The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  17And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of qChimham, which is near Bethlehem, as they went on their way to rEgypt,

  18because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, swhom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land.

  Jeremiah 42

  The Flight to Egypt Forbidden

  1Now all the captains of the forces, aJohanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people, from the least to the greatest, came near

  2and said to Jeremiah the prophet, b“Please, let our petition be acceptable to you, and cpray for us to the LORD your God, for all this remnant (since we are left but da few of many, as you can see),

  3“that the LORD your God may show us ethe way in which we should walk and the thing we should do.”

  4Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard. Indeed, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your words, and it shall be, that fwhatever the LORD answers you, I will declare it to you. I will gkeep nothing back from you.”

  5So they said to Jeremiah, h“Let the LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not do according to everything which the LORD your God sends us by you.

  6“Whether it is 1pleasing or 2displeasing, we will iobey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we send you, jthat it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”

  7And it happened after ten days that the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah.

  8Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,

  9and said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him:

  10‘If you will still remain in this land, then kI will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up. For I lrelent concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you.

  11‘Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him,’ says the LORD, m‘for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand.

  12‘And nI will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land.’

  13“But if oyou say, ‘We will not dwell in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the LORD your God,

  14“saying, ‘No, but we will go to the land of pEgypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread, and there we will dwell’—

  15“Then hear now the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you qwholly3 set ryour faces to enter Egypt, and go to dwell there,

  16‘then it shall be that the ssword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there you shall die.

  17‘So shall it be with all the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to dwell there. They shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. And tnone of them shall remain or escape from the disaster that I will bring upon them.’

  18“For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘As My anger and My fury have been upoured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so will My fury be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. And vyou shall be an oath, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach; and you shall see this place no more.’

  19“The LORD has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, w‘Do not go to Egypt!’ Know certainly that I have 4admonished you this day.

  20“For you 5were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.’

  21“And I have this day declared it to you, but you have xnot obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, or anything which He has sent you by me.

  22“Now therefore, know certainly that you yshall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to dwell.”

  Jeremiah 43

  Jeremiah Taken to Egypt

  1Now it happened, when Jeremiah had stopped speaking to all the people all the awords of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, all these words,

  2bthat Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, “You speak falsely! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.’

  3“But cBaruch the son of Neriah has 1set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon.”

  4So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would dnot obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah.

  5But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces took eall the remnant of Judah who had returned to dwell in the land of Judah, from all nations where they had been driven—

  6men, women, children, fthe king’s daughters, gand 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.

  7hSo they went to the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the LORD. And they went as far as iTahpanhes.

  8Then the jword of the LORD came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,

  9“Take large stones in your hand, and hide them in the sight of the men of Judah, in the 2clay in the brick courtyard which is at the entrance to Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes;

  10“and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, kMy servant, and will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden. And he will spread his royal pavilion over them.

  11l“When he comes, he shall strike the land of Egypt and deliver to death mthose appointed for death, and to captivity those appointed for captivity, and to the sword those appointed for the sword.

  123“I will kindle a fire in the houses of nthe 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.

  13“He shall also break the sacred pillars of 4Beth Shemesh that are in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians he shall burn with fire.” ’ ”

  Jeremiah 44

  Israelites Will Be Punished in Egypt

  1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews who dwell in the land of Egypt, who dwell at aMigdol, at bTahpanhes, at cNoph,1 and in the country of dPathros, saying,

  2“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘You have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and on all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are ea desolation, and no one dwells in them,

  3‘because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went fto burn incense and to gserve other gods whom they did not know, they nor you nor your fathers.

  4‘However hI have sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, “Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!”

  5‘But they did not listen or incline their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods.

  6‘So My fury and My anger were poured out and kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they 2are wasted and desolate, as it is this day.’

  7“Now therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Why do you commit this great evil iagainst yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, out of Judah, leaving none to remain,

  8‘in that you jprovoke Me to wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have gone to dwell, that you may cut yourselves off and be ka
curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?

  9‘Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

  10‘They have not been lhumbled,3 to this day, nor have they mfeared; they have not walked in My law or in My statutes that I set before you and your fathers.’

  11“Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, nI will set My face against you for catastrophe and for 4cutting off all Judah.

  12‘And I will take the remnant of Judah who have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to dwell there, and othey shall all be consumed and fall in the land of Egypt. They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine. They shall die, from the least to the greatest, by the sword and by famine; and pthey shall be an oath, an astonishment, a curse and a reproach!

  13q‘For I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence,

  14‘so that none of the remnant of Judah who have gone into the land of Egypt to dwell there shall escape or survive, lest they return to the land of Judah, to which they rdesire5 to return and dwell. For snone shall return except those who escape.’ ”

  15Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, with all the women who stood by, a great multitude, and all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying:

  16“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, twe will not listen to you!

  17“But we will certainly do uwhatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the vqueen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of 6food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.

  18“But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine.”

  19The women also said, w“And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make cakes for her, to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands’ permission?”

  20Then Jeremiah spoke to all the people—the men, the women, and all the people who had given him that answer—saying:

  21“The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and did it not come into His mind?

  22“So the LORD could no longer bear it, because of the evil of your doings and because of the abominations which you committed. Therefore your land is a desolation, an astonishment, a curse, and without an inhabitant, xas it is this day.

  23“Because you have burned incense and because you have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD or walked in His law, in His statutes or in His testimonies, ytherefore this calamity has happened to you, as at this day.”

  24Moreover Jeremiah said to all the people and to all the women, “Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt!

  25“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘You and your wives have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands, saying, “We will surely keep our vows that we have made, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” You will surely keep your vows and perform your vows!’

  26“Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: ‘Behold, zI have sworn by My agreat name,’ says the LORD, ‘that bMy name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “The Lord GOD lives.”

  27‘Behold, I will watch over them for adversity and not for good. And all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt cshall be consumed by the sword and by famine, until there is an end to them.

  28‘Yet da small number who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah; and all the remnant of Judah, who have gone to the land of Egypt to dwell there, shall know whose words will stand, Mine or theirs.

  29‘And this shall be a sign to you,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that My words will surely estand against you for adversity.’

  30“Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, fI will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave gZedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy who sought his life.’ ”

  Jeremiah 45

  Assurance to Baruch

  1The aword that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to bBaruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book 1at the instruction of Jeremiah, in the cfourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,

  2“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch:

  3‘You said, “Woe is me now! For the LORD has added grief to my sorrow. I dfainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.” ’

  4“Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, ewhat I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land.

  5“And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, fI will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the LORD. “But I will give your glife to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.” ’ ”

  Jeremiah 46

  Judgment on Egypt

  1The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against athe nations.

  2Against bEgypt.

  cConcerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, which was by the River Euphrates in Carchemish, and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon ddefeated in the efourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

  3“Order1 the 2buckler and shield,

  And draw near to battle!

  4Harness the horses,

  And mount up, you horsemen!

  Stand forth with your helmets,

  Polish the spears,

  f Put on the armor!

  5Why have I seen them dismayed and turned back?

  Their mighty ones are beaten down;

  They have speedily fled,

  And did not look back,

  For gfear was all around,” says the LORD.

  6“Do not let the swift flee away,

  Nor the mighty man escape;

  They will hstumble and fall

  Toward the north, by the River Euphrates.

  7“Who is this coming up ilike a flood,

  Whose waters move like the rivers?

  8Egypt rises up like a flood,

  And its waters move like the rivers;

  And he says, ‘I will go up and cover the earth,

  I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.’

  9Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots!

  And let the mighty men come forth:

  3 The Ethiopians and 4the Libyans who handle the shield,

  And the Lydians jwho handle and bend the bow.

  10For this is kthe day of the Lord GOD of hosts,

  A day of vengeance,

  That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries.

  l The sword shall devour;

  It shall be 5satiated and made drunk with their blood;

  For the Lord GOD of hosts mhas a sacrifice

  In the north country by the River Euphrates.

  11“Gon up to Gilead and take balm,

  o O virgin, the daughter of Egypt;

  In vain you will use many medicines;

  p You shall not be cured.

  12The nations have heard of your qshame,

  And your cry has filled the land;

  For the mighty man has stumbled against the might
y;

  They both have fallen together.”

  Babylonia Will Strike Egypt

  13The word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon would come and rstrike the land of Egypt.

  14“Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in sMigdol;

  Proclaim in 6Noph and in tTahpanhes;

  Say, ‘Stand fast and prepare yourselves,

  For the sword devours all around you.’

  15Why are your valiant men swept away?

  They did not stand

  Because the LORD drove them away.

  16He made many fall;

  Yes, uone fell upon another.

  And they said, ‘Arise!

  v Let us go back to our own people

  And to the land of our nativity

  From the oppressing sword.’

  17They cried there,

  ‘Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is but a noise.

  He has passed by the appointed time!’

  18“ As I live,” says the King,

  w Whose name is the LORD of hosts,

  “Surely as Tabor is among the mountains

  And as Carmel by the sea, so he shall come.

  19O xyou daughter dwelling in Egypt,

  Prepare yourself yto go into captivity!

  For 7Noph shall be waste and desolate, without inhabitant.

  20“Egypt is a very pretty zheifer,

  But destruction comes, it comes afrom the north.

  21Also her mercenaries are in her midst like 8fat bulls,

  For they also are turned back,

  They have fled away together.

  They did not stand,

  For bthe day of their calamity had come upon them,

  The time of their punishment.

  22c Her noise shall go like a serpent,

  For they shall march with an army

  And come against her with axes,

  Like those who chop wood.

  23“They shall dcut down her forest,” says the LORD,