Jeremiah 46:3 — Word Study
WLCעִרְכ֤וּ מָגֵן֙ וְצִנָּ֔ה וּגְשׁ֖וּ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
BSADeployʻârak [prepare, set in order] your shields, smallmâgên [buckler, protective device, like a breastplate] and largetsinnâh [for full coverage] advancenâgash [draw near, approach] for battlemilchâmâh [war, conflict, fight]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עִרְכ֤וּ | set in order | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine plural |
| מָגֵן֙ | shield | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְצִנָּ֔ה | and body shield | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וּגְשׁ֖וּ | and draw near | Conjunction, verb qal imperative second person masculine plural |
| לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ | for battle | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle! |
| KJV | Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. |
| ASV | Prepare ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. |
| YLT | 'Set ye in array shield and buckler, And draw nigh to battle. |
| WEB | “Prepare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle! |
| BBE | Get out the breastplate and body-cover, and come together to the fight. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of מָגֵן — see How Translations Differ.
The verse has one main command followed by two imperative phrases, emphasizing the urgency of action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbעָרַךְ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Jeremiah 46:3
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Prophecy Against Egyptgenerated
Jeremiah 46:3 is part of a prophecy concerning Egypt and its defeat by Babylon. The prophet Jeremiah urges the Egyptian army to prepare for battle, highlighting the imminent threat they face. This call to arms is set within a larger narrative of judgment against nations that oppose God's will, as seen throughout the book of Jeremiah.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 51:11–12 | Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD— vengeance for His temple. |
| 2 | Isaiah 8:9–10 | Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered! |
| 3 | Isaiah 21:5 | They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields! |
| 4 | Joel 3:9 | Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war; rouse the mighty men; let all the men of war advance and attack! |
| 5 | Nahum 2:1 |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עִרְכ֤וּ, 'ir.Khugenerated
The Hebrew word עָרַךְ (arak) means to arrange or set in order. It conveys the idea of preparation, often in a military context, such as organizing troops for battle. The imperative form here indicates a direct command to the soldiers to take action and prepare themselves for the fight ahead.
This word emphasizes the importance of readiness and order in the face of conflict. The parsing tells us this is a verb in the Qal stem, which is the most common form, indicating simple action without any special nuance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is עִרְכ֤וּ, set in order, which governs the command to prepare shields. This is followed by a noun phrase specifying the objects of the command, and a prepositional phrase indicating the purpose of the preparation.
The structure emphasizes the urgency of the command, with the imperative verb leading the sentence. The arrangement of the phrases indicates a clear directive for the soldiers to take immediate action.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עִרְכ֤וּ as ἀναλάβετε (analabete), meaning 'take up' or 'lift'. This choice suggests a focus on actively taking up arms rather than merely arranging them, which may reflect an interpretative angle on the urgency of the command.
The use of ὅπλα for מָגֵן indicates a broader understanding of weapons and protective gear, emphasizing the readiness for battle in a more general sense.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Jeremiah 46:3 urges the Egyptian soldiers to prepare for battle against Babylon. The prophet commands them to set in order their shields, both small and large, emphasizing the need for readiness in the face of conflict.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To deploy shields means to prepare and arrange them for use in battle, ensuring that soldiers are ready to defend themselves.
The call for both small and large shields indicates the need for various types of protection, symbolizing readiness for different combat situations.
Preparing for battle signifies the seriousness of the threat and the need for immediate action to confront an enemy.
This verse reflects Jeremiah's role as a prophet warning nations of impending judgment and the necessity of being prepared for the consequences of their actions.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to prepare more thoroughly for challenges ahead?
- How can I apply the principle of readiness in my daily life?
- What does it mean for me to 'take up my shield' in spiritual or personal battles?
- How can I support others in their preparations for the challenges they face?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Cyril of Alexandria quotes this verse to emphasize the need for spiritual readiness and the invincibility of God's power in battle.
Therefore as the prophet Jeremiah has said, Take up arms and shields. Especially as the right hand of God our Savior is invincible in the battle, and as most wise Paul has said,Early Church Fathers on Jeremiah 46 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 46:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleOrder ye the buckler and shield,.... Both signify one and the same sort of armour, only of a different form, the one being lesser and lighter than the other.
Read John Gill on Jeremiah 46 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOrder ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. Derisive summons to battle. With all your mighty preparation for the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, when ye come to the encounter ye shall be "dismayed" (Jeremiah 46:5).
Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 46 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJeremiah 46:3 Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.Ver. 3. Order ye the buckler and shield.] So Pharaoh is brought in bespeaking his forces, when he was going to fight against Nebuchadnezzar. Or so the prophet bespeaketh the Egyptians ironically, and by way of scoff; q.d., Do so, but all shall be to no purpose, See the like Isaiah 8:9. Congregamini et vincemini. We are assembled and will be conquered. Yea, though upon Pharaoh’ s shield should be the same inscription that was once upon Agamemnon’ s, This is the terror of all mortal wights. Hypotuposis ironica. State galeati, loricati, lanceati: sed frustra. Oυτοςμενφσβοςεστιβροτων. - Pausan.
Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 46 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3, 4) Order ye the buckler and shield . . .—The poem opens with a summons to the hosts of Nebuchadnezzar to prepare for their victory. First the foot-soldiers are called, then the horse, lastly the light-armed troops. Put on the brigandines.—The history of the word is not without interest. Light-armed skirmishers were known in Italian as “brigands” (briganti—literally, “quarrellers”); the light coat of mail worn by them was accordingly known as a “brigandine.” When the Italian word became synonymous with robbers by land or sea, the ship used by them was called a brigantino, and from this is derived our English “brig” (W. A. Wright: Bible Word Book). The word “brigandine” is accordingly…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 46 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. Order ye the buckler] This is the call to the general armament of the people against the Chaldeans.
Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 46 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2–12. Co. declines to accept objections which have been brought by some recent commentators to the substantial genuineness of these vv., and Gi. on the whole agrees, but considers the passage to have been expanded.
Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 46 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleOrder ye ... - “i. e., prepare ye, make ready.” The buckler was a small round target carried by the lightly-armed troops: the shield belonged to the heavily-armed troops, and was large enough to protect the whole body.
Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 46 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleSONG OF TRIUMPH FOR THE DEFEAT OF EGYPT, Jeremiah 46:3-12.3. Order — Prepare, make ready. Buckler — Small shield, carried by the light-armed troops. Shield — A piece of larger defensive size for the heavy armed troops.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Jeremiah 46 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
“Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle!
“Prepare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!
“Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle!
“Fall into ranks with your shields ready! Prepare to march into battle!
Tyndale line
Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.
Prepare ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.
Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.
Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.
Make readie buckler and shielde, and goe forth to battell.
Strictly literal
Make ready buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!
'Set ye in array shield and buckler, And draw nigh to battle.
“Set shield and buckler in array, || And draw near to battle.
Make ye ready shield and buckler, and draw near to the battle.
Get the small shields and the large shields ready, and go forward to fight.
From the Latin
Prepare ye the shield and buckler, and go forth to battle.
Simplified
Pick up both your small and large shields, and advance ready for battle!
Get out the breastplate and body-cover, and come together to the fight.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of Jeremiah 46:3 reads, "עִרְכ֤וּ מָגֵן֙ וְצִנָּ֔ה וּגְשׁ֖וּ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃" which translates to "Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle!" The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching all five words in a word-by-word correspondence, although the order and articles may differ due to the nature of the Greek language. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong textual agreement across these ancient witnesses.
עִרְכ֤וּ מָגֵן֙ וְצִנָּ֔ה וּגְשׁ֖וּ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Jeremiah 46:3
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
עָרַךְ (arak) means to arrange or set in order, applicable in various contexts such as preparing a table, organizing a battle, or stating a legal case. It can also denote valuing or taxing in the Hiphil form. The word encompasses a wide range of meanings related to order and comparison.
עָרַךְ vb. arrange or set in order
Qal
arrange in order, seven altars
set or lay in order, as wood
in common life, arrange a table
arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order
arrange weapons of army in order for battle
arrange words
state in order, set forth a legal case
compare (as result of arranging in order)
intrans. be comparable
base
עָרַךְ vb. denom. Hiph. value (for taxation), tax
base
H6186a עָרַךְ arrange or set in order .. . arrange in order, seven altars
. set or lay in order, as wood
. in common life, arrange a table
. arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order
. arrange weapons of army in order for battle
. arrange words
. state in order, set forth a legal case
. . compare (as result of arranging in order)
. intrans. be comparable
H6186b עָרַךְ vb. denom. Hiph. value (for taxation), tax
6186 `arak aw-rak'
a primitive root; to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order
(in a very wide variety of applications):--put (set) (the
battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem,
estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle),
ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax,
value.
עָרַךְ (a.rakh) — to arrange.
1) to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to arrange or set or lay in order, arrange, state in order, set forth (a legal case), set in place
1a2) to compare, be comparable
עָרַךְ (a.rakh) — to value.
(Hiphil) to value, tax
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine pluralHVqv2mp
or'-der (`arakh, "to arrange"; tassein ( diatassein, taxis, tagma)): "Order" in Biblical phrases may indicate
(1) arrangement in rows,
(2) sequence in time,
(3) classification and organization,
(4) likeness or manner,
(5) regulation, direction or command, or
(6) the declaring of a will.
In many passages it is difficult if not impossible to determine from the English text alone in which of these senses the word is used.
1. Arrangement in Rows:
מָגֵן (magen) means 'shield' and can refer to both a small shield or buckler and a figurative protector. It can also denote the scaly hide of a crocodile. The word is feminine in plural form, מִגִּנָּה (mginnah), and is derived from a root meaning to cover or protect.
מָגֵן n.m. & f. shield
base
H4043 מָגֵן shield
4043 magen maw-gane'
also (in plural) feminine mginnah {meg-in-naw'}; from 1598; a
shield (i.e. the small one or buckler); figuratively, a
protector; also the scaly hide of the crocodile:--X armed,
buckler, defence, ruler, + scale, shield.
see HEBREW for 01598
מָגֵן (ma.gen) — shield.
shield, buckler
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
sheld.
See ARMOR, IV, 1.
Shield
Used in defensive warfare, varying at different times and under different circumstances in size, form, and material (1 Sam. 17:7; 2 Sam. 1:21; 1 Kings 10:17; 1 Chr. 12:8, 24, 34; Isa. 22:6; Ezek. 39:9; Nahum 2:3).
Used figuratively of God and of earthly princes as the defenders of their people (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29; Ps. 33:20; 84:11). Faith is…
The ordinary shield consisted of a framework of wood covered with leather; it thus admitted of being burnt. (Ezekiel 39:9) It was frequently cased with metal, either brass or copper; its appearance in this case resembled gold when the sun shone on it, 1 Macc. 6:39 and to this, rather than to the practice of smearing blood on the shield we may refer the redness noticed by. Nahum. (Nahum 2:3) The surface of the shield was kept bright by the application of oil as implied in (Isaiah 21:5) The shield was worn on the left arm, to which it was attached by a strap. Shields of state were covered with beaten gold. Shields were suspended about public buildings for ornamental purposes. (1 Kings 10:17) In the metaphorical language of the…
The Hebrew word צִנָּה (*tsinnah*) has meanings related to a hook or barb, coolness, and a large shield. It is derived from a root meaning 'to prick' and can refer to something piercing or protective. The entries highlight its use in contexts like Amos 4:2 for a hook and Proverbs 25:13 for coolness.
H6793a צִנָּה appar. hook, or barb (of fishing-spear?) H6793b צִנָּה coolness H6793c צִנָּה large shield (covering whole body)
6793 tsinnah tsin-naw'
feminine of 6791; a hook (as pointed); also a (large) shield
(as if guarding by prickliness); also cold (as piercing):--
buckler, cold, hook, shield, target.
see HEBREW for 06791
צִנָּה (tsin.nah) — hook.
1) something piercing, hook, barb
1a) meaning uncertain
צִנָּה (tsin.nah) — coolness.
coolness, cold (of snow)
צִנָּה (tsin.nah) — shield.
1) shield, large shield, buckler
1a) shield
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
sheld.
See ARMOR, IV, 1.
Shield
Used in defensive warfare, varying at different times and under different circumstances in size, form, and material (1 Sam. 17:7; 2 Sam. 1:21; 1 Kings 10:17; 1 Chr. 12:8, 24, 34; Isa. 22:6; Ezek. 39:9; Nahum 2:3).
Used figuratively of God and of earthly princes as the defenders of their people (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29; Ps. 33:20; 84:11). Faith is…
The ordinary shield consisted of a framework of wood covered with leather; it thus admitted of being burnt. (Ezekiel 39:9) It was frequently cased with metal, either brass or copper; its appearance in this case resembled gold when the sun shone on it, 1 Macc. 6:39 and to this, rather than to the practice of smearing blood on the shield we may refer the redness noticed by. Nahum. (Nahum 2:3) The surface of the shield was kept bright by the application of oil as implied in (Isaiah 21:5) The shield was worn on the left arm, to which it was attached by a strap. Shields of state were covered with beaten gold. Shields were suspended about public buildings for ornamental purposes. (1 Kings 10:17) In the metaphorical language of the…
נָגַשׁ (nagash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to draw near or approach. It can refer to humans or inanimate subjects and includes various forms such as causing to approach or being brought near. The term also has euphemistic uses, including sexual intercourse. The entries indicate a range of applications, from physical proximity to religious worship.
[נָגַשׁ] 125 vb. draw near, approach
Qal draw near or come near
Niph. draw near
Hiph. cause to approach, bring near, bring
Hoph. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name
Hithp. draw near!
base
H5066 [נָגַשׁ] draw near, approach .draw near or come near
. draw near
. cause to approach, bring near, bring
. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name
. draw near!
5066 nagash naw-gash'
a primitive root; to be or come (causatively, bring) near
(for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an
enemy, to attack; relig. to worship; causatively, to present;
figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand
back:--(make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither,
near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go
hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake,
present, put, stand.
נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: approach.
: approach
1) to draw near, approach
1a) (Qal) to draw or come near
1a1) of humans
1a1a) of sexual intercourse
1a2) of inanimate subject
1a2a) to approach one another
1b) (Niphal) to draw near
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring
1d) (Hophal) to be brought near
1e) (Hithpael) to draw near
Also means: na.gash (נָגַשׁ ": bring" H5066H)
נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: bring.
: bring/offer
1) to draw near, approach
1a) (Qal) to draw or come near
1a1) of humans
1a1a) of sexual intercourse
1a2) of inanimate subject
1a2a) to approach one another
1b) (Niphal) to draw near
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring
1d) (Hophal) to be brought near
1e) (Hithpael) to draw near
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine pluralHC/Vqv2mp
מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) means 'battle' or 'war.' It is derived from the root word for fighting and encompasses both specific engagements and the broader concept of warfare. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war
base
H4421 מִלְחָמָה battle, war
4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw'
from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the
engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--battle,
fight(-ing), war((-rior)).
see HEBREW for 03898
מִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) — battle.
battle, war
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
See WAR.