Jeremiah 43:6 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 43:6 kjv
Even men, and women, and children, and the king's 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.
Jeremiah 43:6 nkjv
men, women, children, the king's daughters, and every person whom 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.
Jeremiah 43:6 niv
They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan?the men, the women, the children and the king's daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah along with them.
Jeremiah 43:6 esv
the men, the women, the children, the princesses, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan; also Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah.
Jeremiah 43:6 nlt
In the crowd were men, women, and children, the king's daughters, and all those whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had left with Gedaliah. The prophet Jeremiah and Baruch were also included.
Jeremiah 43 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 17:16 | Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt... that he may not acquire many horses. | Prohibits returning to Egypt. |
| Isa 30:1-3 | "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the Lord, "who carry out a plan, but not mine... who go down to Egypt without consulting me." | Condemnation of relying on Egypt for help. |
| Isa 31:1-3 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help... who do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! | Warning against trusting in Egyptian strength. |
| Jer 42:1-22 | Then all the commanders of the forces... said to Jeremiah the prophet... "Pray for us to the Lord your God... we will obey the voice of the Lord our God." | Direct context of the command to not go to Egypt. |
| Jer 43:7 | So they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they arrived at Tahpanhes. | Immediate consequence of the action in Jer 43:6. |
| Hos 8:13 | For the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt. | Prophecy of judgment leading to a return to Egypt (captivity). |
| Hos 11:5 | They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. | Foreshadows divine judgment of returning to captivity in foreign lands, not actual Egypt return for all. |
| Gen 12:10 | Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. | Abraham's problematic descent to Egypt for survival. |
| Ex 13:3 | Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery." | God's deliverance from Egypt, not to Egypt. |
| Nm 11:5 | "We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic." | People's longing for Egypt's perceived security/provision. |
| Dt 28:68 | And the Lord will bring you back in ships to Egypt, a journey that I said to you, āYou shall never see again.ā | Warning of being returned to Egyptian bondage as judgment. |
| Neh 9:16-17 | But they and our fathers acted proudly... stiffened their necks, and did not obey your commandments... and rebelled against you... and appointed a head to return to their slavery in Egypt. | Recalling the people's desire to return to Egypt during wilderness. |
| Ps 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | Contrasting reliance on human strength versus divine trust. |
| Ps 118:8 | It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. | Superiority of trusting God over human reliance. |
| Prov 29:1 | He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. | Result of persistent disobedience to warning. |
| Heb 3:12 | Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. | Warning against the same root problem of unbelief/disobedience. |
| Jn 3:19 | And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. | Choosing perceived darkness/fleshly security over God's light. |
| Lk 12:47-48 | And that servant who knew his masterās will but did not get ready or act according to his will will receive a severe beating. | Knowing God's will and disobeying leads to greater culpability. |
| Ac 7:39-40 | Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods.' | Stephen's sermon linking disobedience to a desire for Egypt/idols. |
| Rom 1:21 | For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. | Rejection of truth leads to futility and hardened hearts. |
| 2 Tim 3:7 | always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. | Reflects a condition of willful ignorance and inability to obey. |
Jeremiah 43 verses
Jeremiah 43 6 meaning
Jeremiah 43:6 details the various groups of people, specifically naming the diverse remnants of Judah, whom Johanan and other leaders forcibly took into Egypt. This act was a direct defiance of Godās explicit command, communicated through the prophet Jeremiah, not to return to Egypt for safety. It lists men, women, children, and even royal lineage survivors, along with those deliberately spared and left by Nebuzaradan, highlighting the broad demographic caught in this journey. Significantly, it underscores that Jeremiah the prophet and his scribe Baruch were compelled to go along, despite Jeremiah having just delivered God's warning against such a move. The verse encapsulates the people's stubborn resolve to seek security in a human, forbidden alliance rather than trusting divine providence.
Jeremiah 43 6 Context
Jeremiah 43:6 takes place in the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians (586 BC) and the subsequent assassination of Gedaliah, the governor appointed by Babylon over the remaining Jewish population. Fearful of Babylonian retribution for Gedaliah's death, and despite God's explicit warning through Jeremiah not to flee to Egypt (recorded in Jeremiah 42), the Jewish remnant, led by Johanan son of Kareah, determined to seek refuge there. The people had first consulted Jeremiah, swearing they would obey whatever the Lord commanded (Jer 42:5-6). However, they had already decided to go to Egypt and sought only divine confirmation, not counsel. Upon receiving the clear divine command to remain in Judah and trust God, they rejected Jeremiahās words as deceitful and a plot by Baruch to deliver them to the Babylonians. Thus, chapter 43 describes the implementation of their disobedient plan, culminating in them forcing Jeremiah, Baruch, and all remaining inhabitants into Egypt, further signifying their complete departure from God's instruction and trust. This context is critical as it highlights the stubbornness of the human heart, rejecting clear divine guidance in favor of perceived safety found in human power, ironically returning to the very land of bondage from which God had redeemed them.
Jeremiah 43 6 Word analysis
- the men, the women, the children (×Öø×Ö²× Öøש֓××× ×Ö°×Ö·× Öøּש֓××× ×Ö°×Ö·×Ö·Ö¼×£ - ha'anashim v'ha-nashim v'ha-į¹af): This phrase emphasizes the comprehensiveness of the group, covering the entire population spectrumāadult males, adult females, and young dependents. The inclusion of į¹af (children) often highlights vulnerability and dependence. Their presence means entire families were being uprooted.
- and the kingās daughters (×Ö¼×Ö°× ×Ö¹×Ŗ ×Ö·×Ö¶Ö¼×Ö¶×Ö° - u'b'not ha-meleįøµ): These royal survivors (likely from Zedekiah's family) were politically significant, embodying a vestige of the former monarchy. Their inclusion shows the complete sweep of the remaining Judaeans. Hosting them might have given Egypt some perceived political leverage against Babylon or enhanced their prestige by sheltering royalty.
- and every person (×Ö°×Öø×Ö¾×Ö·× Ö¶Ö¼×¤Ö¶×©× - v'įøµol-ha-nefesh): Literally "every soul." This re-emphasizes the totality, meaning not a single individual or type of person was left out from those who remained in Judah. Nefesh encompasses the living being, signifying the intrinsic value and presence of each individual.
- whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: This specific group, survivors chosen or allowed to remain by Babylon after the first deportations and Jerusalem's fall, represents the "remnant" who were supposed to continue in Judah under Gedaliah. Their flight to Egypt is a crucial reversal of divine instruction and a rejection of God's appointed arrangement through Nebuchadnezzar, as relayed by Jeremiah. It signifies the undoing of God's provision for a small, continued presence in the land. Nebuzaradan (chief executioner/captain of the guard) was Babylon's instrument in judgment, yet also in sparing a remnant.
- and Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah: Their forced inclusion is profoundly significant. Jeremiah, Godās messenger who explicitly warned against this journey, is now made a reluctant participant. This underscores the extent of the people's stubborn rebellionāthey rejected his message and then dragged him into the very path of disobedience. Baruch, Jeremiahās loyal scribe and assistant, shares the same fate, highlighting his unwavering commitment to Jeremiah and, by extension, to God's word, despite facing severe consequences.
Jeremiah 43 6 Bonus section
- The collective "carrying away" into Egypt, specifically mentioning diverse social groups, illustrates a pattern of national apostasy. The nation, in all its components, turned away from the Lord.
- The phrase "whom Nebuzaradan... had left" marks a deliberate rejection of Babylonian, and therefore divine (as God was using Babylon as an instrument), policy for the remnant. It highlights that the choice was not merely for comfort or safety but an active overturning of established order and revealed will.
- This journey to Egypt sets the stage for Jeremiah's final prophecies and ministry, delivering further warnings to the Jews residing there. It highlights God's persistence in reaching His people even when they are in outright rebellion and in places forbidden by Him.
- The taking of the king's daughters to Egypt reflects a significant historical trend; women of royal lineage were often taken as political pawns or prestigious refugees in ancient Near Eastern courts. Their safety was precarious, often dependent on the whim of the hosting power, underscoring the illusion of security the Judaeans sought.
Jeremiah 43 6 Commentary
Jeremiah 43:6 is a somber depiction of human rebellion and misplaced trust. It directly follows a clear, emphatic divine command to remain in Judah, assuring the remnant of God's protection (Jeremiah 42). Yet, driven by fear and a deeply ingrained reliance on the world's perceived strengths (symbolized by Egypt), the people defied God, actively choosing human solutions over divine sovereignty. The detail of "the men, the women, the children, and the kingās daughters" emphasizes the full scope of their decisionāan entire remnant of a nation, encompassing all generations and social strata, was collectively complicit in this act of disobedience.
The phrase "whom Nebuzaradan... had left" is critical; these were survivors specifically allowed by divine providence to remain in the promised land, symbolizing a small flicker of hope for the future. Their flight extinguishes this hope, demonstrating their utter rejection of God's plan for restoration, however small. The unwilling presence of Jeremiah and Baruch serves as a powerful symbol of prophetic rejection. Jeremiah, who warned them, is now dragged into their rebellion, embodying God's truth being silenced and dismissed, yet present to bear witness to their folly. The entire scene foreshadows the certain judgment that awaited them in Egypt, a consequence vividly outlined in subsequent verses. It illustrates the destructive power of fear leading to spiritual blindness and outright defiance against Godās revealed will, prioritizing perceived worldly security over faithful obedience.