Jeremiah 43:13 - Jeremiah Taken to Egypt

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Context

Jeremiah Taken to Egypt
…12I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar will burn those temples and take their gods as captives. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment, and he will depart from there unscathed. 13He will demolish the sacred pillars of the temple of the sun in the land of Egypt, and he will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”

Cross References

Isaiah 19:1
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.Ezekiel 30:13
This is what the Lord GOD says: I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis. There will no longer be a prince in Egypt, and I will instill fear in that land.2 Kings 19:18
They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.Isaiah 46:1-2
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. / The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.Jeremiah 10:11
Thus you are to tell them: “These gods, who have made neither the heavens nor the earth, will perish from this earth and from under these heavens.”Jeremiah 46:25
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.Isaiah 2:18
and the idols will vanish completely.Isaiah 21:9
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”Isaiah 44:9-10
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?Isaiah 45:16
They will all be put to shame and humiliated; the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.Isaiah 48:5
Therefore I declared it to you long ago; I announced it before it came to pass, so that you could not claim, ‘My idol has done this; my carved image and molten god has ordained it.’Zephaniah 2:11
The LORD will be terrifying to them when He starves all the gods of the earth. Then the nations of every shore will bow in worship to Him, each in its own place.Acts 19:26
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.1 Corinthians 8:4
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.1 Corinthians 10:19-20
Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? / No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.

Isaiah 19:18
In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.

and the

Jeremiah 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 shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace.

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Jeremiah 43

He will demolish the sacred pillars
This phrase refers to the destruction of idolatrous symbols. Sacred pillars were often erected as part of pagan worship practices, serving as physical representations of deities or as altars for offerings. In the context of the Old Testament, the destruction of such pillars signifies the triumph of the true God over false gods. This act of demolishing is a fulfillment of divine judgment against idolatry, as seen in other scriptures like Exodus 23:24 and Deuteronomy 12:3, where God commands the Israelites to tear down pagan altars and pillars.

of the temple of the sun
The temple of the sun likely refers to a specific place of worship dedicated to the sun god, a prominent deity in Egyptian religion. The sun god, often identified as Ra or Amun-Ra, was central to Egyptian cosmology and worship. The mention of this temple highlights the confrontation between the God of Israel and the gods of Egypt, reminiscent of the plagues in Exodus, which demonstrated God's supremacy over Egyptian deities.

in the land of Egypt
Egypt is historically significant as a place of refuge and bondage for the Israelites. It represents both a literal and symbolic land of idolatry and oppression. The prophecy against Egypt serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over all nations and His ability to execute judgment beyond the borders of Israel. This also connects to the broader biblical narrative where Egypt often symbolizes worldly power and opposition to God's people.

and he will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”
Burning down the temples signifies a complete and utter destruction of the places where false gods were worshiped. This act is not only a physical destruction but also a spiritual cleansing, removing the influence of idolatry. The burning of temples is a recurring theme in the Bible, symbolizing God's judgment and the purging of sin, as seen in passages like 2 Kings 23:4-20, where King Josiah destroys the high places and altars. This prophecy also foreshadows the ultimate victory of God over all false religions, pointing to the eschatological hope found in Revelation, where all nations will acknowledge the one true God.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, often warning them of impending judgment due to their disobedience.

2. Egypt
A significant nation in biblical history, often representing a place of refuge or temptation for Israel. In this context, it is a place where the remnant of Judah fled, against God's command.

3. Sacred Pillars
These were objects of pagan worship, often associated with idolatry and false gods, which God commanded to be destroyed.

4. Temple of the Sun
A specific place of worship in Egypt dedicated to the sun god, reflecting the idolatrous practices that God opposed.

5. Nebuchadnezzar
The Babylonian king who would execute God's judgment on Egypt, as prophesied by Jeremiah.

Teaching Points

God's Sovereignty Over Nations
God is in control of all nations, and His plans will prevail despite human actions or intentions.

The Futility of Idolatry
Idolatry leads to destruction. Trusting in anything other than God is ultimately futile and leads to judgment.

Obedience to God's Commands
Disobedience to God's clear instructions, as seen in the remnant's flight to Egypt, results in consequences. We must seek to obey God even when it is difficult.

God's Judgment and Mercy
While God judges sin, His ultimate desire is for repentance and restoration. We should seek His mercy and turn from our ways.

The Importance of Prophetic Warnings
Prophetic messages in Scripture serve as warnings and guidance. We should heed them and apply their lessons to our lives.

(13) He shall break also the images of Bethshe-mesh.--This name, which means "Home of the Sun" (so the Vulgate renders it here by domus solis), was naturally not an uncommon one where sun-worship had prevailed, and we find it accordingly in Judah (Joshua 15:10; 1Samuel 6:9; 1Samuel 6:12), in Issachar (Joshua 19:22), and in Naphtali (Joshua 19:38; Judges 1:33). Here the context shows that it was the name of an Egyptian city. The LXX. renders the words "he shall break the pillars of Heliopolis, which are in On," and so identifies it with the city of that name on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles north-east of Memphis. Under the name of On it appears in Genesis 41:45. The "images" or "pillars" are now represented by a solitary obelisk of red granite, sixty-eight feet high, its companion having been brought to Rome and erected in the Vatican Circus in front of St. Peter's (Herod. II., III.; Plin. Hist. Nat. xxxvi. 11). There were at one time many others, besides colossal statues. The fulfilment of the prediction, as far as it referred to the defeat and death of Pharaoh-hophra, is related by Josephus (Ant. x. 9, ? 7). . . .

Verse 13. - The images of Beth-shemesh; rather, the pillars of Beth-shemesh; i.e. the obelisks of the temple of Ra, the sun god, from Which Heliopolis derived its sacred name "Pe-Ra" "the abode of Ra." It was the custom to place obelisks in pairs at the entrance of their temples. Only one of those of Heliopolis is still standing, though that, indeed, is the oldest in Egypt, for it was "set up at least four thousand years ago" (R. S. Poole, 'The Cities of Egypt,' p. 131). That is in the land of Egypt. To distinguish it from the Beth-shemesh in Palestine. But we may also render "which are," etc.; comp. "the gods of Egypt" in the second verse half. The Septuagint reads, "which are in On."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

He will demolish
וְשִׁבַּ֗ר (wə·šib·bar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

the sacred pillars
מַצְּבוֹת֙ (maṣ·ṣə·ḇō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4676: Something stationed, a column, an idol

of the temple of the sun
שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ (še·meš)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1053: Beth-shemesh -- 'sun temple', three places in Palestine, also a place in Egypt

in Egypt,
מִצְרָ֑יִם (miṣ·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

and
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

he will burn down
יִשְׂרֹ֥ף (yiś·rōp̄)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8313: To be, on fire

the temples
בָּתֵּ֥י (bāt·tê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of the gods
אֱלֹהֵֽי־ (’ĕ·lō·hê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Egypt.”
מִצְרַ֖יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

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Jeremiah 43:13 Catholic BibleOT Prophets: Jeremiah 43:13 He shall also break the pillars (Jer.)