Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 43

Verses 1-13

The accuracy of Jeremiah's judgment of the people was immediately manifest. Their leaders charged him with having spoken falsely under the inspiration of Baruch, and immediately all of them passed over into Egypt, taking with them both Jeremiah and Baruch. Again the intrepid courage of the man is manifest, for while he, with perhaps Baruch, to all appearances stood alone, he immediately continued his ministry of denunciation and warning.

At Tahpanhes he announced the coming of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, against Egypt, and foretold Nebuchadnezzar's complete victory over all that power in which these men had chosen to put their trust. They had fled to Egypt to escape from Babylon. Babylon was to become victorious over Egypt. Thus Jeremiah declared to them, in effect, the utter folly of any attempt to escape finally from the government of God. Willingly abiding therein, they would have been safe in the land, even under the dominion of Babylon. Departing therefrom, in fear of Babylon, they found themselves in the very place where Babylon was again to set up its authority by the victory of war.