Jeremiah 46:8
New International Version
Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers of surging waters. She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy cities and their people.’

New Living Translation
It is the Egyptian army, overflowing all the land, boasting that it will cover the earth like a flood, destroying cities and their people.

English Standard Version
Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, ‘I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.’

Berean Standard Bible
Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’

King James Bible
Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

New King James Version
Egypt rises up like a flood, And its waters move like the rivers; And he says, ‘I will go up and cover the earth, I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.’

New American Standard Bible
Egypt rises like the Nile, And like the rivers whose waters surge; And He has said, “I will rise and cover that land; I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.”

NASB 1995
Egypt rises like the Nile, Even like the rivers whose waters surge about; And He has said, “I will rise and cover that land; I will surely destroy the city and its inhabitants.”

NASB 1977
Egypt rises like the Nile, Even like the rivers whose waters surge about; And He has said, “I will rise and cover that land; I will surely destroy the city and its inhabitants.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Egypt rises like the Nile, Even like the rivers whose waters toss about; And He has said, “I will rise and cover that land; I will surely cause the city to perish, as well as its inhabitants.”

Amplified Bible
Egypt rises like the Nile, Even like the rivers whose waters surge about. And He has said, “I will rise, I will cover that land; I will certainly destroy the city and its inhabitants.”

Christian Standard Bible
Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers. He boasts, “I will go up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities with their residents.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers. He boasts, “I will go up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities with their residents.”

American Standard Version
Egypt riseth up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he saith, I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and the inhabitants thereof.

Contemporary English Version
It is Egypt, rising with a roar like a raging river and saying, "I'll flood the earth, destroying cities, and killing everyone in them."

English Revised Version
Egypt riseth up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he saith, I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Egypt is like the rising Nile River, like a river quickly overflowing its banks. Egypt says, 'I will rise; I will cover the earth. I will destroy cities and the people in them.'

Good News Translation
It is Egypt, rising like the Nile, like a river flooding its banks. Egypt said, 'I will rise and cover the world; I will destroy cities and the people who live there.

International Standard Version
Egypt is rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He says, 'I'll rise and cover the land. I'll destroy the city and its inhabitants.'

Majority Standard Bible
Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ?I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.?

NET Bible
Egypt rises like the Nile, like its streams turbulent at flood stage. Egypt says, 'I will arise and cover the earth. I will destroy cities and the people who inhabit them.'

New Heart English Bible
Egypt rises up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he says, 'I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and its inhabitants.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.

World English Bible
Egypt rises up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He says, ‘I will rise up. I will cover the earth. I will destroy cities and its inhabitants.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Egypt comes up as a flood, "" And the waters shake themselves as rivers. And he says, I go up; I cover the land, I destroy the city and the inhabitants in it.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Smith's Literal Translation
Egypt as a river will come up, and as rivers the waters will be moved; and he will say, I will go up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and those dwelling in it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Egypt riseth up like a hood, and the waves thereof shall be moved as rivers, and he shall say: I will go up and will cover the earth: I will destroy the city, and its inhabitants.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Egypt ascends in the form of a river, and its waves will be moved like those of a river. And he will say: ‘I will ascend and cover the earth! I will perish the city and its inhabitants!’

New American Bible
Egypt rears up like the Nile, like rivers, its waters surge. “I will rear up,” it says, “and cover the earth, destroying the city and its people.

New Revised Standard Version
Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. It said, Let me rise, let me cover the earth, let me destroy cities and their inhabitants.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The king of Egypt is rising up like a river, and his waters surge like the rivers; and he says, I will go up, and I will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The King of Egypt came up as a river, and his waters are enraged like rivers, and he said: “I shall ascend and I shall cover the land and I shall destroy the city and its inhabitants
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Egypt is like the Nile that riseth up, And like the rivers whose waters toss themselves; And he saith: 'I will rise up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The waters of Egypt shall come up like a river: and he said, I will go up, and will cover the earth, and will destroy the dwellers in it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Judgment on Egypt
7Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn? 8Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’ 9Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth—Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow.…

Cross References
Isaiah 8:7-8
the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks. / It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!

Ezekiel 29:3
Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’

Nahum 1:8
But with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of Nineveh and pursue His enemies into darkness.

Isaiah 19:5-6
The waters of the Nile will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and empty. / The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither.

Isaiah 11:15
The LORD will devote to destruction the gulf of the Sea of Egypt; with a scorching wind He will sweep His hand over the Euphrates. He will split it into seven streams for men to cross with dry sandals.

Ezekiel 32:2
“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churning up the waters with your feet and muddying the streams.’

Isaiah 14:29-31
Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg. / Then the firstborn of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety, but I will kill your root by famine, and your remnant will be slain. / Wail, O gate! Cry out, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! For a cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.

Isaiah 23:10
Cultivate your land like the Nile, O Daughter of Tarshish; there is no longer a harbor.

Isaiah 30:28
His breath is like a rushing torrent that rises to the neck. He comes to sift the nations in a sieve of destruction; He bridles the jaws of the peoples to lead them astray.

Isaiah 27:1
In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea.

Revelation 12:15-16
Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent. / But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

Revelation 17:1
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.

Revelation 17:15
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Revelation 16:12
And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.

Matthew 24:38-39
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. / And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.


Treasury of Scripture

Egypt rises up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he said, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

riseth

Ezekiel 29:3
Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.

Ezekiel 32:2
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.

I will go

Exodus 15:9,10
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them…

Isaiah 10:13-16
For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: …

Isaiah 37:24-26
By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel…

Jump to Previous
Cities City Cover Covering Destroy Destruction Earth Egypt Flood Heads Inhabitants Lifting Moved Nile Rise Rises Riseth Rivers Shake Surely Surge Themselves Thereof Toss Waters
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Cities City Cover Covering Destroy Destruction Earth Egypt Flood Heads Inhabitants Lifting Moved Nile Rise Rises Riseth Rivers Shake Surely Surge Themselves Thereof Toss Waters
Jeremiah 46
1. Jeremiah prophesies the overthrow of Pharaoh's army at Euphrates
13. and the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar
27. He comforts Jacob in his chastisement














Egypt rises like the Nile
The imagery of Egypt rising like the Nile is deeply rooted in the historical and geographical context of ancient Egypt. The Nile River was the lifeblood of Egypt, providing sustenance and fertility to the land. The Hebrew word for "rises" (עָלָה, 'alah) conveys a sense of ascending or coming up, much like the annual flooding of the Nile that brought both life and destruction. This metaphor suggests Egypt's power and potential for both growth and devastation. Historically, Egypt was a formidable power, often seen as a symbol of human pride and self-reliance, which is contrasted with reliance on God.

its waters churn like rivers
The churning waters symbolize chaos and overwhelming force. The Hebrew word for "churn" (תִּרְעַשׁ, tir'ash) implies a trembling or quaking, indicating the tumultuous and unstoppable nature of Egypt's military might. Rivers in the ancient Near East were often associated with life and prosperity, but also with danger and unpredictability. This duality reflects Egypt's potential to both nurture and destroy, a reminder of the transient nature of human power compared to the eternal sovereignty of God.

boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth
The phrase "boasting" (אָמַר, 'amar) indicates a declaration of intent or self-assured proclamation. Egypt's confidence in its ability to "cover the earth" reflects its imperial ambitions and self-perception as a dominant force. This boastful attitude is a common theme in Scripture, where human pride is often met with divine judgment. The imagery of covering the earth suggests a desire for expansion and control, reminiscent of the Tower of Babel narrative, where human ambition is ultimately thwarted by God.

I will destroy the cities and their people
The declaration to "destroy the cities and their people" underscores the destructive potential of Egypt's power. The Hebrew word for "destroy" (שָׁחַת, shachat) conveys a sense of corruption or ruin, highlighting the moral and physical devastation that follows unchecked human ambition. This phrase serves as a warning against the hubris of nations that seek to elevate themselves above God's authority. In the broader biblical narrative, such destruction is often portrayed as a consequence of turning away from God's righteous path, emphasizing the need for humility and dependence on divine guidance.

Verse 8. - Egypt riseth up, etc. The answer to the question in ver. 7. The city. The article is not expressed; and there can be no doubt that the word is used collectively of cities in general (comp. Jeremiah 47:2).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Egypt
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

rises
יַֽעֲלֶ֔ה (ya·‘ă·leh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

like the Nile,
כַּיְאֹ֣ר (kay·’ōr)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2975: Nile -- a channel, a fosse, canal, shaft, the Nile, the Tigris

and its waters
מָ֑יִם (mā·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

churn
יִתְגֹּ֣עֲשׁוּ (yiṯ·gō·‘ă·šū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1607: To agitate violently

like rivers,
וְכַנְּהָר֖וֹת (wə·ḵan·nə·hā·rō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5104: A stream, prosperity

boasting,
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I will rise
אַֽעֲלֶה֙ (’a·‘ă·leh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

and cover
אֲכַסֶּה־ (’ă·ḵas·seh-)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover

the earth;
אֶ֔רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

I will destroy
אֹבִ֥ידָה (’ō·ḇî·ḏāh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

the cities
עִ֖יר (‘îr)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

and their people.”
וְיֹ֥שְׁבֵי (wə·yō·šə·ḇê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 46:8 Egypt rises up like the Nile (Jer.)
Jeremiah 46:7
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