Jeremiahchapter 43
13 verses · Jeremiah, written by Baruch · 7th to 6th century BC · The Prophets
I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar will burn those temples and take their gods as captives. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment, and he will depart from there unscathed.
Introduction
Jeremiah, written by Baruch, The Prophets, Jeremiah Overview.
This chapter comes from the last part of Jeremiah's life, when he was an old man with no city left to preach to. Baruch, his scribe, is at his side, and the people who hold them are a small band of survivors afraid of Babylon's reprisal. The chapter records a decision made against a plain command and the road south that follows it. Listen for how the leaders explain away a message they had asked to hear, and for the one thing the prophet still does with his hands in a foreign land. It shows that a word from God travels with His messenger.
Context
- Who
- Refugees who had crossed the border and thought they were now out of reach
- What
- A narrative of the survivors of Judah leaving for Egypt against the LORD's word, followed by a sign acted out at Tahpanhes.
- Where
- The route south from Judah to Tahpanhes, a fortified town on Egypt's eastern border in the Nile delta.
- When
- Shortly after the murder of Gedaliah, in the months after Jerusalem fell in 586 BC, dated by the narrative of chapters 40 to 42.
- Why
- To record that the remnant chose Egypt against a plain command, and that Babylon's reach would follow them there.
Historical context
Tahpanhes sat on the eastern edge of the delta, the first significant Egyptian town on the road from Canaan, with a fortress and a garrison. It is generally identified with the mound of Tell Defenneh, where a large mudbrick platform structure was excavated in the nineteenth century. Foreign mercenaries and traders were settled in that frontier zone by Egyptian kings as a matter of policy.
Show the rest of the historical context, 3 more paragraphs
The prophet is ordered to take large stones and set them in mortar in the brick pavement at the entrance of Pharaoh's house, a paved forecourt or platform outside an official residence, with the men of Judah watching. He announces that Nebuchadnezzar will set his throne on those stones and spread his royal canopy over them.
That was not an idle boast. A broken Babylonian text records a campaign by Nebuchadnezzar against Egypt in his thirty-seventh year, around 568 BC. The chapter also foretells that he will burn the temples of Egypt's gods and clean out the land the way a shepherd picks lice off his cloak, a homely and slightly contemptuous picture of a thorough job.
One more thing to notice: Johanan and the commanders do not simply travel to Egypt. They take the whole remnant with them, including Jeremiah and Baruch, who go under duress. The prophet who told them not to go is carried into the exile he warned against.
Significance
The first hearers were being told that a border is not a hiding place. The stones set in the pavement were a marker laid down in advance, so that when the Babylonian army arrived the refugees would know why.
Show the rest of the significance, 1 more paragraph
The accusation thrown at Baruch, that he had put Jeremiah up to it, to hand them over to the Babylonians, is worth noticing. When people are determined, they do not argue with the message; they invent a motive for the messenger.
This chapter in Jewish lifeWhat this chapter is in Jewish life and reading.
What is done
The site's own table in src/lib/hebraic/readings.ts, probed for this lane, printed no weekly portion and no Haftarah from this chapter, and no festival reading for the book. That table carries the Haftarah of each of the fifty-four weekly portions and the books read whole at the feasts, and it carries nothing for the special Sabbaths or the fast days. This card therefore names no public reading of the chapter and leaves that question to a source that holds those readings.
The corpus joins the chapter to the weeks of the Torah portions through the works arranged by portion. Under the ninth verse it carries Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vaera 17:3.
How it is read
Rashi is the one commentator on this chapter whose English the corpus carries, quoted here from The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg, which Sefaria reports as CC-BY. Every quotation of it is held to fifty words or fewer because the translation is modern, and his headwords, which carry the verse in that translation's wording, are never quoted.
Rashi's notes on the flight to Egypt are mostly glosses. The stones hidden at Tahpanhes are to be wrapped in the mortar, and he traces the word's root through a verse in 1 Kings (Rashi on Jeremiah 43:9:1). The king's canopy in the tenth verse is "his tent" (Rashi on Jeremiah 43:10:1).
The picture of the twelfth verse he opens out. Nebuchadnezzar will wrap up Egypt's plunder and go, "as a shepherd wraps up and rolls his garment and casts it over his shoulder when he leads his flock before him" (Rashi on Jeremiah 43:12:1). The pillars of Beth-shemesh he reads as altars built in Egypt by converts from the days of Hezekiah (Rashi on Jeremiah 43:13:1). He joins the city to Isaiah 19:18 through Targum Jonathan.
The corpus carries twenty further notes on this chapter without an English text. Each is marked linked because Sefaria holds no English version of the ref, so each is cited here and none is quoted. The notes of Malbim are cited at Malbim on Jeremiah 43:1:1, 43:2:1 and 43:7:1. The notes of Metzudat David are cited at Metzudat David on Jeremiah 43:1:1, 43:2:1, 43:3:1, 43:5:1, 43:6:1, 43:7:1, 43:9:1, 43:10:1, 43:11:1, 43:12:1 and 43:13:1. The notes of Radak are cited at Radak on Jeremiah 43:6:1, 43:9:1, 43:10:1, 43:11:1, 43:12:1 and 43:13:1.
What the rabbis say
The corpus carries seventeen rabbinic locators on this chapter and the text of none, so each is cited and linked here rather than quoted. On the fifth verse it holds Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 8:4. On the ninth verse it holds Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vaera 17:3. On the tenth verse it holds Midrash Tehillim 79:1, Otzar Midrashim, Hekhalot, Hekhalot Rabbati 73, Pesikta Rabbati 29:1, Pesikta Rabbati 29:12 and Sanhedrin 105a:4. On the eleventh verse it holds Bamidbar Rabbah 9:49, Midrash Aggadah, Numbers 33:1:1, Pesikta DeRav Kahana 13:7, Pesikta DeRav Kahana 13:8 and Tractate Soferim 7:2. On the twelfth verse it holds Introductions to Amoraic Literature, Supplements to Variae Lectiones for the Yerushalmi 43, Midrash Tannaim on Deuteronomy 31:14:9, Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:7:1 and Sifrei Bamidbar 139:2. It holds Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 776:8 there as well.
What each of them teaches is a saying of the rabbis, and is reported as theirs wherever this site quotes one. The quotations wait on a fetch that carries the text.
Sources: Rashi, Rashi on Jeremiah 43:9:1 to 43:13:1, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg, reported CC-BY; Malbim, Malbim on Jeremiah 43:1:1, 43:2:1 and 43:7:1, cited by ref because the corpus carries no English text; Metzudat David, Metzudat David on Jeremiah 43:1:1, 43:2:1, 43:3:1, 43:5:1, 43:6:1, 43:7:1, 43:9:1, 43:10:1, 43:11:1, 43:12:1 and 43:13:1, cited by ref because the corpus carries no English text; Radak, Radak on Jeremiah 43:6:1, 43:9:1, 43:10:1, 43:11:1, 43:12:1 and 43:13:1, cited by ref because the corpus carries no English text; The Sefaria corpus, scripts/data/sources/sefaria/jeremiah/43.json, the 17 Talmud and Midrash locators of this chapter; The site's own files, src/lib/hebraic/readings.ts, printing no portion and no Haftarah for this chapter and no festival reading for this book.
The heads below are this chapter's scenes. The numbered points under each are its verses.
Thou Speakest Falsely: the Flight Down into Egypt
As soon as Jeremiah finishes, Azariah, Johanan, and “all the arrogant men” call him a liar and say the LORD has not sent him. They blame Baruch: “Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us.” The men who swore in 42:5 to obey every word now reject the word.
Jeremiah 43:1
“These captains belonged to the party who had all along resisted Jeremiah’s counsels, and had led Zedekiah astray. Now however that events had proved that the prophet’s counsels had been wise and true, they cannot for shame find fault with him, but they affirm that he is under the influence of Baruch, a traitor who has sold himself to the Chaldaeans, and seeks only the hurt of the people. These captains belonged to the party who had all along resisted Jeremiah’s counsels, and had led Zedekiah astray.”
Jeremiah 43:2
“Azariah--the author of the project of going into Egypt; a very different man from the Azariah in Babylon (Da 1:7; 3:12-18). proud--Pride is the parent of disobedience and contempt of God.”
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)reformed
1 more voice on this verse
Jeremiah 43:2
“Note, The reason why men deny the scriptures to be the word of God is because they are resolved not to conform to scripture-rules, and so an obstinate infidelity is made the sorry subterfuge of a wilful disobedience. If God had spoken to them by an angel, or as he did from Mount Sinai, they would have said that it was a delusion.”
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Jeremiah 43:3
“Baruch--He being the younger spake out the revelations which he received from Jeremiah more vehemently. From this cause, and from their knowing that he was in favor with the Chaldeans, arose their suspicion of him. Their perverse fickleness was astonishing.”
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)reformed
2 more voices on this verse
Jeremiah 43:3
“When men will persist in sin they represent those that would turn them from it as designing men for themselves, nay, as ill-designing men against their neighbours. It is well for persons who are thus misrepresented that their witness is in heaven and their record on high.”
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Jeremiah 43:3
“He says that the whole people obstinately persevered in their wicked design, so that he effected nothing by his warning and protest. Now this stupidity of the people was monstrous; for they had found out by experience the fidelity of the Prophet for many years; and further, they had gone to him because they believed that he was a faithful and an approved servant of God.”
John Calvin · Commentaries (1554)reformed
Verse 4 states the verdict: Johanan and the commanders “disobeyed the command of the LORD to stay in the land of Judah.” They take the whole remnant, “the king’s daughters” and “Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah” among them. They reach Tahpanhes on Egypt’s border.
Jeremiah 43:4
“All the people - Many, nevertheless, would be unwilling agents, compelled to do what their unscrupulous leaders forced upon the community.”
Jeremiah 43:5
“All the remnant of Judah that were returned - In this way, the utter depopulation of the land was completed. Thus was fulfilled the predictions of Jer 24:8-10, and the sole hope of the nation now centered in the exiles at Babylon Jer 24:5-7.”
Jeremiah 43:6
“Men, and women, and children, and the king’s daughters - See the note on Jer 41:10 (note). It is truly surprising that the Chaldeans should have left behind any of the royal family of Judah! But, 1. Perhaps they knew not there were any. 2. If they did know, they might think, being children of concubines, they could not inherit. Or, 3. That being females, they were not eligible. And they had taken care to seize all Zedekiah’s sons, and slay them before his eyes.”
Adam Clarke · Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Jeremiah 43:7
“Came they even to Tahpanhes - This city was called Daphne by the Greeks, and was situated at the extremity of Lower Egypt, near to Heliopolis. It was called Daphne Pelusiaca. They halted at this place, most probably for the purpose of obtaining the king’s permission to penetrate farther into Egypt.”
Adam Clarke · Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Stones Hidden at Tahpanhes for Nebuchadnezzar's Throne
Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah at Tahpanhes: At Tahpanhes Jeremiah is told to bury “large stones” at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace. Nebuchadnezzar is called “My servant,” as in 25:9 and 27:6, and he will set his throne over these stones. Egypt will receive “death to those destined for death,” as Judah did in 15:2.
Jeremiah 43:8
“On arriving at the frontiers of Egypt, the captains would be compelled to halt in order to obtain the king’s permission to enter his country. Jeremiah therefore takes the opportunity to predict, first, the downfall of Egypt; and secondly, that of the false gods.”
Jeremiah 43:9
“Brickkiln - Possibly, a pavement of brick. Jeremiah was to take a few large stones, such, nevertheless, as he could carry in his hand, and build with them, in the propylaea before the royal palace, something that would serve to represent the dais upon which the seat of kings was usually placed. By hiding them in the clay is meant plastering them over with mortar.”
1 more voice on this verse
Jeremiah 43:9
“The foundation of Egypt's desolation was laid in those brick-kilns, in that clay. This he must do, not in the sight of the Egyptians (they knew not Jeremiah's character), but in the sight of the men of Judah to whom he was sent, that, since he could not prevent their going into Egypt, he might bring them to repent of their going.”
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Jeremiah 43:10
“My servant - See Jer 25:9 note. That I have hid - i. e., that I have embedded in the mortar by the instrumentality of my prophet. Pavilion - Rather, canopy. It probably means the parasol held over kings, which had a tall and thick pole, grasped with both hands, and in the early times a somewhat small circular top.”
Jeremiah 43:11
“Such as are for death to death - See the note on Jer 15:2.”
Adam Clarke · Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
1 more voice on this verse
Jeremiah 43:11
“According to each man’s destiny, he will either die of famine, pestilence, or in battle; or he will be led captive; or be put to death by the executioner.”
Nebuchadnezzar “will burn those temples and take their gods as captives,” wrapping himself with the land “as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment.” Gill and Clarke identify “the temple of the sun” as Beth-shemesh, the Egyptian On or Heliopolis, the city of Joseph’s father-in-law in Genesis 41:45.
Jeremiah 43:12
“He shall burn them, and carry them away captives - Some of these gods, such as were of wood, he will burn; those of metal he will carry away. Some of them were of gold. See below. Shall array himself with the land of Egypt - Shall take all its wealth, and all its grandeur; shall take all its spoils. As a shepherd putteth on his garment - With as much ease, and with as little opposition; and with as full a confidence that it is now his own.”
Adam Clarke · Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
1 more voice on this verse
Jeremiah 43:12
“This destruction of Egypt by the king of Babylon is foretold, Ezek. xxix. Babylon lay at a great distance from Egypt, and yet thence the destruction of Egypt comes; for God can make those judgments strike home which are far-fetched.”
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Jeremiah 43:13
“He shall break also the images of Beth-shemesh - בית שמש beith shemesh is, literally, the house or temple of the sun; which was worshipped here, and whose images are said to have been of solid gold. These Nebuchadnezzar was to break and carry away; and the houses of the gods - all the temples of Egypt, he was to burn with fire. Beth-shemesh is the same as Heliopolis.”
Adam Clarke · Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
1 more voice on this verse
Jeremiah 43:13
“Beth-shemesh--that is, "the house of the sun," in Hebrew; called by the Greeks "Heliopolis"; by the Egyptians, "On" (Ge 41:45); east of the Nile, and a few miles north of Memphis. Ephraim Syrus says, the statue rose to the height of sixty cubits; the base was ten cubits. Above there was a miter of a thousand pounds weight.”
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)reformed
Keep studying
Sources for this chapter
The summary
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.
The exposition
Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.