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"Have you not brought this on yourself?"

Text: Jeremiah 2:17

ISRAEL’S RELATIONSHIP WITH EGYPT

Israel’s relationship with Egypt may be traced all the way back to the time Abram sojourned there in a time of famine (Genesis 12). Joseph was sold as slave and ended up as the right-hand man of the Pharaoh when a world famine took place (Genesis 39-50). Jacob brought the whole family to reside in Egypt on invitation by Joseph. Israel became enslaved by wicked Pharaohs in the latter years. Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and they finally settled in Canaan.

Israel continued to relate to Egypt politically in the period of the monarchies of Israel and Judah. Egypt continued to attract the attention of both Israel and Judah. Facing the Assyrians and later the Babylonians, both Israel and Judah relied on Egypt for protection instead of on the LORD their God.

“Also the people of Noph and Tahpanhes
Have broken the crown of your head.
Have you not brought this on yourself,
In that you have forsaken the LORD your God
When He led you in the way?”
Jeremiah 2:16-17

1. “Also the people of Noph and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head”

a) Noph was the name Israel gave to Memphis.

i) This was the capital of Lower Egypt.

ii) Judah turned to Egypt for protection in the face of a threat of war with Babylon.

b) Tahpanhes

i) This was a stronghold of Egypt.

ii) This city would be captured by the Babylonians (Jeremiah 43:8-13).

c) The two cities represented Egypt and its power in the region.

d) Judah was humiliated by the Egyptians.

i) The crown of their head was broken by the Egyptians.

ii) They were ill-treated and despised by the people (allies) they turned to for help.

iii) This was not expected by Judah for they had pinned their hope on Egypt.

2. “Have you not brought this on yourself?”

a) There was no sympathy from the Lord.

b) Israel had brought this humiliation on itself.

3. “In that you have forsaken the LORD your God when He led you in the way”

a) The LORD had led Israel out of Egypt triumphantly (Exodus 13-15).

b) He had enabled a fledging nation to conquer Canaan successfully.

c) God had blessed and protected the nation for years.

d) But Israel and Judah had forsaken the LORD their God.

e) Israel

i) It had turned to Egypt for help when the Assyrians invaded the land.

ii) Egypt failed to offer any significant help.

iii) Israel was captured by Assyria in 722 BC.

f) Judah

i) It was under threat from Babylon.

ii) Babylon was even stronger than Assyria.

iii) Judah turned to Egypt for assistance (Noph and Tahpanhes).

iv) Could Egypt really offer any significant help to Judah in the face of the Babylonian threat?