Translate it: "The swift shall not flee away, and the hero shall not escape: in the north on the bank of the river Euphrates they shall stumble and fall."

Let not the swift flee away - Even the swiftest shall not be able to escape.

They shall - fall toward the north - By the Euphrates, which was northward of Judea. Here the Egyptian army was routed with great

slaughter.

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty men escape,.... Those that were swift of foot, like Asahel, or carried but light armour, let not such trust to their swiftness or light carriage; nor let the mighty man think to escape by reason of his great strength, to make his way through the enemy, and get out of his hands. Or this may be rendered as future, "the swift shall not flee away", &c. (t) so the Targum; neither the one nor the other shall escape by the nimbleness of their heels, or the stoutness of their hearts:

they shall stumble and fall toward the north, by the river Euphrates; which lay north of Judea, where the prophet was, to whom this word came; and also was to the north of Egypt, whose destruction is here threatened: the place where this route and slaughter would be made was Carchemish, which was situated by that river; on the north side of which city, according to Abarbinel, the battle was; and which sense is mentioned by Kimchi, which the other follows.

(t) "non fugiet", Pagninus, Montanus; "non effugiet", Munster, Tigurine version.

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the {e} north by the river Euphrates.

(e) The Babylonians will discomfit them at the river Euphrates.

46:6 Let not the swift - It is in vain for the swift to flee away, the mighty men shall not escape, but they shall stumble and fall at Carchemish, which was near the river Euphrates, and northward from Egypt.

6. Let not-equivalent to the strongest negation. Let not any of the Egyptian warriors think to escape by swiftness or by might.

toward the north-that is, in respect to Egypt or Judea. In the northward region, by the Euphrates (see Jer 46:2).

46:1-12 The whole word of God is against those who obey not the gospel of Christ; but it is for those, even of the Gentiles, who turn to Him. The prophecy begins with Egypt. Let them strengthen themselves with all the art and interest they have, yet it shall be all in vain. The wounds God inflicts on his enemies, cannot be healed by medicines. Power and prosperity soon pass from one to another in this changing world.