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Jeremiah 43

KJV · Chapter 43/52

1And 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,

2Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:

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

4So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the Lord, 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, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;

6Even men, and women, and children, and the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzar–adan 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.

7So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.

8Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,

9Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;

10And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord 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.

11And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.

12And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: 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.

13He shall break also the images of Beth–shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

📖 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. Jeremiah 43:1Marks the end of Jeremiah’s speech: he had just finished delivering the whole answer from God against going to Egypt.
  2. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 43:11Details the devastation Nebuchadnezzar will bring to Egypt: death, captivity, and war, each one destined for the end already determined.
  12. Jeremiah 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. Jeremiah 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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