Jeremiah 43:9

Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah; TAKE GREAT STONES - to be laid as the foundation beneath Nebuchadnezzar's throne (). CLAY - mortar. BRICK-KILN. Bricks in that hot country are generally dried in the sun, not burned. The palace of Pharaoh was being built or repaired at this time: hence, arose the mortar and brick-kiln at the entry. Of the same materials as Pharaoh's house was built of, the substructure of Nebuchadnezzar's throne should be constructed by a visible symbol implying that the throne of the latter shall be raised on the downfall of the former. Egypt at that time contended with Babylon for the empire of the East....

He was then commanded to take _great stones, _and to _hide _them in _the clay, _or cement, _in a brick-kiln, _that is, in a kiln where bricks were burnt, or in a place where they were usually made, or where materials were taken to form them. And this place was not far from the palace of the king in the city of Taphnees, as the Prophet expressly declares; nay, he says that it was nigh the gate. As, then, this place was near the palace, the Prophet was bidden to hide there the stones, and in the sight of the Jews. This was the symbol. Now, it is shewn for what end God would have the stones to be fixed in the clay or cement; for if the stones were only rolled there with great labor by the Prophet, there would have been no instruction; and all signs we know are unmeaning and without any importance without the word. It is God’s word, then, that in a manner gives life to signs, and applies the...

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 43:9. _TAKE GREAT STONES_] This discourse seems to have been delivered about a year after the destruction of Jerusalem. They pretended that they dared not stay in _Judea_ for fear of the _Chaldeans_. The prophet here assures them that _Nebuchadnezzar_ shall come to Egypt, extend his conquests in that kingdom, and place his tent over the very place where these stones were laid up, and destroy them. How these prophecies were fulfilled, see at the end of Jeremiah 44:30....

BRICKKILN - Possibly, a pavement of brick. Jeremiah was to take a few large stones, such, nevertheless, as he could carry in his hand, and build with them, in the propylaea before the royal palace, something that would serve to represent the dais upon which the seat of kings was usually placed. By hiding them in the clay is meant plastering them over with mortar....

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....

TAKE GREAT STONES IN THINE HAND,.... In both his hands, as big as he could carry: AND HIDE THEM IN THE CLAY IN THE BRICK KILN; there was much clay in Egypt, through the overflowing of the Nile, and particularly at this place Tahpanhes, which had its name of Pelusiae from hence; and here was a brick kiln; not a place where bricks were burnt, but where they were foraged; and so here was the clay of which they were made, and in which these stones were to be hid: WHICH [IS] AT THE ENTRY OF PHARAOH'S HOUSE IN TAHPANHES; this brick kiln stood not directly at the entrance into the king's palace, but at the door of a wall of a park or garden, which belonged to the palace, from whence there was an open way to it; here the stones were to be laid. Since a brick kiln so near a king's palace seems not agreeable, Gussetius h thinks מלבן signifies a poplar walk, from לבנה, a poplar tree, whose shade...

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....

THE BRICKKILN. the brick pavement before the royal palace. Laid bare in 1886 by Flinders Petrie. See note on 2 Samuel 12:31. There could be no "brickkiln "close to the entrance of the palace. But such. platform is seen to-day outside all great, and most small, houses in Egypt. It is called _mastaba,_ and is kept clean, and swept. Often made of beaten clay, edged with bricks. For this particular brickwork pavement, see App-87. See note on Jeremiah 43:7....