horses and trust in chariots, because they are many; but they look
not unto the holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord. The Egyptians are
men, and not God; and their horses flesh, not spirit: when the Lord shall
stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is
holpen shall fall down, and they shall fail together."(479) But neither
the prophet nor the king were heard; and nothing but the most fatal
experience could open their eyes, and make them see evidently the truth of
God's threatenings.

The Jews behaved in the very same manner on this occasion. Zedekiah,
notwithstanding all the remonstrances of Jeremiah to the contrary,
resolved to conclude an alliance with the Egyptian monarch; who, puffed up
with the success of his arms, and confident that nothing could resist his
power, declared himself the protector of Israel, and promised to deliver
it from the tyranny of Nabuchodonosor. But God, offended that a mortal had
dared to intrude himself into his place, thus declared himself to another
prophet: "Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and
prophesy against him, and against all Egypt. Speak and say, Thus saith the
Lord God, Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great
dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is
my own, and I have made it for myself. But I will put hooks in thy
jaws,"(480) &c. God, after comparing him to a reed, which breaks under the
man who leans upon it, and wounds his hand, adds, "Behold, I will bring a
sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee; the land of Egypt
shall be desolate, and they shall know that I am the Lord, because he hath
said, The river is mine, and I have made it."(481) The same prophet, in
several succeeding chapters, continues to foretell the calamities with
which Egypt was going to be overwhelmed.(482)

Zedekiah was far from giving credit to these predictions. When he heard of
the approach of the Egyptian army, and saw Nabuchodonosor raise the siege
of Jerusalem, he fancied that his deliverance was completed, and
anticipated a triumph. His joy, however, was but of short duration; for
the Egyptians seeing the Chaldeans advancing, did not dare to encounter so
numerous and well-disciplined an army. (M93) They therefore marched back
into their own country, and left the unfortunate Zedekiah exposed to all
the dangers of a war in which they themselves had involved him.(483)
Nabuchodonoso