Jeremiah 43:13 kjv
He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.
Jeremiah 43:13 nkjv
He shall also break the sacred pillars of Beth Shemesh that are in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians he shall burn with fire." ' "
Jeremiah 43:13 niv
There in the temple of the sun in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.'?"
Jeremiah 43:13 esv
He shall break the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt, and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.'"
Jeremiah 43:13 nlt
He will break down the sacred pillars standing in the temple of the sun in Egypt, and he will burn down the temples of Egypt's gods.'"
Jeremiah 43 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 23:8 | And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had sacrificed... | King Josiah's general reformatory actions |
| 2 Kgs 23:10 | And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, that no man might burn his son or his daughter in the fire unto Molech. | Specific defilement of a pagan site |
| Jer 19:13 | And the houses also of Samaria shall be defiled like the place of Topheth... | Consequence for disobedience paralleled with pagan practices |
| Jer 7:30-31 | For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it. And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. | God's condemnation of idolatry in His name and the valley of Hinnom |
| Deut 12:2-3 | Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. | Divine command to destroy pagan places of worship |
| Isa 57:7-8 | Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. By the wood and forests hast thou made thy bed; aye, into the ark hast thou placed thy meat. Also in a shadowing thicket hast thou set thy repast; nay, against me thou hast set up an altar. Thou hast also put therein thy pitcher and perfumes, in remembrance of me. | Description of pagan worship sites and practices |
| Ezek 16:25 | And thou hast built thine high place at the head of every street, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and much increased thy whoredoms: | Idolatry equated with sexual immorality |
| Mal 2:11 | Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. | Profaning holiness through idolatry |
| 1 Kgs 14:23 | For even they also built them high places, and images, and groves on every high hill, and under every green tree. | Similar practices by the northern kingdom |
| 2 Kgs 17:9-10 | And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. | Israelites secretly practicing idolatry |
| Jer 11:13 | For according to the number of thy cities are thine iniquities, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem hast thou set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal. | Proliferation of altars to false gods |
| John 10:22 | And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. | A later Jewish feast in Jerusalem |
| Acts 17:23-24 | For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. | Paul referencing altars in his context |
| 1 Cor 10:19-20 | What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice is any thing? But that which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. | Christian perspective on idol sacrifices |
| Gal 5:19-21 | Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like... | Idolatry listed as a sin of the flesh |
| Eph 5:5 | For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. | Idolatry linked to loss of inheritance in God's kingdom |
| Col 3:5 | Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: | Covetousness identified as a form of idolatry |
| Rev 2:14 | But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. | Holding to false doctrines, including practices linked to idolatry |
| Rev 14:10-11 | The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they rest not day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. | Eternal consequence for worshipping images and the beast |
| John 17:19 | And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. | Christ's sanctification for believers to be set apart |
Jeremiah 43 verses
Jeremiah 43 13 Meaning
This verse describes the destruction of the pagan altars and pillars by Josiah. The phrase "his high places which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city" specifically pinpoints the location of these idolatrous objects.
Jeremiah 43 13 Context
This verse is situated within the latter part of Jeremiah's prophecy, specifically during a period of judgment against Judah for its persistent idolatry and disobedience. Following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, a remnant of Jews fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them against his will. This chapter, 43, details events in Egypt where the people continued their defiant practices and accused Jeremiah of speaking falsely.
Historically, Josiah's reign (640-609 BCE) was marked by significant religious reforms aimed at eradicating idolatry and re-establishing the worship of Yahweh according to the Mosaic Law. The defilement of high places was a crucial aspect of his purge of Canaanite and other foreign cultic practices that had infiltrated Israelite worship. This specific mention of "Joshua the governor of the city" indicates a prominent administrative and perhaps religious figure whose location or area of influence became the site of such abominations. The text implies that even within positions of authority, remnants of pagan worship persisted.
Jeremiah 43 13 Word Analysis
- And he brake - Refers to Josiah, indicating a forceful act of demolition and destruction.
- in the valley of the son of Hinnom - This geographical location, Gehinnom, became a symbolic place of future judgment and destruction due to its association with child sacrifice (as noted in Jeremiah 7:31, 19:6). It signifies a place deeply tainted by sin and therefore deserving of obliteration.
- his high places - Refers to the places of illicit worship, typically outdoor sanctuaries situated on elevated ground, distinct from the central sanctuary in Jerusalem.
- which were at the entrance of the gate - Pinpoints the physical location: at the entryway to a significant civic area.
- of Joshua the governor of the city - Identifies a specific person and his civic role. The "gate of Joshua" likely denotes an area under his jurisdiction or a gate associated with his name or property, highlighting that even within the city's administrative or residential areas, idolatrous sites were established.
Jeremiah 43 13 Bonus Section
The inclusion of "Joshua the governor of the city" suggests a hierarchical breakdown of the worship practices; they weren't just on distant mountains but infiltrated urban centers and were linked to the administration of the city. This underlines that the problem was not confined to rural areas but had permeated the leadership and structures of Jerusalem. The "high places" were essentially sites where unauthorized sacrifices and cultic rituals were performed, often incorporating syncretism with Canaanite deities and practices like fertility rites and divination, which were strictly forbidden by the Law of Moses.
Jeremiah 43 13 Commentary
Josiah’s reign was a last-ditch effort to turn Judah back to God. He zealously removed pagan practices, exemplified here by the destruction of idols and altars located at a gate associated with Joshua. This act signifies Josiah's commitment to enforcing the covenant. The chosen location, the "valley of the son of Hinnom," later becomes synonymous with hell or the place of the wicked, foreshadowing the divine judgment awaiting those who persisted in such practices. This verse highlights how even visible leaders could have complicity or oversight in areas where corruption lingered. The cleansing of these places was crucial for re-establishing true worship and avoiding the national apostasy that eventually led to exile.