Jeremiah 43:8-13

8 In Tahpanhes the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
9 “While the Jews are watching, take some large stones with you and bury them in clay in the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes.
10 Then say to them, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his throne over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy above them.
11 He will come and attack Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword.
12 He will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive. As a shepherd picks his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart.
13 There in the temple of the sun[a] in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’ ”

Jeremiah 43:8-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 43

This chapter contains the answer of the princes and people to the prophet's message; a relation of their going into Egypt; and a prophecy of the destruction of that land. The persons that gave the answer are described, some by name, and all by their character; and the time of their giving it is mentioned, in which they charge the prophet with a falsehood; impute the whole to an instigation of Baruch, and an ill design of his, and so were disobedient to the command of God, Jer 43:1-4; and went into Egypt, and carried all with them, of every rank, age, and sex, and even Baruch, and the prophet too, and came to Tahpanhes, the seat of the kings of Egypt, Jer 43:5-7; upon this a prophecy is delivered out, concerning the destruction of that country, which is signified by a symbol explained; the person, the instrument of it, is mentioned by name, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; the devastation he should make is expressed by slaying with the sword, and carrying into captivity; by burning the temples of their gods, and breaking their images in pieces, Jer 43:8-13.

Cross References 20

  • 1. Psalms 139:7; Jeremiah 2:16
  • 2. Genesis 31:45-53; Joshua 4:1-7; 1 Kings 18:31-32
  • 3. S Genesis 11:3
  • 4. S Genesis 47:14
  • 5. Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1; Jeremiah 25:9; Jeremiah 27:6
  • 6. Jeremiah 46:13
  • 7. Jeremiah 49:38
  • 8. S Psalms 18:11
  • 9. Jeremiah 46:13-26; Ezekiel 29:19-20
  • 10. S Proverbs 11:19; Romans 6:23
  • 11. S Psalms 49:14; Hebrews 9:27
  • 12. S Deuteronomy 28:64; Revelation 13:10
  • 13. S Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 44:13; Ezekiel 32:11; Zechariah 11:9
  • 14. S Joshua 7:15
  • 15. S 1 Kings 16:32
  • 16. ver 13; S Exodus 12:12; S Isaiah 2:18; Jeremiah 46:25; Ezekiel 30:13; Zechariah 13:2
  • 17. Daniel 11:8
  • 18. S Psalms 104:2; Psalms 109:18-19
  • 19. S Genesis 1:16; Isa 19:18 "fn"; S Deuteronomy 4:19
  • 20. Jeremiah 52:17; Ezekiel 26:11

Footnotes 1

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