What is the meaning of Jeremiah 46:7? Who is this “Who is this,” (Jeremiah 46:7) opens with a pointed, almost surprised question from the Lord through Jeremiah. • The interrogative stirs our attention, much like God’s questions in Job 38:2—“Who is this that obscures My counsel?” The tone makes it clear that someone is stepping onto the scene with unwarranted confidence. • In the flow of Jeremiah 46, that “someone” is Egypt (see v. 2 and v. 17, “Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a loud noise”). • By framing the prophecy as a question, the Lord exposes Egypt’s boasting spirit before announcing its downfall, echoing Isaiah 31:9 where the Lord’s fire “will consume his fortress.” Rising like the Nile “rising like the Nile,” (Jeremiah 46:7) paints a familiar image for anyone who knew Egypt’s geography. • Each year the Nile swelled, spilling over its banks with powerful, seemingly unstoppable force (compare Amos 8:8 and Isaiah 8:7–8 where flood imagery portrays invading armies). • Egypt thinks its military buildup looks just as irresistible. Ezekiel 32:2 pictures Pharaoh as a thrashing river monster, underscoring the same proud self-assessment. • Historically, Pharaoh Necho II had marched north, confident after earlier victories (2 Kings 23:29), yet God declares that confidence only sets him up for judgment. Like rivers whose waters churn “like rivers whose waters churn?” (Jeremiah 46:7) develops the picture: roiling waters stir debris, mud, and fear. • Isaiah 17:12–13 likens roaring nations to “many waters” that will ultimately flee when God rebukes them. Egypt’s surge will end the same way as Nahum 1:8 declares: “With an overwhelming flood He will make an end.” • Churning water dazzles at first glance, but it also signals chaos—exactly what Egypt’s armies will face at Carchemish when Babylon crushes them (Jeremiah 46:2). • The Lord controls the torrent; He “rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up” (Psalm 106:9). Egypt once witnessed that power, yet now repeats its mistake. summary Jeremiah 46:7 is God’s vivid snapshot of Egypt’s pride. The nation sees its army as a majestic, unstoppable river, but the Lord’s question unmasks that illusion. Just as swiftly as the Nile rises and churns, so will Egypt be swept away by divine judgment. The verse reminds us that no earthly power—however confident—can stand against the sovereign, living God who rules both rivers and nations. |
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