Jeremiah 43 12

Jeremiah 43:12 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 43:12 nkjv

I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive. And he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd puts on his garment, and he shall go out from there in peace.

Jeremiah 43:12 niv

He will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive. As a shepherd picks his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart.

Jeremiah 43:12 esv

I shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive. And he shall clean the land of Egypt as a shepherd cleans his cloak of vermin, and he shall go away from there in peace.

Jeremiah 43:12 nlt

He will set fire to the temples of Egypt's gods; he will burn the temples and carry the idols away as plunder. He will pick clean the land of Egypt as a shepherd picks fleas from his cloak. And he himself will leave unharmed.

Jeremiah 43 verses

Jeremiah 43 12 Meaning

This verse describes the divine judgment and destruction to be executed by God's instruments. It signifies God's active intervention in punishing the wicked, specifically those who oppose His will. The destruction is absolute and intended to leave no trace of their wickedness or presence.

Jeremiah 43 12 Context

Jeremiah chapter 43 follows Jeremiah's condemnation of idolatry and apostasy among the Judean refugees in Egypt, particularly their worship of the "Queen of Heaven" (Jeremiah 43:1-7). These refugees had previously ignored God's word through Jeremiah and fled to Egypt against His command. Verse 11 of this chapter introduces God's judgment against them and the Egyptians, which is to be carried out by Nebuchadnezzar. This specific verse (43:12) elaborates on the extent and nature of this divine judgment against those in Egypt who are perpetuating their idolatry and rebellion against the Lord. The immediate context is God's directive to Jeremiah to prophesy judgment, indicating that this destructive force (Nebuchadnezzar) will also set up his throne among them and destroy Egypt.

Jeremiah 43 12 Word Analysis

• אֶת־ (et-): A preposition indicating direct object, signifying "the" or marking something specific. Here it denotes "the idols" of Egypt.
• הַֽצֲלִי (haTzalai): From the root צָלַל (tsalal), meaning "to be deep," "to be overcast," or in its Piel form, "to cast down," "to make shine." In the context of "casting down," it implies a complete and thorough destruction, overwhelming them. It suggests a powerful force that will cause them to fall or sink into ruin.
• אֹתָ֖ם (otam): Pronoun meaning "them," referring to the idols of Egypt.
• וְשָׁבַ֥ר (veshavar): Conjunction "and" with the verb שָׁבַר (shavar), meaning "to break," "to shatter," "to destroy." This indicates an act of violent demolition, reducing the idols to pieces.
• פְּסִילֵיהֶֽן (psilehen): From פֶּסֶל (pessel), meaning "graven image," "idol," "carved image." The suffix "-hen" indicates feminine plural, referring to the "idols of Egypt." These were objects of worship that God commanded Jeremiah's people to forsake.
• וְשָׂרַ֤ף (vesaraf): Conjunction "and" with the verb שָׂרַף (saraf), meaning "to burn," "to consume by fire." This signifies a complete annihilation through burning, leaving nothing behind.
• אֹתָם֙ (otam): Again, the pronoun "them," referring to the idols. The repetition emphasizes the thoroughness of the destruction.
• וְשָׁלַ֤ל (veshalal): Conjunction "and" with the verb שָׁלַל (shalal), meaning "to plunder," "to spoil," "to carry away as spoil." This indicates that not only will the idols be destroyed, but their cultic materials and even the sacred places themselves might be plundered.
• הָאֵ֤לֶּה (hael-leh): Demonstrative pronoun "these," pointing to specific idols or objects of worship in Egypt that have been or will be the target of this destruction.
• יִשְׂרָאֵֽל (Yisrael): Referring to the people of Israel, specifically the refugees who have wrongly resorted to Egypt. It underscores that this judgment is partly a consequence of their actions and their susceptibility to the idolatry found there.

Group of words analysis:

• "cast them down... break them in pieces... burn them": This triple action vividly depicts a comprehensive destruction of the idols. It's not just overthrowing; it's shattering and consuming, leaving no salvific power in the objects of Egyptian worship.
• "plunder these... Israel": This phrase connects the plundering of Egyptian idols directly to the actions or consequences impacting Israel. It implies that the invaders will also loot these places, and possibly that Israel's own religious practices will be thoroughly dealt with as part of the judgment.

Jeremiah 43 12 Bonus Section

This verse demonstrates a fundamental biblical principle: God's sovereignty over all nations and their deities. The idols of Egypt, considered powerful by their worshippers, are rendered powerless and utterly destroyed by God’s chosen agent. This echoes earlier instances, such as the plagues upon Egypt where the gods of Egypt were also judged and proven impotent (Exodus 12:12). It reinforces the message that any worship or trust placed in anything other than the true God leads to devastation and judgment. The action prophesied is an expression of God's zealous nature, unwilling to share His glory with any created thing (Isaiah 42:8).

Jeremiah 43 12 Commentary

The prophet Jeremiah is commissioned by God to declare a harsh and complete destruction upon the idolatrous objects and practices in Egypt, particularly those that had attracted the faithless Judean refugees. This divine judgment, to be executed by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, is not merely an earthly military campaign but a divine decree aimed at eradicating false worship. The use of terms like "cast down," "break in pieces," and "burn" emphasizes the totality of this destruction, leaving no remnant of these objects of pagan adoration. The mention of plundering further underscores the extent of conquest and the divine dissatisfaction with the perceived wealth or status associated with these idols and their sanctuaries. This judgment serves as a stark warning to the refugees who had fled to Egypt seeking refuge in pagan gods and practices, proving that God’s authority extends even to the idols of foreign nations, and that He will vindicate His own honor against all who defy Him. The future conqueror of Egypt is explicitly named in the preceding verse as an instrument of God’s wrath.