Ver. 13. — The word, etc. This verse is the heading of a new prophecy, which, however, for the reason already' mentioned (see introducticin to this chapter), is not to be regarded as entirely independent of the pre- ceding prophecy, but rather as a supplement (just as Isa. xviii., though not in strict se- quence to xvii. 12 — 14, is yet a supplement to it). The heading does not expressly state when the prophecy was written, but from the mention of Nebuchadnezzar, both in the heading and in the prophecy itself, we may assume a date Subsequent to the battle of Carchemish, for the earlier pro- phecies contain no reference to that redoubt- able name. An important question now arises — When did Nebuchadnezznr invade and conquer Egypt ? and what would be the consequences of admitting that a Baby- lonian subjugation of that country is his- torically not proven? There can be no doubt that Jeremiah did hold out such a prospect; for he not only says so here, but also in ch. xliii 8—13 and xliv. 30. In the latter prophecy it is not Neoho, but Hophrk, in whose reign the bluw is to fall. But no monumental evidence has as fet been found [see, however, postscript to this note] of anything approaching to an invasion of Egypt by NebuoljadnezzEu:; nor do the accounts of Herodotus (ii. 159, etc.) at all supply the deficiency (on this, however, see further at end of note). It is true that Josephus quotes passages from Berosus, the Babylonian historian, to the effect that Nabopolassar had set a Chaldean governor over Egypt, but that this gover- nor had revolted, and that Nabopolassar's ■on, Nebuchadnezzar, crushed the rebellion and incorporated Egypt into hii empire. Bnt tkMa events happened, according in
the quotation from Berosus, partly before, partly immediately after, the death of Nabopolassar, and was consequently earlier than the prophecy in this chapter. Another fact of importance must be mentioned in this connection, viz. that Ezekiel repeats the announcement of the Babylonian con- quest of Egypt, of which he speaks as if it were to happen at the close of tlie thirteen years of Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Tyre (Ezek, xxix. 17—21). Thus there is a gradual increase in the aefiniteness of the announcement. Looking at our chapter by itself, we might suppose that the conquest was to take place soon after the decisive battle at Carchemish. After the murder of Geilaliah, when Jeremiah had removed to Egypt, we find him foretelling the sore pnuisliment of Egypt in greater detail, and the name of Hophra (instead of Necho) is introduced as that of the deposed Mng. Finally, Ezekiel (as we have seen) specifies a dulinite time. Now, it is true that our knowledge of this period is somewhat in- complete. We have not the direct historical proof that could be wished as to the result of Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Tyre, though it would be fastidious to scruple at the evidence which satisfied so cool a judgment as that of George Grote. The great his- torian denies, however, that Tyre at this time suffered such a terrific desolation as is suggested by a literal interpretation of Ezek. xxvi., and continues in these remark- able terms : " Still less can it be believed that that king conquered Egypt and Libya, as M( gasthenes, and even Berosus so far as Egypt is concerned, would have us believe — the argument of Larcher, ' Ad Herodot.,' ii. 168, is anything but satisfactory. The defeat of the Egyptian king at CarcbemiBh, and the stripping him of his foreign pos- sessions in Judaea and Syria, have been ex- aggerated into a conquest of Egypt itself" (' Hist, of Greece,' vol. iii, p. H5, note 1), Supposing Mr. Grote's view of the facts of the siege of Tyre to be correct, it is clear that the prophet's reproduction of the Divine revelation made to him was defective ; that it presents traces of a stronger human ele- ment than we are accustomed to admit. Tyre had to suffer a fall ; but the fall was not as yet to be so complete a one as Ezekiel, reasoning upon his revelation, sup- posed. It is equally possible that Jeremiah and Ezekiel, reasoning upon the revelation of the inevitable fall of Egypt, mistook the time when, in its fulness, the Divine judg- ment was to take place. The case may, perhaps, turn out to be analogous to that of an apparently but not really unfulfilled prophecy in Isa. xliii, 3. A literal inter- pretation of thai passage would give the conquest of Kgypt to Ovrns; as a mattero
CH. XLVi. 1— 28.] THE BOOK OP THE PBUl'HET JEREMIAH.
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fact, we know that it was GambyBes, and not Cyrus, who fulfilled the prophecy. It Wduld not be surprising if we should have to admit that it was Oambyses, and not any earlier monarch, who fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah. Certain great principli-s of God's moral government had to be affirmed ; it was of no moment whatever whether Xebuehadnezzar, Cyrus, or Cambyses was the instrument of their affirmation. A parallel from Isaiah may again be adduced. The shameful captivity of Egypt, and per- haps Ethiopia, which Isaiah foresaw in the time of Sargon (Isa. xx. 3); was not realized in fact until Esar-haddon despoiled Tir- bakah. King of Egypt and Ethiopia, of the whole of TJpper Egypt. There are cases in which a literal fulfilment of prophecy may be abandoned without detriment to Divine revelation, and this seems to be one of them. And yet we must always remember that even the letter of the prophecy may some day turn out to be more nearly in harmony with facts than we have supposed, our knowledge of this period being in several respects so very imperfect. It has been acutely pointed out that the oracle given to Neoho (Herod., ii. 158), " that he was labonriDg for the barbarian," seems to imply a current expectation of an invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, and that the gradual conquest by that king of one neigh- bouring country after another suggests that the invasion of Egypt was at any rate the object at which he aimed. The silence of Herodotus as to a Chaldean invasion is, perhaps, not very important. He does not mention Necho's defeat by Nebuchadnezzar at Oarchemish, nor does he ever refer to the victories over Egypt of any King of Assyria.