Old Testament Commentary - Jeremiah 43

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
           CHAPTER 43            

Johanan carries Jeremiah and the remnant of Judah into Egypt—Jeremiah prophesies that Babylon shall conquer Egypt.

  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 Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and aJohanan 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:
  3 But aBaruch 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.
  4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the acaptains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.
  5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nationsa, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;
  6 Even men, and women, and children, and the king's adaughters, and every person that bNebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had left with cGedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.
  7 So they came into the land of aEgypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to bTahpanhes.
 5a all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations Now of course here when it speaks of all the 'remnant of Judah' it is not an exclusive reference to only those who descended from Judah the son of Jacob, but it is a reference unto all those so associated with the 'Kingdom of Judah', that is Judah and his companions. And thus it makes sense to further specify and refer to that Judah included those 'that were returned from all nations', which would include those of every tribe of Israel who had so returned out of the captivity of the Kingdom of Israel and were now associated with the Kingdom of Judah and also known generally as 'Jews' so assoiated with the Jewish nation or Kingdom as were Lehi and Ishmael of the Book of Mormon called Jews, though they 'too' were descended from Joseph of Ephraim and Manasseh.
  8 ¶ Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
  9 Take 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;
  10 And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take aNebuchadrezzar 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.
  11 And when he cometh, he shall asmite 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.
  12 And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the agods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away bcaptives: 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.
  13 He 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.