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Jeremias 43

ARC · Chapter 43/52

1E succedeu que, acabando Jeremias de fallar a todo o povo todas as palavras do Senhor Deus d'elles, com as quaes o Senhor Deus d'elles lh'o havia enviado, para que lhes dissesse todas estas palavras,

2Então disse Azarias, filho de Hosaias, e Johanan, filho de Careah, e todos os homens soberbos, dizendo a Jeremias: Tu dizes mentiras; o Senhor nosso Deus não te enviou a dizer: Não entreis no Egypto, para lá peregrinar:

3Antes Baruch, filho de Nerias, te incita contra nós, para entregar-nos na mão dos chaldeos, para nos matarem, ou para nos transportarem para Babylonia.

4Não obedeceu pois Johanan, filho de Careah, nem nenhum de todos os principes dos exercitos, nem todo o povo, á voz do Senhor, para ficarem na terra de Judah.

5Antes tomou Johanan, filho de Careah, e todos os principes dos exercitos a todo o resto de Judah, que havia voltado d'entre todas as nações, para onde haviam sido lançados, para peregrinarem na terra de Judah;

6Os homens, e as mulheres, e os meninos, e as filhas do rei, e a toda a alma que deixara Nebuzaradan, capitão dos da guarda, com Gedalias, filho de Ahicam, filho de Saphan; como tambem a Jeremias, o propheta, e a Baruch, filho de Nerias:

7E entraram na terra do Egypto, porque não obedeceram á voz do Senhor; e vieram até Tahpanhes.

8Então veiu a palavra do Senhor a Jeremias, em Tahpanhes, dizendo:

9Toma na tua mão pedras grandes, e esconde-as entre o barro no forno que está á porta da casa de Pharaó em Tahpanhes, perante os olhos de homens judeos.

10E dize-lhes: Assim diz o Senhor dos exercitos, Deus de Israel: Eis que eu enviarei, e tomarei a Nabucodonozor, rei de Babylonia, meu servo, e porei o seu throno sobre estas pedras que escondi; e estenderá a sua tenda real sobre ellas.

11E virá, e ferirá a terra do Egypto: quem para a morte, para a morte; e quem para o captiveiro, para o captiveiro; e quem para a espada, para a espada.

12E porei fogo ás casas dos deuses do Egypto, e queimal-os-ha, e leval-os-ha captivos; e vestir-se-ha da terra do Egypto, como se veste o pastor do seu vestido, e sairá d'ali em paz.

13E quebrará as estatuas de Beth-semes, que está na terra do Egypto; e as casas dos deuses do Egypto queimará a fogo.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Despite Jeremiah's warning, the people, led by Johanan, force the prophet and Baruch to go with them to Egypt. There, Jeremiah prophesies that Nebuchadnezzar will also invade Egypt.

Explanation

The accusation that Baruch was turning Jeremiah against the people (v. 3) shows how messengers of bad news are often treated as though they were the cause of the problem, rather than simply the ones announcing it — a psychological pattern that repeats in many settings even today. The prophetic act of burying large stones at the entrance of Pharaoh's palace in Tahpanhes, announcing that Nebuchadnezzar would set his throne there, demonstrates that not even fleeing to a powerful foreign nation offered real escape from the reach of the judgment announced by God.

Fun facts

  • Tahpanhes (modern Tell Defenneh) was a real Egyptian border city, identified by archaeologists with a fortified brick complex matching the 'pavement' described in the text.
  • The Egyptian invasion by Nebuchadnezzar, prophesied here, is historically recorded as having occurred around 568-567 BC, according to surviving fragments of Babylonian chronicles.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Jeremias 43:1Marks the end of Jeremiah’s speech: he had just finished delivering the whole answer from God against going to Egypt.
  2. Jeremias 43:2The reaction is hostile: Azariah and Johanan, along with the proudest leaders of the group, accuse Jeremiah directly of lying, denying that the prohibition really comes from God.
  3. Jeremias 43:3They go further and blame Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary, for manipulating the prophet in order to hand the group over to the Babylonians -- they suspect a personal conspiracy and refuse to accept the message as divine.
  4. Jeremias 43:4The practical result: none of the commanders nor the people obey the instruction to stay in the land of Judah, despite the solemn oath made in the previous chapter.
  5. Jeremias 43:5Johanan and the commanders forcibly take away the entire remnant of the people who had returned from exile to settle in Judah, undoing the very return that had happened after Gedaliah’s death.
  6. Jeremias 43:6The list of those taken includes men, women, children, the king’s daughters, and even Jeremiah and Baruch -- the very prophet who warned them is dragged against his will to Egypt.
  7. Jeremias 43:7They arrive at the Egyptian city of Tahpanhes, directly disobeying God’s command -- the chapter ends with the wrong decision already carried out.
  8. Jeremias 43:8Hiding large stones under the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes is another sign-act: Jeremiah announces that Nebuchadnezzar will one day set his own throne right there. Egypt, where they had fled seeking safety, would not be a permanent refuge.
  9. Jeremias 43:9God tells Jeremiah to perform a public prophetic gesture: hide large stones in the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes, in front of Jewish witnesses.
  10. Jeremias 43:10The explanation of the sign: Nebuchadnezzar will come to Egypt and set up his own throne right over these hidden stones -- Babylonian power reaching even the refuge that seemed safest.
  11. Jeremias 43:11Details the devastation Nebuchadnezzar will bring to Egypt: death, captivity, and war, each one destined for the end already determined.
  12. Jeremias 43:12Even predicts that Nebuchadnezzar will burn and plunder the temples of the Egyptian gods, and leave Egypt as easily as a shepherd wraps himself in his own cloak -- an easy conquest, without much resistance.
  13. Jeremias 43:13Specifically mentions the destruction of the sacred pillars of Beth-shemesh (an Egyptian city devoted to sun worship, not the city of the same name in Judah), reinforcing that not even Egypt’s religious symbols would escape.

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