Jeremiah 43

1 {And then}, when Jeremiah had finished speaking to all the people all the words of Yahweh their God, for which Yahweh their God had sent him to them with all these words,

2 Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the insolent men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, "You [are] telling a lie! Yahweh our God did not send you, {saying}, 'You must not go [to] Egypt to dwell as aliens there.'

3 But Baruch the son of Neriah [is] inciting you against us in order to give us into the hand of the Chaldeans, to kill us and to deport us [to] Babylon."

4 So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies, and all the people did not listen to the voice of Yahweh to stay in the land of Judah.

5 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies took all the remnant of Judah who had returned from all the nations [to] which they had been scattered to dwell as aliens in the land of Judah--

6 the men, and the women, and the little children, and the daughters of the king, and {everyone} whom Nebuzaradan [the] captain of [the] {guard} had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah--

7 and they came [into] the land of Egypt, for they did not listen to the voice of Yahweh. And they came up to Tahpanhes.

The Throne of Nebuchadnezzar Will be Set Up at Tahpanhes

8 And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, {saying},

9 "Take in your hands large stones and bury them in the mortar in the clay floor that [is] at the entrance of the palace of Pharaoh in Tahpanhes before the eyes of [the] people of [the] Judeans,

10 and say to them, 'Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel: "Look, I [am] going to send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden. And he will spread out his canopy over them.

11 And he will come and ravage the land of Egypt, [and deliver those] who [are appointed] for the plague, to the plague, and [those] who [are appointed] for the captivity, to the captivity, and [those] who [are appointed] for the sword, to the sword.

12 Then he will kindle a fire in the {temples} of the gods of Egypt, and he will burn them and take them captive. And he will wrap up the land of Egypt just as the shepherd wraps up his cloak. And he will go forth from there in peace.

13 And he will break the stone pillars of Heliopolis, which [is] in the land of Egypt. And he will burn the {temples} of the gods of Egypt with fire." '"

Jeremiah 43 Commentary

Chapter 43

The leaders carry the people to Egypt. (1-7) Jeremiah foretells the conquest of Egypt. (8-13)

Verses 1-7 Only by pride comes contention, both with God and man. They preferred their own wisdom to the revealed will of God. Men deny the Scriptures to be the word of God, because they are resolved not to conform themselves to Scripture rules. When men will persist in sin, they charge the best actions to bad motives. These Jews deserted their own land, and threw themselves out of God's protection. It is the folly of men, that they often ruin themselves by wrong endeavours to mend their situation.

Verses 8-13 God can find his people wherever they are. The Spirit of prophecy was not confined to the land of Israel. It is foretold that Nebuchadnezzar should destroy and carry into captivity many of the Egyptians. Thus God makes one wicked man, or wicked nation, a scourge and plague to another. He will punish those who deceive his professing people, or tempt them to rebellion.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "And it was"
• [b]. The Hebrew verb is singular
• [c]. Literally "to say"
• [d]. The Hebrew verb is singular
• [e]. The Hebrew verb is singular
• [f]. Literally "all of the person"
• [g]. Hebrew "guards"
• [h]. Hebrew "hand"
• [i]. Or "house"
• [j]. Or "men"
• [k]. Literally "houses"
• [l]. Literally "houses"

Chapter Summary

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.