Reader! look at God's people in their vassalage: part of them in Babylon, and part in Egypt! Is this the Lord's heritage? Well might the Prophet use his lamentations in the way he hath, and pour out his soul in prayer, see Lamentations 5:1 throughout. But, Reader! in the midst of judgments do not overlook how the Lord's grace follows the people. Jeremiah is still to preach, and still to prophesy. And although evil must come, yet goodness shall follow. Pray read Jeremiah 32:37 to the end.
Jeremiah 43:8-13
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 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.
11 And when he cometh, he shall smite 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 gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: 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 imagesa of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.