Jer 46:5 | NET2full | STEP | “ What do I see ? The soldiers are frightened . They are retreating . They are being scattered . They have fled for refuge without looking back . Terror is all around them,” says the Lord .

‏ Jeremiah 46:5

5 “What do I see? ^{▼▼tn Heb “Why do I see?” or “Why have I seen?” The rendering is that of J. A. Thompson (Jeremiah [NICOT], 685, 88) and J. Bright (Jeremiah [AB], 301; TEV; NIV). The question is not asking for information but expressing surprise or wonder (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 951).} ^{▼▼sn The passage jumps forward in time here, moving from the Egyptian army being summoned to battle to a description of their being routed in defeat.}
The soldiers ^{▼▼tn Heb “Their soldiers.” These words are actually at the midpoint of the stanza as the subject of the third of the five verbs. However, as G. L. Keown, P. J. Scalise, and T. G. Smothers (Jeremiah 26-52 [WBC], 291) note, this is the subject of all five verbs: “are terrified,” “are retreating,” “have been defeated,” “have run away,” and “have not looked back.” The subject is put at the front to avoid an unidentified “they.”} are frightened.
They are retreating.
They are being scattered. ^{▼▼tn The verb יֻכַּתּוּ (yukkattu) is a Hophal imperfect from כָּתַת (katat). The imperfect can depict an action in progress, which fits the present timeframe of the verse. Many different constructions are employed to fit the present timeframe in this verse: predicate adj., participle, imperfect, perfect (for past action with continuing results), and a nominal clause.}
They have fled for refuge
without looking back. ^{▼▼tn Heb “have not looked back.”}
Terror is all around them,” ^{▼▼tn Heb “Terror is all around.” This phrase also appears at Jer 6:25; 20:3 (cf. v. 4); 20:10; and, in a nearly identical form, Lam 2:22.} says the Lord.