Jeremiah 43:8-13 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Future Conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadrezzar. According to an imperfect inscription (given in Rogers's Cuneiform Parallels to the OT, p. 367), he actually invaded Egypt in 567 B.C. Jeremiah symbolically proclaims this by placing stones on the spot where the Babylonian king shall erect his throne and glittering canopy (Jeremiah 43:10 mg.). He will make the land his, as easily as a shepherd puts on his garment (Jeremiah 43:12), and will destroy heathen temples, and the obelisks of Heliopolis (Jeremiah 43:13 mg.; 6 m. NE. of Cairo) For the force of such symbolism see on Jeremiah 13:1 ff.

Jeremiah 43:9. in mortar in the brickwork: a very doubtful phrase: LXX reads in the forecourt, and other Greek VSS with Vulg. in secret; the latter is preferable, as the action would perhaps have to be done by night cf. Ezekiel 12:7.

Jeremiah 43:10. Read with LXX, Syr. he will set.

Jeremiah 43:12. Read with VSS, he will kindle.

Jeremiah 43:13. Cleopatra's Needle is one of these obelisks.

Related Commentaries of Jeremiah 43:8

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.