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Jeremiah 43

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The Remnant Disobeys and Flees to Egypt 1–7

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And it came to pass that, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of Jehovah their God, wherewith Jehovah their God had sent him to them, even all these words, ​
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then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: Jehovah our God hath not sent thee to say, Ye shall not go into Egypt to sojourn there; ​
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but Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death, and carry us away captive to Babylon. ​
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So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of Jehovah, to dwell in the land of Judah.
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But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all the nations whither they had been driven, to sojourn in the land of Judah;
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the men, and the women, and the children, and the king’s daughters, and every person 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. ​
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And they came into the land of Egypt; for they obeyed not the voice of Jehovah: and they came unto Tahpanhes. ​

Prophecy of Babylon’s Invasion of Egypt 8–13

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Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, ​
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Take great stones in thy hand, and hide them in mortar in the brickwork, which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah; ​
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and say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them. ​
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And he shall come, and shall smite the land of Egypt; such as are for death shall be given to death, and such as are for captivity to captivity, and such as are for the sword to the sword.
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And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captive: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace. ​
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He shall also break the pillars of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt shall he burn with fire. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Jeremiah 43

Verse 1

all these words — The verse stresses that Jeremiah finished the whole message, 'all the words of the LORD their God', as he had promised to keep nothing back (Jer 42:4). The same opening, 'had made an end of speaking', begins the scene of Jer 26:8, where the priests and people seized him. Here the people answer with an accusation (v.2).

Verse 2

Thou speakest falsely — The charge is sheqer, the word Johanan heard from Gedaliah in Jer 40:16. 'Go not into Egypt to sojourn there' repeats the LORD's own wording in Jer 42:19, 22. The proud men now say 'the LORD our God hath not sent thee', though Jeremiah had spoken in answer to the request they made in Jer 42:2–6.

Verse 3

Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on — Suth is to incite or entice, the verb used of Jezebel who 'stirred up' Ahab (1 Ki 21:25). Baruch was the scribe who wrote Jeremiah's words (Jer 36:4), and the LORD had told him, 'thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest' (Jer 45:5). The accusation names the Chaldeans, whom they feared (Jer 41:18).

Verse 6

every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left — The company is the remnant of Jer 40:7 and 41:10, 16: men, women, children and the king's daughters. Jeremiah and Baruch are numbered with them, so the prophet who forbade the journey is taken along on it. 'Person' is nephesh, a living soul.

Verse 7

they obeyed not the voice of the LORD — This is the failure of the oath in Jer 42:5–6, 'we will obey the voice of the LORD our God'. Tahpanhes is named with Noph in Jer 2:16, 'have broken the crown of thy head', and in Ezek 30:18; Jer 44:1 lists the Jews of Egypt at Migdol, Tahpanhes, Noph and Pathros.

Verse 8

in Tahpanhes — The word of the LORD reaches Jeremiah in Egypt, as it came to him in the land. The question 'Whither shall I go from thy spirit?' (Ps 139:7) has its example here: the people who left the land to escape the sword still stand under what the LORD says. The word that follows (vv.9–13) concerns Egypt itself.

Verse 9

Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them — The act is done 'in the sight of the men of Judah', like the girdle hidden by Euphrates (Jer 13:4–5). The stones are hidden in 'clay' or mortar (melet) in the malben, the brickwork or brick-kiln, at the entry of Pharaoh's house. The stones stand for the throne of v.10.

Verse 10

Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant — The LORD uses this title of him in Jer 25:9 and 27:6, where the nations and beasts are given into his hand. The king's 'royal pavilion' (shaphrur, a word found only here) is spread over the hidden stones, which marks the place where he will sit.

Verse 12

the houses of the gods of Egypt — The fire falls on Egypt's gods, as at the first plague-night, 'against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment' (Ex 12:12). Egypt is given to Nebuchadrezzar 'for his labour' (Ezek 29:19–20). 'As a shepherd putteth on his garment' pictures how readily he takes it, and 'in peace' (shalom) means he leaves unharmed.

Verse 13

the images of Bethshemesh — Bethshemesh is 'house of the sun', and the verse adds 'that is in the land of Egypt' because Israel also had a town of that name. It is On, where Potipherah was priest (Gen 41:45). 'Images' is matstsebah, the pillars the law told Israel to 'quite break down' (Ex 23:24). The LORD says he will do it by the hand of Babylon.