Jeremiah 46

Pharaoh Neco II ruled Egypt’s 26^th Dynasty from 610-595 BC. His army killed Judah’s religious reformer, King Josiah, in 609 BC, shortly after Neco became king. Then he dethroned Josiah’s replacement, Jehoahaz, and replaced him with Jehoiakim.

Carchemish is a town on the border of what is now Syria and Turkey. In the Battle of Carchemish (fought around 605 BC), Neco’s army marched up from the south along the Mediterranean seacoast to reinforce Assyrians who had been run out of their own country (2 Chronicles 35:25). Coalition forces of Babylonians and Medes, from what are now southern Iraq and Iran, had overrun the Assyrian capital of Nineveh, today’s Mosul, in northern Iraq. Babylonians intended to finish off the Assyrians, which is what happened in the Battle of Carchemish. Neco, angry at the battlefield loss, went home disappointed. On his way home, through Judah, he stopped to demand wealth and the right to pick Judah’s next king.

This was in about 605 BC.

The three regions, Ethiopia, Libya, and Lydia show up in the Hebrew language as Cush, Put, and Lud. They represent allies or mercenaries as hired swords.  Scholars debate the location of Put. Some say Libya while others point to Ethiopia’s neighbor, Somalia. Lud is often associated with the Greek kingdom of Lydia, in western Turkey. The Egyptian king before Neco, Psamtik III (663-609 BC), got help from Lydia’s King Gyges in fighting Assyria’s King Ashurbanipal. That seemed to launch the continuing relationship between Greeks and Egyptians.

Bible writers talk about a “day of the LORD” or “on that day” or “day of visitation” or “there’s a time coming.” It’s a day that can go in one of two directions. It can be a good day—a day God comes to save his people. It’s something to look forward to. Some scholars trace the idea back to what happened when God came to Egypt and with 10 plagues, he freed the Israelites. But it can also be a fearful day to people at odds with God. To them, it is Judgment Day. But to people on good terms with God, his arrival for Judgment Day or any other reason is welcome. The prophet Joel describes it in graphic terms as a terrible day when invaders destroy sinful Jerusalem (Joel 1:15; 2:11). Obadiah uses the phrase that way as well. But to God’s people, the “day” is the day of salvation (Joel 2:32).

Gilead was a hilly territory east of Israel, across the Jordan River in what is now the country of Jordan. Hills and mountains made it a refuge, a great place to hide. A healing salve and perfume known as the Balm of Gilead was apparently produced there (Genesis 37:25). Some say the salve or perfume version came from a tree or shrub known as Commiphora gileadensis. Others say it came from the terebinth tree, genus: Pistacia.

Jeremiah may have addressed Judeans living in colonies in these cities and regions. There were likely communities of Jews already living there, perhaps as descendants of captives taken in Egyptian raids into Israel and Judah decades earlier. The location of Migdol is unknown. Memphis and Tahpanhes is in the north.

Apis was an Egyptian god portrayed as a powerful bull and worshiped especially in the Memphis territory. Some treated Apis as a protector of the dead, which is probably why horns show up in the tombs of some of Egypt’s kings. Bulls represented strength because bulls were among the strongest animals in Egypt or Israel.

Mount Tabor is a smoothly rounded hill sitting alone and surrounded by a plain. At a height of 575 meters (1,886 feet), it looks a bit like the ground grew a breast. It’s not too steep for soldiers to climb. But it’s no place for chariots. So, it was a great position for infantry to defend against an invasion force of 900 iron-armored chariots (Judges 4:3).

Mount Carmel is almost the same height as Mount Tabor. Carmel is 546 meters (1,791 feet). From the sea below, it’s hard to miss.

Memphis, once the capital of Egypt, was abandoned in the AD 600s. It withered away slowly alongside the ancient religions it promoted.

Two empires exiled the people of Israel and Judah: Assyria and Babylon. Assyria was ended by Babylon. And Babylon was ended by Persia. Greeks overpowered the Persians.