Jeremiah 43:5

43:1-7 Only by pride comes contention, both with God and man. They preferred their own wisdom to the revealed will of God. Men deny the Scriptures to be the word of God, because they are resolved not to conform themselves to Scripture rules. When men will persist in sin, they charge the best actions to bad motives. These Jews deserted their own land, and threw themselves out of God's protection. It is the folly of men, that they often ruin themselves by wrong endeavours to mend their situation.

But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces,.... Who were united in their resolution to go into Egypt, contrary to the declared will of God: took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah; both such who were left in the land, when the rest were carried captive into Babylon, more particularly mentioned in Jeremiah 43:6; and those, who upon the invasion of the land, and siege of Jerusalem, had fled to other countries, but now were returned from thence, in order to settle in it; having heard that a governor from among the Jews was appointed over it; as from Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other countries; see Jeremiah 40:11; these, some of their own accord, others through persuasion, and others by force, went along with, or were taken and carried by the above captains into Egypt.

Verse 5. - All the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations. The specification is peculiar, as it seems to leave out of sight the most important part of the gathering at Mizpah, via. the "men, and women, and children, and those of the poor of the land" ( Jeremiah 40:7 ) - the very persons who are mentioned just afterwards. Possibly there is some confusion in the text. "All nations" doubtless means especially Moab, Ammon, and Edom. Jeremiah 43:5

This resolution they presently put in practice. Though it is certain that Jeremiah and Baruch were not willing to go along with them, and probably that many of the people were not willing, yet these rebellious captains forced them all along with them, so as many of them were now a kind of prisoners to their own countrymen.

Thereupon Johanan and the other captains took "all the remnant of Judah, that had returned from all the nations whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah-the men and women and children, the king's daughters, and all the souls whom Nebuzaradan, chief of the body-guard, had committed to Gedaliah...and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah, - and went to the land of Egypt - for they did not hearken to the voice of Jahveh - and came to Tahpanhes." In this enumeration of those who were conducted to Egypt, Hitzig, Graf, and others distinguish two classes: (1) the men, women, children, etc., who had been in Mizpah with Gedaliah, and had been led to Gibeon, after the murder of the latter, by Ishmael, but had afterwards been brought to Bethlehem by Johanan and the other captains ( Jeremiah 43:6 , cf. Jeremiah 40:7 ; Jeremiah 41:10 , Jeremiah 41:16 ); (2) those who had returned from the foreign countries whither they had fled, but who had hitherto lived in the country, scattered here and there, and who must have joined the company led by Johanan to Bethlehem during the ten days of halt at that resting-place ( Jeremiah 43:5 , cf. Jeremiah 40:11-12 ). There is no foundation, however, for this distinction.

Neither in the present chapter is there anything mentioned of those who had been dispersed through the land joining those who had marched to Bethlehem; nor are the Jews who had returned from Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other countries to their own home distinguished, in Jeremiah 40 and 41, as a different class from those who had been with Gedaliah in Mizpah; but on the other hand, according to Jeremiah 40:12 , these returned Jews also came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered grapes and fruit. Besides, in these verses the distinction can only be made after the insertion into the text of the conjunction ו before את־הגּברים. To "all the remnant of Judah who had returned from the nations" belong the men, women, children, etc., whom Nebuzaradan had committed to the care of Gedaliah. The enumeration in Jeremiah 43:6 gives only one specification of the "whole remnant of Judah," as in Jeremiah 41:16 . "And all the souls;" as if it were said, "and whoever else was still left alive;" cf. Joshua 10:28 . Tahpanhes was a frontier town of Egypt on the Pelusian branch of the Nile, and named Δάφναι by the Greeks; see on Jeremiah 2:16 . Here, on the borders of Egypt, a halt was made, for the purpose of coming to further resolutions regarding their residence in that country. Here, too, Jeremiah received a revelation from God regarding the fate now impending on Egypt.

His residence was at Mizpah (Jeremiah 40:5). home —the house of Gedaliah, wherein Jeremiah might remain as in a safe asylum. As in Jeremiah 40:1 Jeremiah is represented as "bound in chains" when he came to Ramah among the captives to be carried to Babylon, this release of Jeremiah is thought by M AURER to be distinct from that in Jeremiah 40:5, 6. But he seems first to have been released from the court of the prison and to have been taken to Ramah, still in chains, and then committed in freedom to Gedaliah. dwelt among the people —that is, was made free. 15-18. Belonging to the time when the city was not yet taken, and when Jeremiah was still in the court of the prison (Jeremiah 38:13). This passage is inserted here because it was now that Ebed-melech's good act (Jeremiah 38:7-12; Matthew 25:43) was to be rewarded in his deliverance. 16. Go —not literally, for he was in confinement, but figuratively. before thee —in thy sight. 17. the men of whom thou art afraid —(Jeremiah 38:1, 4-6). The courtiers and princes hostile to thee for having delivered Jeremiah shall have a danger coming so home to themselves as to have no power to hurt. Heretofore intrepid, he was now afraid; this prophecy was therefore the more welcome to him. ## 18. life … for a prey —(See on Jeremiah 21:9; Jeremiah 38:2; Jeremiah 45:5). put … trust in me —(Jeremiah 38:7-9). Trust in God was the root of his fearlessness of the wrath of men, in his humanity to the prophet (1 Chronicles 5:20; Psalms 37:40).

The Hebrew Chetib (text) reads: "I bound them (to Me) by oath," namely, in the marriage covenant, sealed at Sinai between God and Israel; in contrast to which stands their "adultery"; the antithesis favors this. adultery … harlots' houses —spiritually: idolatry in temples of idols; but literal prostitution is also included, being frequently part of idol-worship: for example, in the worship of the Babylonian Mylitta. 8. in the morning —(Isaiah 5:11). "Rising early in the morning" is a phrase for unceasing eagerness in any pursuit; such was the Jews' avidity after idol-worship. M AURER translates from a different Hebrew root, "continually wander to and fro," inflamed with lust (Jeremiah 2:23). But English Version is simpler (compare Jeremiah 13:27; Ezekiel 22:11). 9. (Jeremiah 5:29; Jeremiah 9:9; 44:22). 10. Abrupt apostrophe to the Babylonians, to take Jerusalem, but not to destroy the nation utterly (see on Jeremiah 4:27). battlements —rather, tendrils [M AURER ]: the state being compared to a vine (Jeremiah 12:10), the stem of which was to be spared, while the tendrils (the chief men) were to be removed. 11. (Jeremiah 3:20). 12. belied —denied. It is not he —rather, "(Jehovah) is not H E ," that is, the true and only God (Jeremiah 14:22; Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 43:10, 13). By their idolatry they virtually denied Him. Or, referring to what follows, and to Jeremiah 5:9, "(Jehovah) is not," namely, about to be the punisher of our sins (Jeremiah 14:13; Isaiah 28:15). 13.

God, think to secure themselves by denying that to be the will of God, and finding out other senses to put upon Scripture than are according to truth. ## Jeremiah 43:3 Baruch was but a clerk or secretary to Jeremiah, so not very probable to overrule the prophet to a falsifying of his trust, and a betraying of his countrymen into the hands of their enemies; but so fond are wicked men of their lusts, that they will say any thing in justification of them, rather than deny themselves in them, and become obedient to the will of God. Jeremiah 43:4 That is, they res olved not to obey the message God had sent them by Jeremiah. Jeremiah 43:5 This resolution they presently put in practice. Though it is certain that Jeremiah and Baruch were not willing to go along with them, and probably that many of the people we re not willing, yet these rebellious captains forced them all along with them, so as many of them were now a kind of prisoners to their own countrymen. Jeremiah 43:6 Of ## the ki ng ’ s daughters here mentioned, see Jer_41:10. Jeremiah 43:7 Egypt at this time, though it was humbled by the king of Babylon, by an inroad he had made into it, of which we read, 2Ki_24:7, yet it was a distinct kingdom, and be ing near to Canaan, the Jews often fled thither f