Jeremiah 46:5

Utter Defeat (Jeremiah 46:5 ).

In deliberately stark contrast we are now given the picture of this once proud army fleeing in tatters. It is as though it was written by an onlooker behind the lines who had observed with awe the initial preparations and advance, and now saw the same army streaming back in desperate and terror-stricken flight.

Jeremiah 46:5

‘Why have I seen it? (or ‘What do I see concerning it?)

They are dismayed and are turned backward,

And their mighty ones are beaten down,

And are fled hastily,

And they look not back,

Terror is on every side,

the word of YHWH.’

‘What have I seen concerning it?’ The observer is astonished at what he sees. What could have caused this turnaround? For he now describes what follows the advance of the proud army. Its total humiliation. What follows is a picture of total defeat. The Egyptian army is no longer proud. They are filled with dismay and turn backwards, their mighty men are beaten down, all flee hastily not daring to look back, and all is terror. They are the remnants of an army fleeing in tatters. And all this in accordance with the prophetic word of YHWH (neum YHWH), which both prophesied it and brought it about.