Reference has been made already to the mercenaries from various countries who formed part of Egypt’s army (see Jeremiah 46:9). It seems these soldiers of fortune recognize that crushing defeat is inevitable and so they abandon all allegiance to Pharoah and say, Arise, let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.
In the face of defeat, they flee to their home countries.
16 He made many stumble, and they fell, and they said one to another, ‘Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.’