Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryJeremiah 43

The People's Insolent ReplyThis section shows how the people responded with pride and stubbornness to God’s warning through Jeremiah. Even after hearing God’s clear command to stay in Judah, they refused to listen. They accused Jeremiah of lying and decided to go to Egypt anyway, taking everyone with them, even Jeremiah and Baruch. Their actions reveal how pride and unbelief can lead people to ignore God’s word, bringing harm to themselves and others.v. 1–3: After Jeremiah finished delivering the message from the Lord

v. 4–7: The people decided to go to Egypt, disobeying God’s command. They forced everyone under their power, including men, women, children, and even Jeremiah and Baruch, to go with them (Jeremiah 43:5–6 ). They traveled to Tahpanhes, a royal city in Egypt. This was a foolish choice, as Egypt was a land with a history of idolatry and trouble for Israel. The people thought they would find safety there, but in reality, they were leaving behind God’s protection and bringing judgment upon themselves (Jeremiah 43:7 ).

Jeremiah's Prophecies in EgyptIn this section, Jeremiah continues to deliver God’s messages, even while in Egypt. Though he was taken there against his will, God still spoke to him and gave him prophecies to share. Jeremiah warned the people that their decision to flee to Egypt would not protect them from the judgment of God. Instead, the very destruction they feared would follow them there, brought by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.v. 8–9: God instructed Jeremiah to perform a symbolic act to show what would happen to Egypt. He was to take large stones and bury them in the clay near the brick-kiln by Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes. This act was done in the sight of the men of Judah, as a sign of what was to come (Jeremiah 43:8–9 ). Egypt’s history of forcing the Israelites to make bricks during their slavery was now remembered against them (Exodus 5:7 ).

v. 10: Jeremiah declared that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, would come and conquer Egypt. He would set his throne over the very stones Jeremiah had buried, showing that he would take control of the land. God referred to Nebuchadnezzar as His servant, meaning that he was being used to carry out God’s purposes, even though he did not know it .

v. 11: Nebuchadnezzar would strike Egypt with great destruction. He would decide who would die by the sword, who would die by pestilence, and who would be taken captive. The Jews who fled to Egypt brought this judgment upon the Egyptians, repaying their hosts with trouble instead of peace .

v. 12: The idols of Egypt would also be destroyed. Nebuchadnezzar would burn the temples of Egypt’s gods and carry away their images. This destruction was part of God’s judgment on Egypt’s idolatry. Even though Nebuchadnezzar himself was an idolater, God used him to punish the false gods of Egypt (Jeremiah 43:12; Isaiah 46:1 ).

v. 13: Jeremiah specifically mentioned the temple of the sun at Beth-shemesh, which would be broken and its images destroyed. This showed that no place in Egypt, not even its most sacred sites, would escape the judgment of God. The destruction of Egypt by Babylon was also foretold by Ezekiel (Jeremiah 43:13; Ezekiel 29:19; 30:10 ).