Jeremiah 43
Flight to Egypt
1When Jeremiah had finished speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God, with which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words,
2then Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, “You speak falsely. The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You shall not go into Egypt to live there;’
3but Baruch the son of Neriah has turned you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon.”
4So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, didn’t obey the LORD’s voice, to dwell in the land of Judah.
5But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces took all the remnant of Judah, who had returned from all the nations where they had been driven, to live in the land of Judah—
6the men, the women, the children, the king’s daughters, and every person who 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.
7They came into the land of Egypt, for they didn’t obey the LORD’s voice; and they came to Tahpanhes.
8Then the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
9“Take great stones in your hand and hide them in mortar in the brick work which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah.
10Tell them, the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne on these stones that I have hidden; and he will spread his royal pavilion over them.
11He will come, and will strike the land of Egypt; such as are for death will be put to death, and such as are for captivity to captivity, and such as are for the sword to the sword.
12I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt. He will burn them, and carry them away captive. He will array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd puts on his garment; and he will go out from there in peace.
13He will also break the pillars of Beth Shemesh that is in the land of Egypt; and he will burn the houses of the gods of Egypt with fire.’”
Despite Jeremiah's clear prophecy forbidding flight to Egypt, the Jewish remnant led by Johanan accuses the prophet of lying and forces him and Baruch to accompany them to Egypt. Once in Tahpanhes, God commands Jeremiah to perform a symbolic act with stones, prophesying that Nebuchadnezzar will conquer Egypt and establish his throne there. This chapter demonstrates the tragic consequences of rejecting God's word and seeking security in human alliances rather than divine protection.
Context
This chapter follows the remnant's request for divine guidance in chapter 42 and their subsequent rejection of God's answer, leading to the final phase of Jeremiah's ministry in exile.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-3Rejection of Jeremiah's ProphecyThe leaders accuse Jeremiah of lying about God's command not to go to Egypt, blaming Baruch for influencing him.
- 4-7Forced Flight to EgyptJohanan and the people disobey God's voice and take the entire remnant, including Jeremiah and Baruch, to Tahpanhes in Egypt.
- 8-13Prophecy of Egypt's ConquestGod commands Jeremiah to bury stones as a sign that Nebuchadnezzar will conquer Egypt and destroy its temples.
Flight to Egypt
43:1–43:13The people reject Jeremiah's prophecy and flee to Egypt, accusing him of lying and Baruch of manipulating him. In Egypt, God reveals through symbolic action that Nebuchadnezzar will conquer Egypt and establish his throne there.
person_contrast
Jeremiah's accusers ironically fulfill his prophecy by dragging him to Egypt, making the prophet himself an unwilling participant in the very disobedience he condemned.
Jeremiah 43:2
Jeremiah 42:1lexicalThen all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people…
Jeremiah 40:16lexicalBut Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you speak falsely of…
Jeremiah 43:3
Isaiah 43:14lexicalThe LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of th…
Jeremiah 36:8lexicalBaruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the LORD’s wo…
Jeremiah 45:1lexicalThe message that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mout…
Jeremiah 32:12lexicaland I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my…
Jeremiah 36:14lexicalTherefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “…
Jeremiah 43:4
Jeremiah 42:8lexicalThen he called Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from…
Jeremiah 41:13lexicalNow when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were…
Jeremiah 42:1lexicalThen all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people…
2 Kings 25:23lexicalNow when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor,…
Jeremiah 41:11lexicalBut when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ish…
Jeremiah 43:5
Jeremiah 41:16lexicalThen Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him took all the remnant of the people w…
Jeremiah 42:1lexicalThen all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people…
2 Kings 25:23lexicalNow when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor,…
Jeremiah 41:11lexicalBut when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ish…
Jeremiah 40:13lexicalMoreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpa…
Jeremiah 43:6
Jeremiah 41:10lexicalThen Ishmael carried away captive all of the people who were left in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the peop…
Jeremiah 40:5lexicalNow while he had not yet gone back, “Go back then,” he said, “to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom th…
Jeremiah 41:16lexicalThen Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him took all the remnant of the people w…
Jeremiah 39:14lexicalsent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shapha…
Jeremiah 45:1lexicalThe message that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mout…
Jeremiah 43:10
Ezekiel 1:26lexicalAbove the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone. On the…
Jeremiah 52:32lexicalHe spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon,
Ezekiel 29:19lexicalTherefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He will carry off…
Jeremiah 32:28lexicalTherefore the LORD says: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezz…
Jeremiah 29:21lexicalThe LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maase…
Jeremiah 43:12
Jeremiah 32:29lexicalThe Chaldeans, who fight against this city, will come and set this city on fire, and burn it with the houses on whose ro…
1 Samuel 30:3lexicalWhen David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughte…
Leviticus 13:57lexicaland if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading. You…
Proverbs 6:27lexicalCan a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?
Leviticus 13:52lexicalHe shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of leather, in which the plagu…
Jeremiah 43:13
Deuteronomy 7:5lexicalBut you shall deal with them like this: you shall break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, cut down their…
Deuteronomy 12:3lexicalYou shall break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, and burn their Asherah poles with fire. You shall cut d…
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