The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah
Jeremiah 43
Chapter XLIII · Vol. III, pp. 1283–1285
1 Johanan discrediting Jeremiah's prophecy, carrieth Jeremiah and others into Egypt. 8 Jeremiah prophesieth by a type the conquest of Egypt by the Babylonians.
1 And 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,
2 Then spake 1Azariah2 the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all athe proud men,3 saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest bfalsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
1 Or, Jezaniah, ch.40.8;42.1.
2 Azariah, who appears to be called Jezaniah, ch.42.1, for it was customary with the Jews for the same person to have two or more names, and to be indiscriminately called by either; or this Azariah may have been a brother to Jezaniah.—C.
a Is.9.9,10. Ja.4.6. Ps.119.21; 138.6. Hab.2.4. Job 40.11,12. Ex.5.2. Ps.12.4. Mal.3.13. Pr.15.25;16.5,18,19;8.13.
3 They were proud of their own wisdom, and ambitious of being leaders of the people in opposition to Jeremiah and Baruch; and, under pretence of seeking freedom, ver.3, they preposterously return to the land of slavery.—C.
b 2 Ch.36.16. Ps.109.4. ch.5.12.
3 But cBaruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that dthey might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.
4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, eobeyed not the voice of the LORD, gto dwell in the land of Judah.
5 But hJohanan 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;
h ch.40.11,12; 41.10,16; 39.9,10.
6 Even 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 iJeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.
7 So jthey came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD. Thus came they even to kTahpanhes.
j 2 Ch.25.16.
k ver.9. 1 Ki.11.19. ch.2.16; 44.1. Is.30.4.
9 Taken great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brick-kiln,4 which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;
10 And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, oI 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.5
o Is.10.5. ch.1.15; 27.6; 25.9,10. Da.2.21; 5.18,19,21. Eze.29.18,20; 30.18.
5 This may be merely an emblem of conquest, or a historical reality. In that very spot the dissembling Jews may have lived to see the royal tent of Babylon; for the invasion and conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar took place about fifteen years from the date of the prophecy. See Universal Hist. vol. ii. p. 88; Hales' Analysis, vol. ii. p. 454.—C.
11 And when he cometh, phe shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver qsuch as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.
12 And I will kindle a fire rin the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives; and he shall array6 himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment;7 and he shall go forth from thence sin peace.
r ch.46.25; 48.7; 50.2; 51.44. Ex.12.12. Is.19.1; 21.9; 46.1. Eze.30.13.
6 Eze.29.18-20, i.e. take the spoil to clothe and enrich his army.
7 As a shepherd putteth on his garment. 'With as much ease, and as little opposition,' is the ordinary interpretation. But in what respect, as to facility of dress, and enjoyment of quiet, does the shepherd differ from the labourer and artisan? Does it not rather mean, that, as the shepherd shears his flock, and then wears the fleece, so would Nebuchadnezzar denude Egypt of its riches, and clothe Babylon with the spoils?—C.
13 He shall break also the images8 of 9Beth-shemesh,1 that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.
8 Heb. statues or standing images. See ver.12.
9 Or, the house of the sun, Is.19.18.
1 Beth-shemesh signifies 'house' or 'temple of the sun,' and this is probably its true signification here, as seems to be indicated by the second clause of the verse, which speaks of 'the houses (or temples) of the gods of the Egyptians.' The sun was a (if not the) chief god of the Egyptians, and the principal seat of his worship was at On (which signifies 'light' or 'sun'), a celebrated city of Lower Egypt, called by the Greeks Heliopolis. The priest of On was one of the greatest personages in the country, and to his daughter Joseph was married. The site of Beth-shemesh, or Heliopolis, is about ten miles north-east of Cairo, and beside it is a fountain still called Ain esh-Shems, 'fountain of the sun.'—P.
Notes
Ver. 7. Tahpanhes. An ancient city of Lower Egypt, probably the Daphne Peluseæ of Herodotus. It stood on the banks of the Lake Menzaleh, and enjoyed an extensive commerce with the Mediterranean and Red Sea. C.
Reflections.—Pride is among the most awful sins—a root of infidelity, and a sure road to ruin. They who are full of ill designs themselves, ordinarily reproach the true friends of their church and nation as traitors. They who hate to conform themselves to the Scripture, are ready to deny the divinity of it. And they who wish to contradict the ends of a gospel ministry, study to put it under an ill name. Proud men hate contradiction; and if they cannot obtain consent, they will force compliance, and even drag those who fear God along with them. But a sinful flight from God's judgments only hastens them upon us, and renders them heavier; and even draws down his wrath upon such as receive us into their friendship. And, very contrary to their intentions, he makes one nation a scourge to another.