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

Jeremiah 43:12 prophesies the definitive judgment of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, acting as God's instrument. This divine judgment targets Egyptian idolatry directly, predicting the destruction of their temples and the burning and capture of their idols. The verse vividly declares that God will take complete and effortless possession of the land of Egypt, symbolizing its purification from defilement and its preparation for His sovereign purposes, thereby affirming His absolute authority over all nations and their false deities.

Jeremiah 43 12 Context

Jeremiah chapter 43 follows the dramatic events after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. After Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor, was assassinated, a remnant of Judah, against God's direct command delivered through Jeremiah, decided to seek refuge in Egypt out of fear of Babylonian retaliation. They forcibly took Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch with them to Tahpanhes in the Egyptian delta. Jeremiah 43:12 is part of the prophetic declaration God then gave through Jeremiah in Egypt, revealing that Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon would indeed invade and conquer Egypt. This prophecy served as a stark refutation of the false security the people sought in Egypt, emphasizing God's inescapable reach. It also stands as a potent polemic against the supposed power of Egypt's gods, declaring their utter destruction by Yahweh, the one true God, using a pagan king as His instrument.

Jeremiah 43 12 Word analysis

• And he will kindle a fire: (וּבִעֵר, u'bi'er). This Hebrew verb conveys a strong sense of igniting fiercely, burning completely, and consuming. It denotes a devastating act of destruction, driven by divine judgment, directly aimed at the religious structures of Egypt.
• in the temples: (בָּתֵּי, ba'tëi). Literally "houses of." In the plural construct form here, it clearly refers to the dedicated places of worship, the sanctuaries and complexes, where Egyptian gods were venerated. These were key centers of idolatry.
• of the gods of Egypt: (אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרָיִם, elohëi mitz'ra'yim). This phrase refers to the polytheistic pantheon of ancient Egypt (e.g., Amun-Ra, Osiris, Isis, Horus). This targets their very identity, signifying Yahweh's ultimate challenge and triumph over their perceived dominion and existence.
• and he will burn them: (וּשְׂרָפָם, u's'ra'fam). The direct object of this burning is the idols themselves located within the temples. This action signifies their complete defilement, desecration, and nullification, rendering them powerless and valueless.
• and carry them away captive: (וְשָׁבָה, v'sha'vah). This term typically describes taking people as prisoners. Here, it likely includes taking the valuable materials of the idols (e.g., precious metals), sacred cultic objects, and possibly priests or temple personnel as spoils. It illustrates comprehensive subjugation.
• And he will array himself with: (וְעָטָה, v'a'tah). This verb means to wrap around, cover, or put on as a garment. It graphically portrays Nebuchadnezzar (as God's agent) effortlessly and thoroughly taking possession of, or 'clothing himself with,' the entirety of Egypt.
• the land of Egypt: (אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, eretz mitz'ra'yim). Encompasses the entire geographical territory, population, and sovereign power of Egypt, emphasizing the completeness of the predicted conquest.
• as a shepherd puts on his garment: (כַּאֲשֶׁר יַעְטֶה הָרֹעֶה אֶת בִּגְדוֹ, ka'a'sher ya'teh ha'ro'eh et big'do). This rich simile underscores the ease, familiarity, and uncontested nature of the appropriation. Just as a shepherd casually puts on clothes as part of his routine work, Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest will be effortless, complete, and serve the purpose of the One orchestrating it – God.
• and he will thoroughly cleanse the land of Egypt: (וְטִמְּאָהּ אֶת־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, v'tim'a'ah et-eretz mitz'ra'yim). This is a unique and debated usage. The Hebrew root ṭm'a (טָמֵא) primarily means "to be unclean" or "to defile." However, in this specific context of judging idolatry, it is widely interpreted to mean the exact opposite: to purify or purge the land from its defilement, effectively sweeping it clean of its idolatrous practices and presence. It implies the violent removal of unholiness, making the land ceremonially 'clean' for God's purposes by removing the pagan filth.

Jeremiah 43 12 Bonus section

This specific prophecy against Egypt provides compelling evidence of predictive prophecy, with historical records of Nebuchadnezzar's later campaigns into Egypt around 568-567 BC. While the detailed burning of specific temples and idols isn't explicitly corroborated by extant secular historical texts from that era, the overall fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar's dominion over Egypt is well-established. The phrase "cleansing the land" can also carry an implication of preparation. Just as a shepherd clears and prepares an enclosure for his flock, God purges Egypt's defilement, perhaps foreshadowing a future time of spiritual opening or for a new stage in redemptive history (though not specifically to bless Egypt here, but to remove obstacles). The prophecy is a powerful lesson for Judah: seeking worldly refuge and abandoning God's word inevitably leads one directly into the path of God's appointed judgments, rather than away from them.

Jeremiah 43 12 Commentary

Jeremiah 43:12 delivers a profound message of divine retribution and sovereignty. Disregarding Yahweh's explicit command, the remnant of Judah fled to Egypt, seeking refuge where God promised judgment. This verse confirms that their flight was futile, as God’s judgment would find them even there. Through His instrument, Nebuchadnezzar, God would unleash a devastating attack specifically targeting the core of Egyptian identity: its idolatry. The vivid imagery of burning temples and idols directly challenges the efficacy and existence of Egypt's gods, proclaiming Yahweh's supreme power. The simile of the shepherd putting on a garment highlights God's absolute, unhindered, and effortless control over the entire nation. Furthermore, the paradoxical "cleansing" signifies God's act of purging the land of its deeply ingrained idolatry, thus preparing it for His own design, free from its former defilement. This verse firmly establishes God as the sovereign orchestrator of history, demonstrating that human defiance cannot thwart His purposes and that His judgment is comprehensive, touching both His disobedient people and the nations that defy Him.