Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 43

1 AND it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God , for which the LORD their God had sent him to them even all these words.

The Hebrew word, which we translate words signifieth also things. The Prophet is very exact in letting us know that he had from the Lord what he delivered to them, he therefore twice repeats it, the words of the Lord their God, and for which the Lord had sent him to them, not that the Prophets alwayes limited themselves to those syllabical words they had revealed to them, but to the matter only of the Revelation; which every Minister of the Gospel is still bound to do, delivering to people only what they have received from the Lord, as 1 Cor. 11.23. as to the matter and substance of what they deliver, though they clothe it with words, and phrases of their own.

2 Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men , saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there .

Of Iohanan we have before heard, but not of Azariah, unless under the name of Iezaniah, chap. 42.1. but that is incertain▪ These men are called proud men, either because they were the great men, or because their conceit of themselves, led them into this fatal errour. Pride is nothing else but a mans mind swelling in an opinion of himself, and alwayes takes its rise from some higher ground the person possessed of it thinks he stands upon, and a very little hillock will serve the turn, those who have nothing else of pretence will make a silk Coat, or a peice of Silver lace serve their turn. One mans spirit swells upon account of his descent, another upon account of his riches, a third upon the account of his Learning, Parts, and Wit, a fourth upon the account of his or her beauty; these men are called proud men▪ possibly upon account of their greatness, they were Captains, and the chief of the Jews now left; but chiefly upon account of the good opinion they had of their own Reason and Wit, by which they judged they knew better how to guide themselves for their own security, then Ieremiah could teach them; which Pride or good opinion men have of themselves, is a great root of disobedience, all men sin either through passion or Pride, or both, either gratifie their sensitive appetite or their rational appetite as it is in man since the fall.

Because it had been down right Atheism, and a disclaiming of God, to have said, they knew better what to do, then God could tell them, they only tell the Prophet God had not sent him. As in these times Hypocrites, whose Lusts will not allow them to do the Will of God, think to secure themselves by denying that to be the Will of God, and finding out other senses to put upon Scripture then are according to truth.

3 But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Caldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon .

Baruch was but a Clerk or Secretary to Ieremiah, so not very probable to overrule the Prophet to a falsifying of his trust, and a betraying of his Countreymen into the hands of their Enemies, but so fond are wicked men of their lusts, that they will say any thing in justification of them rather then deny themselves in them, and become obedient to the will of God.

4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces▪ and all the people obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah .

That is they resolved not to obey the message God had sent them by Ieremiah.

5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah that were returned from all nations whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah :

This resolution they presently put in practise. Though it is certain that Ieremiah and Baruch were not willing to go along with them, and probably that many of the people were not willing, yet these rebellious Captains forced them all along with them, So as many of them were now a kind of Prisoners to their own Countreymen.

6 Even men, and women, and children, and the kings 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 Prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.

Of the Kings Daughters here mentioned, see chap. 41.10.

7 So they came into the land of Egypt , for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD, thus came they even to Tahpanhes i.

Egypt at this time though it was humbled by the King of Babylon, by an inroad he had made into it, of which we read, 2 Kings 24.7. yet it was a distinct Kingdom, and being near to Canaan, the Jews often fled thither for Sanctuary, and borrowed assistance against their Enemies from them, 1. Of this City we read little but in Holy Writ, 1 Kings 11.19. we read of a Queen of Egypt called Ta[illegible: 1 letter]penes in honour to whom probably this City was builded, after whose name this City was called, of which the Scripture saith nothing, but in this Prophet chap. 2.16. in this chapter and chap. 44. and 46.14. it appears by ver. 9. that it was at this time the place where the King of Egypt made his residence, or at least had a Palace. Thither these Captains and the Jews came, forcing Ieremiah and Baruch along with them.

Marginal references: Isa. 30.4. called Hanes.

9 Take great stones in thy hand, and hide them in the clay in the brick-kiln, which is at the entry of Pharaohs house, in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah .

God commandeth the Prophet to take these Stones, and to place them in the Clay, &c. for a sign of what we shall meet with expounded in the next verse, it is plain from hence that the King of Egypt, called Pharaoh, either resided, or at least had a Royal Palace in Tahpanhes, Ieremiah is directed to fix these Stones at the entrance into this Palace. This hath made Interpreters divided about the true sense of the word, which is hear translated a Brick-kiln. That the word so signifies is out of doubt and is so translated, 2 Sam. 12.31. All that troubleth some, is, that they fancy there should not be a Brick-kiln so near the Kings Palace; but possibly those Learned men do not enough consider the difference of times and places. Great Princes Sons and Daughters, do not use in our age to keep sheep, which yet we know Iacobs sons and Labans daughters did, the Grandeur of Princes was not so great, but it might admit of as plain a thing as this. Others say the Palaces of their Princes were very vast, so that the Brick-kiln might be at a distance from the entry into the dwelling-house, though it was at the entry of the place called by the name of the Palace. Others think it might be an house used not for making, but polishing Earthen ware. But the most offensiveness of such Kil[illegible: 1 letter]s with us, is from the smoke, of which they had none, drying their Bricks in the Sun. But it is a nicety not worth so many guesses.

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.

Now God expounds his meaning in his former command, he ordered Ieremiah to take stones and hide them in a place near the King of Egypts Palace; now he tells them, that this was for a sign that Nebuchadnezzar should set his Throne, and spread his Pavilion in that place. This Nebuchadnezzar God calls his Servant, because he was to obey him in what he should do, though he intended not so. Thus Assyria is called the Rod of his anger, Isa. 10.5. and Nebuchadnezzar, is so called, chap. 25.9. and 27.6.

God owneth the stones to be laid by himself because they were laid at his Command.

Marginal references: Sec Ezek. 29.18.

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 .

He prophesieth the certain ruine of the Egyptians by the King of Babylon, some of whom the King of Babylon should slay, others of them he should lead away into Captivity as Prisoners of War. See the like phrases, chap. 15.2.

Marginal references: Zech. 11.[illegible: 1 letter], 9.

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 garments , and he shall go forth from thence in peace .

God by his Prophet declares a particular hatred to the Idols of Egy[illegible: 1 letter]t ▪ that he would burn up their Temples, i. e. by the hands of Nebuc[illegible: 1 letter]a[illegible: 2 letters]ezzar.

He shall carry away both the Idols, and the inhabitants of Egypt Captives.

That is with the spoils and plunder of the land of Egypt, the King of Babylon shall clothe his Army.

Our una[illegible: 1 letter]quaintedness with the fashions of Shepherds causeth divers guelles at the sense of this phrase; that which the best Interpreters six in as the b[illegible: 1 letter]st is, That as a shepherd that while he hath been attending his Flock goes in any Rags, and is careless of his Clothes, but when he goes home at night he puts on his Coat; so the Babylon[illegible: 1 letter] h Souldiers when they have finished their work in the conquest of Eg[illegible: 1 letter]p[illegible: 1 letter], shall go home clothed in the better habits of the Egyptians.

And the Armes shall go home in peace, as Conquerors not fo[illegible: 1 letter]led in their undertaking.

13 He shall break also the images of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt ; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire .

Beth-[illegible: 1 letter]hemesh signifies the house of the Sun, and it is also the name of a City in Egypt, so most take it here as the name of a Cit[illegible: 1 letter], whi[illegible: 1 letter]h had its name from a famous Temple bu[illegible: 1 letter]lded in it to the honour of the Sun. This Idol is called On, Ge[illegible: 1 letter]. 41.45. By this it appears that the Egyptians ▪ as well as other Pagans paid divine adoration to the Cr[illegible: 1 letter]ature.

God threatens not only the destruction of the Idolatrous Temples ▪ [illegible: 1 letter]ut th[illegible: 1 letter] houses of the inhabitants of Egypt ▪ by the King of Ba[illegible: 1 letter]ylon; from whence these Iews, would they have believed might have understood, that they would not have the security which they promised themselves in the land of Egypt.

Marginal references: Heb. Statues or [illegible: 2 letters]anding images.; Or, the house o[illegible: 1 letter] the Sun.