Jeremiah's prediction of Nebuchadnezzar's invasion of Egypt 43:8-13

43:8 The Lord continued to give prophetic messages to Jeremiah in Egypt.

43:9 Yahweh instructed Jeremiah to perform another symbolic act (cf. 13:4-7; 19:1-13; 27:1-28:16; Ezek. 4:1-12; 5:1-4; 12:3-6, 18; 37:15-17). He was to hide some large stones in the mortar of the brick courtyard in front of an official government building or royal residence in Tahpanhes while some of the Judahites watched.⁵²⁰Perhaps the large stones symbolized the foundation of Nebuchadnezzar's future throne (v. 10) or the Jews over whom Nebuchadnezzar would rule.

"Sir Flinders Petrie, who excavated Tell Defenneh, found a large paved area which he believed to be the one referred to here. It was situated in front of what he identified as Pharaoh's house, and was probably used as an unloading and storage area."⁵²¹

43:10 Jeremiah was then to tell the Judahites that Yahweh was going to bring Nebuchadnezzar, His servant (cf. 27:6; 45:9; Isa. 44:28), into Egypt. The Babylonian king would set up his throne and his royal canopy (or carpet) right over the place where Jeremiah had imbedded his stones.⁵²²

43:11 Nebuchadnezzar would fight the Egyptians. Those whom the Lord appointed for death would die, those He appointed for captivity would go into captivity, and those He appointed for battle would participate in battle.

"The meaning of the parable . . . is clear. Though the Judean refugees have buried themselves in populous Egypt, they will be discovered and feel, as their compatriots had done, the weight of Babylonian might."⁵²³

43:12 Nebuchadnezzar would do to Egypt what he had done to Judah. He would burn down the Egyptian temples and take people captive. He would capture Egypt as easily as a shepherd wraps himself with a garment, and he would depart from Egypt in safety.⁵²⁴

Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt about 568-567 B.C. and defeated Pharaoh Ahmose (Gr. Amasis, 570-526 B.C.; cf. Ezek. 29:17-20).⁵²⁵

43:13 Nebuchadnezzar would also break down the obelisks that stood at On (Gr. Heliopolis), the Egyptian city of the sun about five miles northeast of modern Cairo. And he would burn the temples of the gods of Egypt. Heliopolis was the site of the famous temple of Amon-Re, the sun god, which people approached by passing between two rows of obelisks.⁵²⁶Egyptian obelisks were sacred monuments that honored various pagan gods. As Moses, the servant of the Lord, had humiliated the gods of Egypt at the Exodus, so Nebuchadnezzar, a Gentile servant of the Lord, would humiliate them again.