Jeremiah is told to carry a warning to three cities in Egypt: Migdol, Noph and Tahpanhes. Babylon’s king is coming, and the prophet says, “Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.” Isaiah had already called the leaders of the place deceived, and Ezekiel hears the LORD say he will “cause their images to cease out of Noph.” Every mention is a word of judgment on Egypt, and Noph is named beside cities such as Zoan. The verses give no history of the city itself, only what is said against it. Jeremiah 46 holds most of them.
12 verses
The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
The word that the LORD spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.
Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee.
Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.
He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.
They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed.
As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.
O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.
And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No.
And I will pour my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No.
And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.
Matthew George Easton, 1897
The Hebrew name of an Egyptian city (Isa. 19:13; Jer.2:16; 44:1; 46:14, 19; Ezek. 30:13, 16). In Hos. 9:6 the Hebrew name is Moph, and is translated “Memphis,” which is its Greek and Latin form. It was one of the most ancient and important cities of Egypt, and stood a little to the south of the modern Cairo, on the western bank of the Nile. It was the capital of Lower Egypt. Among the ruins found at this place is a colossal statue of Rameses the Great. (See MEMPHIS.)