43:2 Then spoke a Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the
son of Kareah, and all the b proud men, saying to
Jeremiah, c Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath
d not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn
there:
(a) Who was also called Jezaniah, (Jer 42:1).
(b) This declares that pride is the cause of rebellion and
contempt of God's ministers.
(c) When the hypocrisy of the wicked is discovered, they
burst forth into open rage: for they can abide nothing
but flattery, read (Isa 30:10).
(d) He shows what is the nature of the hypocrites: that is,
to pretend that they would obey God and embrace his
word, if they were assured that his messenger spoke the
truth: though indeed they are most far from all
obedience.
43:3 But Baruch the son of Neriah e setteth thee on against
us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they
may put us to death, and carry us away captives into
Babylon.
(e) Thus the wicked not only contemn and hurt the
messengers of God, but slander and speak wickedly of
all them that support or favour the godly.
43:5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that had returned
from all f nations, where they had been driven, to dwell
in the land of Judah;
(f) As from the Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites,
(Jer 40:11).
43:6 [Even] men, and women, and children, and the king's
daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of
the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son
of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the g prophet, and Baruch the
son of Neriah.
(g) When these wicked lead away by force.
43:7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not
the voice of the LORD: thus they came [even] to h
Tahpanhes.
(h) A city in Egypt near to Nilus.
43:9 Take great stones in thy hand, and i hide them in the
clay in the brickkiln, which [is] at the entrance of
Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of
Judah;
(i) Which signified that Nebuchadnezzar would come even to
the gates of Pharaoh, where his brick kilns for his
buildings were.
43:10 And say to them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the
king of Babylon, k my servant, and will set his throne
upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his
royal pavilion over them.
43:11 And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, [and
deliver] l 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.
(l) Everyone will be slain by the means that God has
appointed, (Jer 15:2).
43:12 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 m shepherd putteth on his garment; and he
shall go forth from there in peace.
(m) Meaning most easily and suddenly will he carry the
Egyptians away.
