Jeremiah 13:19
Context13:19 The gates of the towns in southern Judah will be shut tight. 1
No one will be able to go in or out of them. 2
All Judah will be carried off into exile.
They will be completely carried off into exile.’” 3
Jeremiah 44:1
Context44:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah concerning 4 all the Judeans who were living in the land of Egypt, those in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and in the region of southern Egypt. 5
1 tn Heb “The towns of the Negev will be shut.”
2 tn Heb “There is no one to open them.” The translation is based on the parallel in Josh 6:1 where the very expression in the translation is used. Opening the city would have permitted entrance (of relief forces) as well as exit (of fugitives).
3 sn The statements are poetic exaggerations (hyperbole), as most commentaries note. Even in the exile of 587
4 tn Heb “The word came to Jeremiah concerning.” Though the phrase “from the
5 sn The first three cities, Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis, are located in Northern or Lower Egypt. Memphis (Heb “Noph”) was located south of Heliopolis (which was referred to earlier as “the temple of the sun”) and was about fourteen miles (23 km) south of Cairo. For the identification and location of Tahpanhes see the study note on Jer 43:7. The location of Migdol has been debated but is tentatively identified with a border fortress about twenty-five miles (42 km) east-northeast of Tahpanhes. The “region of southern Egypt” is literally “the land of Pathros,” the long Nile valley extending north and south between Cairo and Aswan (biblical Syene). For further information see the discussion in G. L. Keown, P. J. Scalise, T. G. Smothers, Jeremiah 26-52 (WBC), 262-63. Reference here is to Judean exiles who had fled earlier as well as to those from Mizpah who were led into Egypt by Johanan and the other arrogant men (43:3, 5).