Bible Strands
Jeremiah 43:13
He will demolish the sacred pillars of the temple of the sun in the land of Egypt, and he will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jeremiah delivers this declaration to the Judean remnant who have settled in Egypt, immediately following his warning in verse 12 about Nebuchadnezzar’s campaign. The prophet speaks as YHWH’s messenger, confirming that the coming destruction is a divine decree rather than mere political conquest.
The words — מַצְבֹּת (matzevot) denotes the sacred pillars or standing stones, while שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh) refers specifically to the sun. Together they identify the central cultic object of the Egyptian sanctuary that will be shattered.
The thread — The judgment on Egyptian idolatry parallels Isaiah 19:18, where YHWH’s sovereignty over the land ultimately produces a remnant that acknowledges Him. Both passages trace a single prophetic arc: foreign religious centers face destruction, yet the land itself remains within divine jurisdiction.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that YHWH’s authority extends over foreign territories and their cultic sites. It requires the reader to treat historical conquest as the execution of divine judgment, not an accident of empire.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He shall break also the images of Beth–shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 19:18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of Hosts. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.