Jeremiah 46:21

¹⁹ O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.

²⁰ Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.

Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.

²² The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.

²³ They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Even the mercenaries among her are like fattened calves. They too will turn back; together they will flee, they will not stand their ground, for the day of calamity is coming upon them— the time of their punishment.
KJV: Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.
WEB: Also her hired men in the middle of her are like calves of the stall, for they also are turned back. They have fled away together. They didn’t stand, for the day of their calamity has come on them, the time of their visitation.
ASV: Also her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall; for they also are turned back, they are fled away together, they did not stand: for the day of their calamity is come upon them, the time of their visitation.
DARBY: Also her hired men in the midst of her are like fatted bullocks; for they also have turned back, they have fled away together, they did not stand; for the day of their calamity is come upon them, the time of their visitation.
BLB: Even her hirelings among her [are] like calves of the stall, for also they have turned back; they have fled away together, they have not stood, for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their punishment.

ÅB: Også de leide krigsmenn som det har i sin midte, de som er lik gjøkalver, ja, også de vender om, flykter alle sammen, de holder ikke stand; for deres ulykkesdag er kommet over dem, deres hjemsøkelses tid.
OTB: Leiesoldatene i hennes rekker er som velnærede kalver. Også de vil snu og flykte sammen, de vil ikke stå sin grunn, for ulykkens dag kommer over dem, tiden for dem å bli straffet.
B1930: Også de leide krigsmenn som det har i sin midte, de som er lik gjøkalver, ja, også de vender om, flyr alle sammen, de holder ikke stand; for deres ulykkesdag er kommet over dem, deres hjemsøkelses tid.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Kings 7:6
For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
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Obadiah 1:13
Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;
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Jeremiah 46:5
Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.
Read in context
Amos 6:4
That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;
Read in context
Micah 7:4
The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
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Hosea 9:7
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
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Psalms 37:13
The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
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Isaiah 34:7
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.
Read in context