The nations have heard of your shame, and your cry has filled the earth; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, and they have fallen together, both of them.
They will not come to your aid, because they realize that your story is over. No one wants to join a failure, to bet on a dead horse. The media is always in favor of the winner: they determine who is supposed to win, and then they rally behind him. But nobody wants to align with someone considered a failure, for if you backed him and he fell, you fell along with him. Thus, you expect the nations to come to your aid, but "the nations have heard of your shame" - they have heard of your humiliation. And not only have they heard, but "your cry has filled the earth" - the shriek you utter from the magnitude of your distress has filled the earth, and your catastrophe is already public knowledge and known to all.
And not only this: your disgrace is far greater than mere defeat. Had you only been pursued by the nations, then at least an enemy nation had chased you; but here, "warrior has stumbled against warrior; both have fallen together" - within your own ranks there was turmoil among the warriors themselves, and they were killed by "friendly fire"; amidst utter chaos and panic, they killed one another. Could there be any greater humiliation than this? There was no longer any need for the enemy to strike you down; you did the job yourselves. And if so, "Nations have heard of your disgrace" - do you think this will encourage them to come to your aid? Who comes to help a dead horse?
Chapter 46 opens the prophecies concerning the nations in Yirmiyahu, and its first subject is Egypt's downfall outside its own land: the defeat of Pharaoh Necho at Carchemish on the Euphrates River at the hand of Nevuchadnetzar, retribution for the killing of Yoshiyahu. The prophet calls upon Egypt in mockery (according to Radak) or as a divine command drawing them toward the battlefield (according to the Malbim) to prepare buckler and shield, harness the horses, polish the spears, and put on coats of armor - yet in reality, they are dismayed, retreating and fleeing, while their warriors fall. The one who rose like the Nile covering the earth and like rushing, surging rivers is pushed back to the Euphrates River and falls there, until it is accounted as a sacrifice to Hashem in the northern land. And even the balms of Gilead will be of no avail: "there is no healing for you," there is no remedy for the dryness that has already seized the bones. The nations who have heard of Egypt's disgrace and its cry will not come to its aid, especially after "warrior has stumbled against warrior" and they fell upon each other. This is a piercing lesson regarding the power of kings and nations before the will of the Holy One, blessed be He: what appears to be an unstoppable flood, once Hashem repels it - cannot stand.