Jeremiah 43:11

11 and he hath come, and smitten the land of Egypt -- those who [are] for death to death, and those who [are] for captivity to captivity, and those who [are] for the sword to the sword.

Jeremiah 43:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 43:11

And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt
Here is a various reading: the "Cetib", or textual writing, is, "when it cometh, it shall smite"; which Kimchi rightly interprets of the camp or army of Nebuchadnezzar; and the "Keri", or marginal reading, which we follow, is, "when he cometh, he shall smite"; that is, the king of Babylon; both are to be received: when Nebuchadnezzar should come with his army to Tahpanhes, he would not only take that, but go through the land of Egypt, and subdue and destroy the inhabitants of it, all that dwelt in it, sojourners as well as natives; and so the Jews that were come hither to dwell, against the express command of God, to whom this prophecy was delivered, and to whom it has a particular respect: [and deliver] such [as are] for death to death;
who are appointed to death, either by pestilence or famine; that is, he shall oblige them to flee to, or block them up in, places where they shall perish by one or other of these: and such [as are] for captivity to captivity:
such as are designed to be carried captive, these shall be taken by him, and carried captive into Babylon, and the provinces of it: and such [as are] for the sword to the sword;
who are destined to fall by the sword, these should be slain by the sword of Nebuchadnezzar, and his soldiers; so that, what by one way or another, a general destruction should be made.

Jeremiah 43:11 In-Context

9 `Take in thy hand great stones, and thou hast hidden them, in the clay, in the brick-kiln, that [is] at the opening of the house of Pharaoh in Tahpanhes, before the eyes of the men of Judah,

10 and thou hast said unto them: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: `Lo, I am sending, and I have taken Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have set his throne above these stones that I have hid, and he hath stretched out his pavilion over them,

11 and he hath come, and smitten the land of Egypt -- those who [are] for death to death, and those who [are] for captivity to captivity, and those who [are] for the sword to the sword.

12 And I have kindled a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and it hath burned them, and he hath taken them captive, and covered himself with the land of Egypt, as cover himself doth the shepherd with his garment, and he hath gone forth thence in peace;

13 and he hath broken the standing pillars of the house of the sun, that [is] in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the gods of Egypt he doth burn with fire.'