Jeremiah 46:5

Young's Literal Translation

Wherefore have I seen them dismayed -- They are turned backward, And their mighty ones are beaten down, And [to] a refuge they have fled, and not turned the face? Fear [is] round about -- an affirmation of Jehovah.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Why have I seen this?They are terrified,they are retreating,their warriors are crushed,they flee headlong,they never look back,terror is on every side!

Hebrew Names Version
Why have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled apace, and don't look back: terror is on every side, says the LORD.

King James Version
Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the Lord .

English Standard Version
Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down and have fled in haste; they look not back— terror on every side! declares the Lord .

New American Standard Bible
"Why have I seen it? They are terrified, They are retreating, And their warriors are defeated And have taken refuge in flight, Without facing back. Terror is on every side!" Declares the LORD.

New Century Version
What do I see? That army is terrified, and the soldiers are running away. Their warriors are defeated. They run away quickly without looking back. There is terror on every side!" says the Lord .

Amplified Bible
"Why have I seen it? They are terrified And have turned back, And their warriors are beaten down. They take flight in haste Without looking back; Terror is on every side!" Says the LORD.

World English Bible
Why have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled apace, and don't look back: terror is on every side, says Yahweh.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore haue I seene them afraid, and driuen backe? for their mighty men are smitten, and are fled away, and looke not backe: for feare was rounde about, sayeth the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
Why have I seen it?They are shattered;They are drawing back,And their mighty men are crushedAnd have fled to refuge,Without facing back;Terror is on every side!"Declares Yahweh.

Berean Standard Bible
Why am I seeing this? They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated, they flee in haste, they never look back, terror is on every side! declares the LORD.

Contemporary English Version
I can see the battle now— you are defeated and running away, never once looking back. Terror is all around.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Why do I see them retreating in panic, their heroes routed, fleeing headlong, not looking back, terror all around?" asks Adonai .

Darby Translation
Why do I see them dismayed, turned away back? And their mighty ones are beaten down, and take to flight, and look not back? Terror [is] on every side, saith Jehovah.

Easy-to-Read Version
What do I see? That army is afraid. The soldiers are running away. Their brave soldiers are defeated. They run away in a hurry. They don't look back. There is danger all around." This is what the Lord said.

George Lamsa Translation
Because I have seen them defeated and retreating, and their mighty men are beaten down and are fled apace, and they look not back: for they were surrounded, says the LORD.

Good News Translation
"But what do I see?" asks the Lord . "They are turning back in terror. Their soldiers are beaten back; overcome with fear, they run as fast as they can and do not look back.

Lexham English Bible
Why do I see them terrified? They are turning back and their warriors are beaten down. And they have fled to a place of refuge and they do not turn back. Terror is from all around," declares Yahweh.

Literal Translation
Why have I seen that they are afraid and turned backward? And their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled for refuge, and do not look back. Terror is all around, says Jehovah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But alas, how happeneth it, that I se you so afrayed? why shrecke ye backe? where fore are youre worthies slayne? Yee they runne so fast awaye, that none off them loketh behynde him. Fearfulnesse is fallen vpon euerychone off them, saieth the LORDE.

American Standard Version
Wherefore have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: terror is on every side, saith Jehovah.

Bible in Basic English
What have I seen? they are overcome with fear and turned back; their men of war are broken and have gone in flight, not looking back: fear is on every side, says the Lord.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Wherefore do I see them dismayed and turned backward? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and they are fled apace, and look not back; terror is on every side, saith the LORD.

King James Version (1611)
Wherefore haue I seene them dismaid, and turned away backe? and their mightie ones are beaten downe, & are fled apace, and looke not back: for feare was round about, saith the Lord.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But alas, howe happeneth it that I see you so afraide? why shrinke ye backe? Their worthyes are slayne, yea they runne so fast away that none of them looketh behinde hym: fearefulnesse is fallen vpon euery one of them saith the Lorde.

English Revised Version
Wherefore have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: terror is on every side, saith the LORD.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
What therfor? Y siy hem dredeful, and turnynge the backis, the stronge men of hem slayn; and thei fledden swiftli, and bihelden not; drede was on ech side, seith the Lord.

Update Bible Version
Why have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled apace, and don't look back: terror is on every side, says Yahweh.

Webster's Bible Translation
Why have I seen them dismayed [and] turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled apace, and look not back: [for] fear [was] on all sides, saith the LORD.

New English Translation
What do I see?" says the Lord . "The soldiers are terrified. They are retreating. They have been defeated. They are overcome with terror; they desert quickly without looking back.

New King James Version
Why have I seen them dismayed and turned back? Their mighty ones are beaten down; They have speedily fled, And did not look back, For fear was all around," says the LORD.

New Living Translation
But what do I see? The Egyptian army flees in terror. The bravest of its fighting men run without a backward glance. They are terrorized at every turn," says the Lord .

New Life Bible
What do I see? They are filled with fear and are turning back. Their strong men are beaten and are running away without looking back. Much fear is on every side," says the Lord.

New Revised Standard
Why do I see them terrified? They have fallen back; their warriors are beaten down, and have fled in haste. They do not look back— terror is all around! says the Lord .

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Why have I seen it? They, panic-struck, are drawing back, Yea, their heroes, are crushed, Yea they have, fled, and not turned, - Terror round about! Declareth Yahweh.

Douay-Rheims Bible
What then? I have seen them dismayed, and turning their backs, their valiant ones slain: they fled apace, and they looked not back: terror was round about, saith the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down, and have fled in haste; they look not back--terror on every side! says the LORD.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Why have I seen it? They are terrified, They are drawing back, And their mighty men are defeated And have taken refuge in flight, Without facing back; Terror is on every side!" Declares the LORD.

Contextual Overview

¹ That which hath been the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations, ² For Egypt, concerning the force of Pharaoh-Necho king of Egypt, that hath been by the river Phrat, in Carchemish, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath smitten, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: ³ `Set ye in array shield and buckler, And draw nigh to battle. ⁴ Gird the horses, and go up, ye horsemen, And station yourselves with helmets, Polish the javelins, put on the coats of mail. ⁵ Wherefore have I seen them dismayed -- They are turned backward, And their mighty ones are beaten down, And [to] a refuge they have fled, and not turned the face? Fear [is] round about -- an affirmation of Jehovah. ⁶ The swift do not flee, nor do the mighty escape, Northward, by the side of the river Phrat, They have stumbled and fallen. ⁷ Who is this? as a flood he cometh up, As rivers do his waters shake themselves! ⁸ Egypt, as a flood cometh up, And as rivers the waters shake themselves. And he saith, I go up; I cover the land, I destroy the city and the inhabitants in it. ⁹ Go up, ye horses; and boast yourselves, ye chariots, And go forth, ye mighty, Cush and Phut handling the shield, And Lud handling -- treading the bow. ¹⁰ And that day [is] to the Lord Jehovah of Hosts A day of vengeance, To be avenged of His adversaries, And the sword hath devoured, and been satisfied, And it hath been watered from their blood, For a sacrifice [is] to the Lord Jehovah of Hosts, In the land of the north, by the river Phrat.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and their: Revelation 6:15

beaten down: Heb. broken in pieces

fled apace: Heb. fled a flight, Jeremiah 46:15, Genesis 19:17, 2 Kings 7:6, 2 Kings 7:7, Nahum 2:8

fear: Jeremiah 6:25, Jeremiah 20:3, Jeremiah 20:4, *marg. Jeremiah 46:10, Jeremiah 49:29, Isaiah 19:16, Ezekiel 32:10, Revelation 6:15-17

Reciprocal: Job 18:11 - Terrors Psalms 35:4 - turned Jeremiah 30:5 - General Jeremiah 38:22 - they are Jeremiah 46:21 - they did Jeremiah 49:5 - ye shall Lamentations 2:22 - my terrors Lamentations 5:17 - our heart Ezekiel 30:13 - put

Cross-References

Genesis 45:19
`Yea, thou -- thou hast been commanded: this do ye, take for yourselves out of the land of Egypt, waggons for your infants, and for your wives, and ye have brought your father, and come;

Genesis 45:21
And the sons of Israel do so, and Joseph giveth waggons to them by the command of Pharaoh, and he giveth to them provision for the way;

Genesis 45:27
And they speak unto him all the words of Joseph, which he hath spoken unto them, and he seeth the waggons which Joseph hath sent to bear him away, and live doth the spirit of Jacob their father;

Genesis 46:17
And sons of Asher: Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. And sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.

Genesis 46:18
These [are] sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and she beareth these to Jacob -- sixteen persons.

Exodus 10:24
And Pharaoh calleth unto Moses and saith, `Go ye, serve Jehovah, only your flock and your herd are stayed, your infants also go with you;'

Exodus 10:26
and also our cattle doth go with us, there is not left a hoof, for from it we do take to serve Jehovah our God; and we -- we know not how we do serve Jehovah till our going thither.'

Acts 7:15
and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore have I seen them dismayed [and] turned away back?.... The Egyptians, after all this preparation for war, and seeming ardent to engage in battle; and yet, when they came to it, were seized with a panic, and thrown into the utmost consternation, and turned their backs upon their enemy: these are either the words of the prophet, who had a view by a spirit of prophecy, of the consternation, confusion, and flight of the Egyptian army; or of the Lord, who foresaw all this, and represents it as if it was done because of the certainty of it; upbraiding the Egyptians with their pusillanimity and cowardice:

and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back; or, "their mighty ones are broken" s; their valiant soldiers and officers, their best troops were broken to pieces, their ranks and files, and thrown into the utmost disorder; and therefore made all the haste they could to escape the fury of the enemy, and fled with the utmost precipitation, and never stopped to look back upon their pursuers; so great their fear:

[for] fear [was] round about, saith the Lord; from whence it came; it was he that put it into them, took away their courage, and made them a "magormissabib", or "fear round about", the word here used; see

Jeremiah 20:3. The Targum is,

"they looked not back to resist them that slay with the sword, who are gathered against them round about, saith the Lord;''

their enemies surrounded them, and that was the reason fear was round about them, and both were from the Lord; or as he had said, determined, and foretold it should be.

s וגבוריהם יכתו "et fortes corum contusi sunt, vel coutunduntur", Schmidt, Cocceius, Piscator; "contriti sunt", Vatablus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Literally, “Why have I seen? They are terror-stricken! they are giving way back!” The Egyptian host feels that the battle is lost, and overborne by the enemy loses heart, and in despair, yet not without a struggle, gives way. It is remarkable, that while Jeremiah in his warning addressed to Jerusalem uses the most simple and unadorned prose, his language concerning the Gentile nations is, on the contrary, full of brilliant poetry.

Look not back - turn not back. They make no halt, and no attempt to rally.

Fear was round about - The prophets watch-word, Magor-missabib (see Jeremiah 6:25).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 46:5. Wherefore have I seen them dismayed — What! such a numerous, formidable, and well-appointed army panic-struck? So that they have turned back-fled apace, and looked not round; while their mighty ones-their generals and commanders, striving to rally them, are beaten down.