Yirmeyah 43:4-7

4 So Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces, and kol haAm, obeyed not the voice of Hashem, to dwell in Eretz Yehudah.

5 But Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces, took all the she’erit Yehudah, that were returned from kol haGoyim, where they had been driven there, to dwell in Eretz Yehudah;

6 Even men, and women, and children, and the banot hamelech,and every nefesh that Nevuzaradan, the captain of the imperial guard, had left with Gedalyah ben Achikam ben Shaphan, and Yirmeyah HaNavi, and Baruch ben Neriyah.

7 So they came into Eretz Mitzrayim; for they obeyed not the voice of Hashem; thus came they even as far as Tahpanhes.

Yirmeyah 43:4-7 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.