Jeremiah 43:9

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,

Jeremiah 43:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 43:9

Take great stones in thine hand
In both his hands, as big as he could carry: and hide them in the clay in the brick kiln;
there was much clay in Egypt, through the overflowing of the Nile, and particularly at this place Tahpanhes, which had its name of Pelusiae from hence; and here was a brick kiln; not a place where bricks were burnt, but where they were foraged; and so here was the clay of which they were made, and in which these stones were to be hid: which [is] at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes;
this brick kiln stood not directly at the entrance into the king's palace, but at the door of a wall of a park or garden, which belonged to the palace, from whence there was an open way to it; here the stones were to be laid. Since a brick kiln so near a king's palace seems not agreeable, Gussetius ^F8 thinks (Nblm) signifies a poplar walk, from (hnbl) , a poplar tree, whose shade is very grateful, ( Hosea 4:13 ) ; to which the courtiers betook themselves at certain times, and walked in for pleasure; in the sight of the men of Judah;
not in the sight of the Egyptians, who would not understand the design of it, nor were they to be instructed by it; but in the sight of the Jews, who would at once imagine that something was intended, being used to such symbols, and would inquire the meaning of it; and which is explained in ( Jeremiah 43:10 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Ebr. Comment. p. 470.

Jeremiah 43:9 In-Context

7 and they enter the land of Egypt, for they have not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and they enter unto Tahpanhes.

8 And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,

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.