Jeremiah 43:1-6

1 And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words,

2 Then spoke Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou dost speak falsely; the LORD our God has not sent thee to say, Do not go into Egypt to sojourn there:

3 but Baruch the son of Neriah sets thee on against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death and carry us away captives into Babylon.

4 So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the princes of the armies and all the people, did not hear the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.

5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the princes of the armies, took all the remnant of Judah, that had returned from among all the Gentiles, where they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;

6 men and women and children and the king’s daughters, and every soul that 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;

Jeremiah 43:1-6 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.