He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.

JEREMIAH 46:16KJV
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Jeremiah 46:16 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 46:16 mean?

Jeremiah 46:16 describes a scene of chaos and defeat, where many people fall in battle and, in their panic, urge each other to flee back to their own homeland to escape the violence. The verse shows people overwhelmed by the threat of the sword, seeking safety among their own people and in the land where they were born.

In this chapter, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking about Egypt’s army being defeated by Babylon. The verse captures the confusion and fear among the Egyptian soldiers and their allies as they realize they cannot withstand the attack. Instead of fighting, they decide to abandon the battle and return home, highlighting the total collapse of their resistance.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 46:16

  • "many" (רַבִּים, rabbim): This word means "many" or "numerous," emphasizing the large number of people who are falling in the battle, not just a few.
  • "fall" (כָּשַׁל, kashal) and "fell" (נָפַל, naphal): Both words describe stumbling or collapsing, painting a vivid picture of soldiers tripping over each other in their rush to escape.
  • "oppressing" (יַעְנָה, ya‘nah): This word carries the sense of harshness or affliction, showing that the sword (a symbol of war) is not just dangerous but actively causing suffering and driving people away.

Why Jeremiah 46:16 matters

  • Jeremiah 46:16 clarifies that the defeat is so overwhelming that even foreign mercenaries or allies in Egypt’s army want to leave, not just native Egyptians.
  • The verse emphasizes the total breakdown of morale, as soldiers no longer think of victory but only of survival and returning home.
  • This moment connects to the larger message of Jeremiah 46, which is God’s judgment against Egypt and the futility of relying on military strength instead of trusting God.

Where else these words appear

“oppressing” Hebrew H3238 · used in 20 verses

  • Exodus 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
  • Psalms 123:4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
  • Ezekiel 18:12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

“nativity” Hebrew H4138 · used in 21 verses

  • Genesis 11:28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.
  • Genesis 32:9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:
  • Esther 2:10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

“fall” Hebrew H3782 · used in 59 verses

  • Leviticus 26:37 And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
  • Isaiah 3:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
  • Jeremiah 50:32 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.