Jeremiah 2 · Verse 18

Jeremiah 2:18

And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
Jeremiah 2:18, King James Version

Jeremiah 2:18 in other translations

BSBNow what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
WEBNow what do you gain by going to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or why do you go on the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
ASVAnd now what hast thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? or what hast thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
YLTAnd now, what--to thee in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And what--to thee in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?
DARBYAnd now, what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
BBEAnd now, what have you to do on the way to Egypt, to get your drink from the waters of the Nile? or what have you to do on the way to Assyria, to get your drink from the waters of the River?
WebsterAnd now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

What does Jeremiah 2:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. now--used in a reasoning sense, not of time. the way of Egypt--What hast thou to do with the way, that is, with going down to Egypt; or what ... with going to Assyria? drink ... waters--that is, to seek reinvigorating aid from them; so Jr 2:13, 36; compare "waters," meaning numerous forces (Is 8:7). Sihor--that is, the black river, in Greek, Melas ("black"), the Nile: so called from the black deposit or soil it leaves after the inundation (Is 23:3). The Septuagint identifies it with Gihon, one of the rivers of Paradise. the river--Euphrates, called by pre-eminence, the river; figurative for the Assyrian power. In 625 B.C., the seventeenth year of Josiah, and the fourth of Jeremiah's office, the kingdom of Assyria fell before Babylon, therefore Assyria is here put for Babylon its successor: so in 2Ki 23:29; La 5:6. There was doubtless a league between Judea and Assyria (that is, Babylon), which caused Josiah to march against Pharaoh-necho of Egypt when that king went against Babylon: the evil consequences of this league are foretold in this verse and Jr 2:36.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt - Why dost thou make alliances with Egypt? To drink the waters of Sihor? - This means the Nile. See on Isa 23:3 (note). The way of Assyria - Why make alliances with the Assyrians? All such connections will only expedite thy ruin. To drink the waters of the river? - The Euphrates, as נהר nahar or הנהר hannahar always means Euphrates, the country between the Tigris and Euphrates, is termed to this day Maher alnahar, "the country beyond the river," i.e., Mesopotamia. Instead of cleaving to the Lord, they joined affinity and made alliances with those two nations, who were ever jealous of them, and sought their ruin. Egypt was to them a broken reed instead of a staff; Assyria was a leaky cistern, from which they could derive no help.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 2:14-19

Is Israel a servant? No, they are the seed of Abraham. We may apply this spiritually: Is the soul of man a slave? No, it is not; but has sold its own liberty, and enslaved itself to divers lusts and passions. The Assyrian princes, like lions, prevailed against Israel. People from Egypt destroyed their glory and strength. They brought these calamities on themselves by departing from the Lord. The use and application…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 2:14-19 →

Jeremiah 2:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעַתָּ֗הve.'a.Tahand thereforeH6258
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
לָּךְ֙loKh[is] to <the> you
לְדֶ֣רֶךְle.De.rekhto [the] journey ofH1870
מִצְרַ֔יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgyptH4714
לִשְׁתּ֖וֹתlish.Totto drinkH8354
מֵ֣יmei[the] water ofH4325
שִׁח֑וֹרshi.Chor[the] ShihorH7883
וּמַה\־u.mah-and what?H4100
לָּךְ֙loKh[is] to <the> you
לְדֶ֣רֶךְle.De.rekhto [the] journey ofH1870
אַשּׁ֔וּר'a.ShurAssyriaH804
לִשְׁתּ֖וֹתlish.Totto drinkH8354
מֵ֥יmei[the] water ofH4325
נָהָֽר\׃na.Har[the] RiverH5104

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 2:18

  • Joshua 13:3

    From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

  • Jeremiah 2:36

    Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

  • Isaiah 31:1

    Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!

  • Hosea 7:11

    Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

  • 2 Chronicles 28:20-21

    And Tilgath–pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.

  • Jeremiah 37:5-10

    Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem. Then came the word of the Lord unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire. …

  • Hosea 5:13

    When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

  • 2 Kings 16:7-9

    So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath–pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me. And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

  • Ezekiel 17:15

    But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?

  • Lamentations 4:17

    As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.

  • Isaiah 30:1-7

    Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
what hast.
36; 37:5-10; Isa 30:1-7; 31:1; La 4:17; Eze 17:15; Ho 7:11
Sihor.
Jos 13:3
or what hast.
2Ki 16:7-9; 2Ch 28:20,21; Ho 5:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 2:17

    Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?

  • Jeremiah 2:18

    And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

  • Jeremiah 2:19

    Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.

Read all of Jeremiah 2

Jeremiah 2:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ahora pues, ¿qué tienes tú en el camino de Egipto, para que bebas agua del Nilo? ¿y qué tienes tú en el camino de Asiria, para que bebas agua del río?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et maintenant, qu’as-tu affaire d’aller en Égypte pour boire les eaux du Shikhor? Et qu’as-tu affaire d’aller vers l’Assyrie pour boire les eaux du fleuve?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nun, was hast du mit dem Wege nach Ägypten zu schaffen, um die Wasser des Sichor zu trinken? und was hast du mit dem Wege nach Assyrien zu schaffen, um die Wasser des Stromes zu trinken?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et nunc quid tibi vis in via Ægypti, ut bibas aquam turbidam? et quid tibi cum via Assyriorum, ut bibas aquam fluminis?