Jeremiah 43

The commanders and all the charge one among the people charge Jeremiah his prophesy with Lying they go into Egypt and carry them and Baluch along with them thither verse1,2 c. Jeremiah prophesieth at Taphanes by a divine token of a desolation of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar,8.

1. And it came to pass when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the word of the Lord their God with which the Lord their God hath sent him unto them to wit all those words [related in the former chapter.]

2. then spake Azaria the son of Hosiah and Johanan the son of Korea and all the proud men saying [in the plural number] unto Jeremiah thou speaketh a lie the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say ye shall not go to Egypt to sojourn there.

3. But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us that he might deliver us into the hand of Chaldeans that they might put us to death and carry us captive to Babel.

4. So neither Johanan the son of Korea neither the captain of the armies nor all the people obeyed the voice of the Lord to abide in the land of Judah.

5. But Johanan the son of Korea and the captains of the armies took all the remnant of Judah that were returned from all the heathen wither they were driven to dwell in the land of Judah.

6. The man and the women and the little children and the kings daughters [that is men person see Genesis 12 on verse5]that Neburazaradan the captain of the guards had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Saphan also the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch the son of Neriah:

7. And they went into the land of Egypt for they were not obedient unto the voice of the Lord and they came unto Tahphanes [see above chapter 2 on verse16 this place is held to be the same city which is called by the heathen writers Dephne .]

8. Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah at Tehphanes saying:

9. Take thy stone in thine hand and hide them in the brick-kill[or brickery brick house] which is by the door [or entry] or Pharaoh [see Genesis 12 on verse 15 this seemeth to have been Pharaoh Hophra so below chapter 44.30] house at Taphanes before the eyes 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 fetch [Heb take see above chapter 37 on verse17]Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel my servant [see above chapter 25 on verse 9 and 27.6] and I will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid [by the ministry of my servant Jeremiah]and he shall spread his beautiful tent[or royal tent pavilion the Hebrew word is only found here and seemeth to have the name from singular beauty] over them.

11. And he shall come and smite the land of Egypt [as below chapter 46.13&c] him for death to death ]meaning he is appointed or dead see above chapter 15.2,2 Zah.11.9] to death and him for captivity to captivity and him for the sword to the sword.

12. And I will kindle the fire [that is cause or procure desolation or destruction compare above chapter 15.14]in the houses of Gods [that is idolatrous temples] of Egypt and he shall bury them and carry them away captive [Nebuchadnezzar shall burn the idols of the Egyptians and their houses and temples and shall carry the Egyptians away captive]and he shall put on the land of Egypt like as the shepherds putteth on his garment [that is he shall take the riches and spoil to Egypt himself for his own profit and benefit to carry them with him as easily and conveniently as the shepherds putteth on his shepherd coat to cover therewith and wrap himself in it against the cold he shall be leaden and covered and as it were wrapped round about with the spoil] and he shall march forth from thence with peace.

13. and he shall brake the reared images [as 1 Kings 14:23]of Bethmeshesh[that is of the house of the sun called by the heathen writers Heliopolis that is the city of the sun where they committed abominable idolatry this city is conceived to have been also conceived by Hebrews on Genesis 41:45,50] which is in the land of Egypt[there was another Bethmeshshes in Israel by the border of the Philistines 1Samuel 6.12] and he shall burn the houses of gods of Egypt with fire.