Jeremiah 43:13

He shall break also the images of Beth-she'mesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire. IMAGES - statues or obelisks. BETH-SHEMESH - i:e., the house of the sun, in Hebrew; called by the Greeks Heliopolis; by the Egyptians, On (); east of the Nile, and a few miles north of Memphis. Ephraim Syrus says, the statue rose to the height of 60 cubits; the base was 10 cubits. Above, there was a mitre of 1,008 pounds weight. Hieroglyphics are traced around the only obelisk remaining there in the present day, 60 or 70 feet high. On the 5th year after the overthrow of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar, leaving the siege of Tyre, undertook, his expedition to Egypt (Josephus, 'Antiquities,' 10:9,7). The Egyptians, according to the Arabs, have a tradition that the...

WE stated yesterday why Jeremiah spoke especially of the temples of the gods, even that the Jews might understand that nothing would escape destruction: for even the cruel-est enemies have usually withheld their hands from the temples of gods. If sanctity and religion would not preserve the temples, what then would become of private houses? He intimates, in short, that such would be the ruin of Egypt, that no part would escape. But as Heliopolis was then in the greatest repute, he says, that the _statues _of all the gods in that city would be broken, for there the gods were especially worshipped. All heathen writers call it Heliopolis, to which the Hebrew word corresponds; for Bethsemes means the city of the sun; and Heliopolis means the same. As then this was the chief place where the gods of Egypt were found, the Prophet, in order to shew that the ruin of the whole land would be extrem...

8-13 God can find his people wherever they are. The Spirit of prophecy was not confined to the land of Israel. It is foretold that Nebuchadnezzar should destroy and carry into captivity many of the Egyptians. Thus God makes one wicked man, or wicked nation, a scourge and plague to another. He will punish those who deceive his professing people, or tempt them to rebellion....

Verse Jeremiah 43:13. _HE SHALL BREAK ALSO THE IMAGES OF BETH-SHEMESH_] בית שמש _beith shemesh_ is, literally, _the house_ or _temple of the_ _sun_; which was worshipped here, and whose images are said to have been of _solid gold_. These Nebuchadnezzar was to break and carry away; and the _houses of the gods_-all the temples of Egypt, he was to burn with fire. Beth-shemesh is the same as Heliopolis....

IMAGES - Rather, pillars (compare the Isaiah 19:19 note), obelisks. BETH-SHEMESH - Heliopolis, famous for its obelisks....

EXPOSITION The flight to Egypt; Jeremiah's prediction of Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Egypt. JEREMIAH 43:2 ALL THE PROUD MEN. It would seem as if the "proud men" were distinguished from others. Jeremiah had called the whole people together (Jeremiah 42:8); but a few domineering men assumed to represent the rest. JEREMIAH 43:3 BARUCH THE SON OF NERIAH SETTETH THEE ON. A singular supposition—Jeremiah leaving the initiative to his secretary! It may be conjectured that Baruch had somehow made himself specially unpopular; he may have been a more practical man (comp....

HE SHALL BREAK ALSO THE IMAGES OF BETHSHEMESH, THAT [IS] IN THE LAND OF EGYPT,.... Or, "of Heliopolis", as the Septuagint; the "city of the sun"; and so "Bethshemesh" here signifies the "house of the sun"; either it designs the temple of the sun, or the city where it was worshipped; as Heliopolis was famous for the worship of the sun, and for a magnificent temple in it, built for that purpose, and where abundance of persons resorted on that account, as Herodotus l observes; here were many images of the sun; and these now should be broke to pieces, when this city should become the city of destruction, as is foretold it should by Isaiah, Isaiah 19:18; where the Targum expressly calls it the city Bethshemesh, that is to be destroyed; Isaiah 19:18. This is the same city that was formerly called On,

CHAPTER 43 _ 1. The rebellion against Jeremiah (Jeremiah 43:1) _ 2. Jeremiah's prediction about the conquest of Egypt (Jeremiah 43:8) Jeremiah 43:1. No sooner had Jeremiah finished communicating the divine answer, but the captains and the proud men denounced him. They charged him that he spoke falsely, that all he had said was at the instigation of Baruch, that both were traitors. Then the leaders did not obey the voice of the Lord to dwell in the land; they took the remnant of Judah (Jeremiah 43:5 is explained by J

THE FUTURE CONQUEST OF EGYPT BY NEBUCHADREZZAR. According to an imperfect inscription (given in Rogers's _Cuneiform Parallels to the OT,_ p. 367), he actually invaded Egypt in 567 B.C. Jeremiah symbolically proclaims this by placing stones on the spot where the Babylonian king shall erect his throne and glittering canopy (Jeremiah 43:10 _mg.)._ He will make the land his, as easily as a shepherd puts on his garment (Jeremiah 43:12), and will destroy heathen temples, and the obelisks of Heliopolis (Jeremiah 43:13 _mg.;_ 6 m. NE. of Cairo) For the force of such symbolism see on Jeremiah 13:1 ff....

IMAGES. standing images, or obelisks. Probably _Asherim._ See App-42. BETH-SHEMESH. Hebrew. House (or Temple) of the Sun; Greek, "Heliopolis"; Egyptian, "On"; about ten miles northeast of Cairo. THAT IS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. This is to distinguish it from the Beth-shemesh of Joshua 15:10. Jdg 1:33. 1 Samuel 6:9; 1 Samuel 6:19. See note on Isaiah 19:19. and App-81....