John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 43:12

"And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captive: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace." — Jeremiah 43:12 (ASV)

He goes on with the same subject; and he ascribes to God the kindling of the fire, so that the Jews might know that the war would be conducted by a divine power and that Nebuchadnezzar would not come except through God’s providence. For though, as has been said, he had his own reasons, yet God, by His wonderful power, led him, as it were, by the hand to punish the Egyptians. They, indeed, deserved such a destruction, because they had by their flatteries deceived the miserable Jews and had corrupted them. Besides, their allurements had been very ruinous, for through them the aid of God had been despised, and all the prophecies rejected. Since, then, they had been the authors of all kinds of evils to the Jews, from this we infer that they deserved a dreadful vengeance; and this had been made known to the Jews in due time, but they did not believe it. Then the Prophet fully confirms what had been declared in his former prophecies.

God says, I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt. He mentions temples so that the Jews might understand that no part of the land would be safe or secure from destruction. For it often happens that when enemies rage with great cruelty, the temples are spared; for religion commands respect, and honor has also been given to idols, so that their temples have often remained untouched when enemies have wholly overthrown all other things.

But it is probable that the Chaldeans had such great presumption and pride that they wished to destroy all the temples, so that there might be no religion anywhere except among themselves. And some among the Persians also had this barbarity, such as Xerxes, who, when he entered Greece and some parts of Asia, burned and destroyed all the temples, and also said in derision that all the gods in Greece were taken captive and were shut up in the temples, and that he accomplished everything through his own valor.

There is, indeed, no doubt that Xerxes thus arrogantly triumphed over the gods of the Greeks; and such was probably the insolence displayed by the Chaldeans. However this may have been, yet God shows that no place in Egypt would be held sacred, for the Chaldeans would even burn their temples. But at the same time, He meant to cast a reproach on the obstinacy of the Jews, because they went down to Egypt, whose safety depended on idols. God then shows that they were more than blind and wholly beside themselves, as if they were brute animals, when they hoped for a safe haven in Egypt, which was under the protection of false gods. God then says that He would kindle a fire by which the temples of the gods of Egypt would be burned.

And He adds, and it or he will burn them. This may be applied to the fire; but he, no doubt, speaks of King Nebuchadnezzar, for it immediately follows, and shall carry them captives, and shall roll up the land of Egypt, as a shepherd his garment. The verb properly means to cover, but it also sometimes means to gather up.

It may be rendered here as “to roll up,” as we say in French, trousser et entortiller. He intimates that Nebuchadnezzar would, according to his own will, so rule in Egypt that he would heap together all the wealth of the whole land. And as a shepherd, when he leads his flock to another place, collects his utensils and rolls up his garments, or folds himself in them, so Nebuchadnezzar, says the Prophet, would gather together, or roll up the whole land of Egypt. He mentions land as signifying the wealth which Nebuchadnezzar accumulated. At length he adds, and thence shall he depart in peace. He shows that the conquest would be complete, for the Egyptians would not dare to mutter nor dare to follow their enemy on his departure; for he would be as if he were in a peaceful place and in his own kingdom.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You have not only once shown to us the way in which we are to walk, but also daily exhort us to continue in it, and ever to go forward towards the right mark—O grant, that we may never turn aside, but suffer ourselves to be ruled by Your voice. And though temptations may drive us here and there, may we ever follow Your command, and so persevere in obedience to You, that we may at length, by experience, find that it is our happiness to commit ourselves to You and to follow You as our leader, until You bring us into that celestial kingdom, which has been prepared for us by Your only-begotten Son. Amen.