Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent as the enemy advances in force; they will come against her with axes, like men who cut down trees. New Living Translation Egypt flees, silent as a serpent gliding away. The invading army marches in; they come against her with axes like woodsmen. English Standard Version “She makes a sound like a serpent gliding away; for her enemies march in force and come against her with axes like those who fell trees. Berean Standard Bible Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees. Berean Literal Bible Her noise is like a serpent that goes away, for with a force they go, and with axes they come against her, like those chopping down trees. King James Bible The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. New King James Version Her noise shall go like a serpent, For they shall march with an army And come against her with axes, Like those who chop wood. New American Standard Bible “Its sound moves along like a serpent; For they move on like an army And come to her as woodcutters with axes. NASB 1995 “Its sound moves along like a serpent; For they move on like an army And come to her as woodcutters with axes. NASB 1977 “Its sound moves along like a serpent; For they move on like an army And come to her as woodcutters with axes. Legacy Standard Bible Its sound moves along like a serpent; For they move on like a military force And come to her as woodcutters with axes. Amplified Bible “The sound [of Egypt fleeing from the enemy] is like [the rustling of] an escaping serpent, For her foes advance with a mighty army And come against her like woodcutters with axes. Berean Annotated Bible Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent {nachash}, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees. Christian Standard Bible Egypt will hiss like a slithering snake, for the enemy will come with an army; with axes they will come against her like those who cut trees. Holman Christian Standard Bible Egypt will hiss like a slithering snake, for the enemy will come with an army; with axes they will come against her like those who cut trees. American Standard Version The sound thereof shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. Contemporary English Version The enemy army will go forward like a swarm of locusts. Your troops will feel helpless, like a snake in a forest English Revised Version The sound thereof shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. GOD'S WORD® Translation Egypt will hiss like a snake as it slithers away. Its enemies will come with full force. They will attack it with axes like those who chop wood. Good News Translation Egypt runs away, hissing like a snake, as the enemy's army approaches. They attack her with axes, like people cutting down trees International Standard Version Her cry will be like that of a fleeing serpent when they come in strength. They're coming to her with axes like woodcutters. NET Bible Egypt will run away, hissing like a snake, as the enemy comes marching up in force. They will come against her with axes as if they were woodsmen chopping down trees. New Heart English Bible The sound of it shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as wood cutters. Webster's Bible Translation The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleEgypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees. World English Bible Its sound will go like the serpent, for they will march with an army, and come against her with axes, as wood cutters. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionIts voice goes on as a serpent, "" For they go with a force, "" And they have come in to her with axes, "" As hewers of trees. Berean Literal Bible Her noise is like a serpent that goes away, for with a force they go, and with axes they come against her, like those chopping down trees. Young's Literal Translation Its voice as a serpent goeth on, For with a force they go, And with axes they have come in to her, As hewers of trees. Smith's Literal Translation Her voice shall go as the serpent; for with an army in the sand they shall go, and with axes they came to her, as they hewing wood. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleHer voice shall sound like brass, for they shall hasten with an army, and with axes they shall come against her, as hewers of wood. Catholic Public Domain Version Her voice will sound out like brass. For they will rush forward with an army, and with axes they will come against her, like those who chop wood. New American Bible Her voice is like a snake! Yes, they come in force; They attack her with axes, like those who fell trees. New Revised Standard Version She makes a sound like a snake gliding away; for her enemies march in force, and come against her with axes, like those who fell trees. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThe sound of the army is like that of a serpent when it creeps; for they shall march with an army and come against her with axes, like hewers of trees. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The sound of the army was like a serpent that slithers, because they shall depart with the army, and with axes they shall come against her like tree cutters OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917The sound thereof shall go like the serpent's; For they march with an army, And come against her with axes, As hewers of wood. Brenton Septuagint Translation Their voice is as that of a hissing serpent, for they go upon the sand; they shall come upon Egypt with axes, as men that cut wood. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Judgment on Egypt…21Even the mercenaries among her are like fattened calves. They too will turn back; together they will flee, they will not stand their ground, for the day of calamity is coming upon them—the time of their punishment. 22Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees. 23They will chop down her forest, declares the LORD, dense though it may be, for they are more numerous than locusts; they cannot be counted.… Cross References Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea. Lamentations 2:15 All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?” Micah 7:17 They will lick the dust like a snake, like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds in the presence of the LORD our God; they will tremble in fear of You. for the enemy will advance in force; Isaiah 13:4 Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war. Joel 2:7-8 They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course. / They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defenses, never breaking ranks. Habakkuk 1:6-8 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own. / They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty. / Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour. with axes they will come against her Ezekiel 26:9 He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his axes. Psalm 74:5-6 like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees / and smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks. Isaiah 10:15 Does an axe raise itself above the one who swings it? Does a saw boast over him who saws with it? It would be like a rod waving the one who lifts it, or a staff lifting him who is not wood! like woodsmen cutting down trees. Isaiah 37:24 Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest heights, the densest of its forests. Isaiah 10:33-34 Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts will lop off the branches with terrifying power. The tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled. / He will clear the forest thickets with an axe, and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One. Ezekiel 31:12-14 Foreigners, the most ruthless of the nations, cut it down and left it. Its branches have fallen on the mountains and in every valley; its boughs lay broken in all the earth’s ravines. And all the peoples of the earth left its shade and abandoned it. / All the birds of the air nested on its fallen trunk, and all the beasts of the field lived among its boughs. / This happened so that no other trees by the waters would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the depths of the earth, among the mortals who descend to the Pit.’ Ezekiel 32:2 “Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churning up the waters with your feet and muddying the streams.’ Isaiah 19:1 This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them. Isaiah 30:7 Egypt’s help is futile and empty; therefore I have called her Rahab Who Sits Still. Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon? Treasury of Scripture The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. voice Isaiah 29:4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. Micah 1:8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. Micah 7:16 The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. and come Jeremiah 51:20-23 Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; … Isaiah 10:15,33,34 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood… Isaiah 14:8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. Jump to Previous Advances Army Axes Cut Cutters Egypt Enemies Enemy Fell Fleeing Force Gliding Hewers Hiss Makes March Move Moves Serpent Serpent's Snake Sound Strength Thereof Trees Voice Wood WoodcuttersJump to Next Advances Army Axes Cut Cutters Egypt Enemies Enemy Fell Fleeing Force Gliding Hewers Hiss Makes March Move Moves Serpent Serpent's Snake Sound Strength Thereof Trees Voice Wood WoodcuttersJeremiah 46 1. Jeremiah prophesies the overthrow of Pharaoh's army at Euphrates13. and the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar 27. He comforts Jacob in his chastisement Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent This phrase evokes the imagery of a serpent, a creature often associated with cunning and danger in biblical literature. The serpent's hissing suggests fear and retreat, indicating Egypt's impending defeat and humiliation. Historically, Egypt was a powerful nation, often symbolized by the serpent in its iconography, such as the uraeus on the pharaoh's crown. This imagery connects to the broader biblical theme of God's judgment against nations that oppose His will, as seen in Isaiah 27:1, where God punishes Leviathan, the fleeing serpent. The serpent's flight signifies Egypt's loss of power and influence, a reversal of its historical dominance. for the enemy will advance in force with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his prophecies concerning the judgment of God upon Judah and the surrounding nations. 2. Egypt The nation being addressed in this prophecy. Egypt was a significant power in the ancient Near East and often found itself in conflict with Israel and other nations. 3. Babylonian Army The invading force implied in this passage, known for its military might and role in God's judgment against various nations, including Egypt. 4. Pharaoh The ruler of Egypt, often seen as a symbol of pride and opposition to God's will. 5. Serpent A metaphor used in this verse to describe the voice of Egypt, symbolizing deceit, fear, and impending doom. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty Over NationsThis passage reminds us that God is in control of all nations and their destinies. No power, no matter how great, can stand against His will. The Consequences of Pride Egypt's downfall serves as a warning against pride and self-reliance. We must humble ourselves before God and seek His guidance. The Certainty of God's Judgment Just as God judged Egypt, He will judge all nations and individuals. We must live in a way that honors Him, knowing that His judgment is sure. Spiritual Warfare The imagery of the serpent reminds us of the spiritual battles we face. We must be vigilant and rely on God's strength to overcome the enemy. Repentance and Redemption While this passage speaks of judgment, it also calls us to repentance. God's desire is for us to turn from our ways and seek His forgiveness and redemption. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 46:22?2. How does Jeremiah 46:22 illustrate God's judgment on Egypt's pride and power? 3. What lessons can we learn about humility from Jeremiah 46:22's imagery? 4. How does Jeremiah 46:22 connect with God's sovereignty in other Scriptures? 5. How can we apply the warning in Jeremiah 46:22 to our personal lives? 6. What does the "serpent" imagery in Jeremiah 46:22 teach about spiritual warfare? 7. What does Jeremiah 46:22 symbolize in the context of Egypt's downfall? 8. How does Jeremiah 46:22 reflect God's judgment on nations? 9. What historical events align with the prophecy in Jeremiah 46:22? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 46? 11. Who was King Jehoiakim in biblical history? 12. Jeremiah 46:25-26 - How can we harmonize Jehovah's pronouncement of destruction on Egypt with other Scriptures that portray God's relationship with nations differently? 13. Jeremiah 46:13 - Why does this prophecy about Nebuchadnezzar's invasion of Egypt seemingly conflict with reports of the extent of Babylonian control in some historical sources? 14. Jeremiah 46:8 - Is the imagery of the Nile flooding over the land literal or metaphorical, and could it contradict natural constraints on river flooding known from geological studies? What Does Jeremiah 46:22 Mean Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent• The picture is of Egypt, once proud and imposing, reduced to the frightened hiss of a snake slithering away. The nation that earlier compared itself to the mighty Nile crocodile (Ezekiel 29:3) now emits only a defensive, fearful sound. • Scripture often links the serpent’s hiss with defeat or judgment (Genesis 3:14; Isaiah 30:7). Here, the hiss signals humiliation—no roar of the lion, just the urgent, nervous sound of retreat. • God had already warned that trusting in worldly power brings shame (Isaiah 31:1-3). Egypt, on which Judah had pinned false hopes (Jeremiah 37:7), now proves powerless to save even itself. For the enemy will advance in force • Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon marches “in force,” an overwhelming surge God Himself unleashes (Jeremiah 46:13; 25:9). • The advance is certain and unstoppable, echoing earlier prophecies of invading armies that sweep through like a flood (Isaiah 8:7-8) or an iron furnace (Deuteronomy 4:20). • God actively directs history: “I am bringing punishment on Amon of Thebes, Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods and her kings” (Jeremiah 46:25). What looks like Babylon’s might is actually the Lord’s hand fulfilling His word. With axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees • The invaders are portrayed as lumberjacks stripping a forest—methodical, skillful, relentless. Cities, temples, and armies will be felled as easily as timber (Isaiah 10:33-34). • Every Egyptian stronghold, including the renowned fortress cities of Memphis and Tahpanhes (Jeremiah 46:14, 19), will be hacked down. • The axe motif underscores total devastation, matching earlier pictures of Babylon as God’s “war club” smashing nations to pieces (Jeremiah 51:20-23). • In contrast to Egypt’s hiss, the clang of axes highlights the invader’s confidence and power granted by God (Habakkuk 1:6-11). summary Jeremiah 46:22 paints three swift strokes: Egypt’s fearful hiss, Babylon’s unstoppable advance, and the woodcutter’s axe. Together they declare that God’s judgment is decisive and inescapable. The once-boastful Egypt becomes a symbol of any power that stands against the Lord—silenced, overrun, and chopped down because “the LORD of Hosts is His name” (Jeremiah 46:18). (22) The voice thereof shall go like a serpent.--Better, her voice--i.e., the voice of Egypt. In early prophecies Egypt had been compared to a "dragon" or "serpent" (Isaiah 27:1; Isaiah 51:9; Psalm 74:13). Here the serpent is represented as hissing in its rage and terror in the forest against which the enemies are advancing. The sign then gives way to the thing signified, and the latter clause of the verse brings before us the hosts of the Chaldaean allies, barbarous tribes like the Scythians, Massagetae, and Sacae, armed with axes instead of swords or spears (Herod. i. 275, iv. 5). They come, but it is to cut down the trees of the forest, i.e., the symbols of the power of Egypt, and there is no power to resist them (Isaiah 10:33). The forest is so dense that the trees cannot be counted, but the fellers of the trees are as numerous, and the forest is destined to destruction at the hands of "the people of the north."Verse 22. - The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; rather, her voice is like (the sound of) a serpent gliding away. Egypt (like Jerusalem, in Isaiah 29:4) is imagined as a maiden (comp. ver. 19) seated on the ground, and faintly sighing; and her feeble voice is likened to the rustling sound of a serpent in motion. Come against her with axes. A sudden change of figure. Egypt, or, more strictly, Egypt's grandeur - its rich and complex national life, its splendid cities, its powerful army, all combined in one, is now compared to a forest (comp. Jeremiah 21:14; Jeremiah 22:6, 7; Isaiah 2:13; Isaiah 10:18, 19, 33, 34). It seems far fetched to suppose, with Graf and Dr. Payne Smith, that the comparison of the Chaldean warriors to wood cutters arose from their being armed with axes. It is probably true that the Israelites did not use the battle axe, but the axe is merely an accident of the description. It is the forest which suggests the mention of the axe, not the axe that of the forest, and forests were familiar enough to the Israelites.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Egypt will hissקוֹלָ֖הּ (qō·w·lāh) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 6963: A voice, sound like a slithering יֵלֵ֑ךְ (yê·lêḵ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk snake, כַּנָּחָ֣שׁ (kan·nā·ḥāš) Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5175: A serpent for כִּֽי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction the enemy will advance יֵלֵ֔כוּ (yê·lê·ḵū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk in force; בְחַ֣יִל (ḇə·ḥa·yil) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 2428: A force, an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength with axes וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת֙ (ū·ḇə·qar·dum·mō·wṯ) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 7134: An axe they will come בָּ֣אוּ (bā·’ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go against her לָ֔הּ (lāh) Preposition | third person feminine singular Strong's Hebrew like woodsmen cutting down trees. כְּחֹטְבֵ֖י (kə·ḥō·ṭə·ḇê) Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Strong's 2404: To cut or gather wood Links Jeremiah 46:22 NIVJeremiah 46:22 NLT Jeremiah 46:22 ESV Jeremiah 46:22 NASB Jeremiah 46:22 KJV Jeremiah 46:22 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 46:22 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 46:22 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 46:22 French Bible Jeremiah 46:22 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 46:22 The sound of it shall go like (Jer.) |
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