Jeremiah 46:23They shall cut down her forest, says Yahweh, though it can't be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.
The setting
Babylon, ~605 BC. Jeremiah concludes Egypt's judgment prophecy with total deforestation imagery. Modern-day Nile Delta, Egypt.
The emotion here: heartbroken over the completeness of coming destruction while trusting God's word must be fulfilled
The original word
ya'arah (יַעְרָהּ) — her forest, Egypt's dense population and prosperity
Why it matters
Egypt's Nile Delta was so densely populated it was called 'the forest' by surrounding nations
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 46:23
The 'forest' isn't trees — it's Egypt's crowded cities that will be 'clear-cut' by invaders
Common misconceptionPeople think this celebrates Egypt's destruction, but Jeremiah wept over foreign nations' judgments. God's justice brings Him no joy — it's necessary medicine, not preferred treatment.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 46:23
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 46:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 46:23 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include complete destruction, divine judgment. Notable phrases: cut down her forest; more than the locusts. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 46:23 mean to you, today?
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