Jeremiah 43:13
New International Version
There in the temple of the sun in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”

New Living Translation
He will break down the sacred pillars standing in the temple of the sun in Egypt, and he will burn down the temples of Egypt’s gods.’”

English Standard Version
He shall break the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt, and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.’”

Berean Standard Bible
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.’”

King James Bible
He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

New King James Version
He shall also break the sacred pillars of Beth Shemesh that are in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians he shall burn with fire.” ’ ”

New American Standard Bible
He will also smash to pieces the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he will burn with fire.”’”

NASB 1995
“He will also shatter the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he will burn with fire."’”

NASB 1977
“He will also shatter the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he will burn with fire.”’”

Legacy Standard Bible
He will also shatter the sacred pillars of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt he will burn with fire.”’”

Amplified Bible
Nebuchadnezzar will also break the images and shatter the obelisks of Heliopolis in the land of Egypt; and he will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.”’”

Christian Standard Bible
He will smash the sacred pillars of the sun temple in the land of Egypt and burn the temples of the Egyptian gods.’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He will smash the sacred pillars of the sun temple in the land of Egypt and burn down the temples of the Egyptian gods.”

American Standard Version
He shall also break the pillars of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt shall he burn with fire.

English Revised Version
He shall also break the pillars of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt shall he burn with fire.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
At Beth Shemesh he will break the monuments in Egypt and burn down the temples of Egypt's gods.'"

Good News Translation
He will destroy the sacred stone monuments at Heliopolis in Egypt and will burn down the temples of the Egyptian gods."

International Standard Version
He will shatter the pillars of Heliopolis in the land of Egypt and will burn the temples of the gods of Egypt with fire."'"

Majority Standard Bible
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.’”

NET Bible
He will demolish the sacred pillars in the temple of the sun in Egypt and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt."'"

New Heart English Bible
He shall also break the pillars of Beth Shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt shall he burn with fire."'"

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
He will also break the pillars of Beth Shemesh that is in the land of Egypt; and he will burn the houses of the gods of Egypt with fire.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he has broken the standing pillars of the house of the sun, that [is] in the land of Egypt, and he burns the houses of the gods of Egypt with fire.”

Young's Literal Translation
and he hath broken the standing pillars of the house of the sun, that is in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the gods of Egypt he doth burn with fire.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he brake the pillars of the house of the sun which is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the Gods of Egypt he shall burn in fire.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he shall break the statues of the house of the sun, that are in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he will crush the statues of the house of the Sun, those that are in the land of Egypt, and the shrines of the gods of Egypt he will burn up with fire.”

New American Bible
He shall smash the obelisks at the Temple of the Sun in the land of Egypt and destroy with fire the temples of the Egyptian gods.

New Revised Standard Version
He shall break the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He shall break also in pieces the image of Beth-shemesh which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of the Egyptians he shall burn with fire.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he shall break the monument of The House of The Sun that is in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians he will burn in fire
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He shall also break the pillars of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt shall he burn with fire.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he shall break to pieces the pillars of Heliopolis that are in On, and shall burn their houses with fire.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jeremiah Taken to Egypt
12I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar will burn those temples and take their gods as captives. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment, and he will depart from there unscathed. 13He 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.’”

Cross References
Isaiah 19:1
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.

Ezekiel 30:13
This is what the Lord GOD says: I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis. There will no longer be a prince in Egypt, and I will instill fear in that land.

2 Kings 19:18
They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.

Isaiah 46:1-2
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. / The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.

Jeremiah 10:11
Thus you are to tell them: “These gods, who have made neither the heavens nor the earth, will perish from this earth and from under these heavens.”

Jeremiah 46:25
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.

Isaiah 2:18
and the idols will vanish completely.

Isaiah 21:9
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

Isaiah 44:9-10
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?

Isaiah 45:16
They will all be put to shame and humiliated; the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.

Isaiah 48:5
Therefore I declared it to you long ago; I announced it before it came to pass, so that you could not claim, ‘My idol has done this; my carved image and molten god has ordained it.’

Zephaniah 2:11
The LORD will be terrifying to them when He starves all the gods of the earth. Then the nations of every shore will bow in worship to Him, each in its own place.

Acts 19:26
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

1 Corinthians 8:4
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.

1 Corinthians 10:19-20
Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? / No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.


Treasury of Scripture

He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

Beth-shemesh.

Isaiah 19:18
In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.

and the

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 captives: 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.

Jump to Previous
Beth Bethshemesh Beth-Shemesh Break Broken Burn Burned Demolish Egypt Egyptians Fire Gods Heliopolis House Houses Images Pillars Sacred Shatter Shemesh Standing Stone Sun Temple Temples
Jump to Next
Beth Bethshemesh Beth-Shemesh Break Broken Burn Burned Demolish Egypt Egyptians Fire Gods Heliopolis House Houses Images Pillars Sacred Shatter Shemesh Standing Stone Sun Temple Temples
Jeremiah 43
1. Johanan, discrediting Jeremiah's prophecy, carries him and the rest in Egypt.
8. Jeremiah prophesies by a type the conquest of Egypt by the Babylonians.














He will demolish
The phrase "He will demolish" indicates a decisive and forceful action. In the Hebrew text, the verb used here is "שָׁבַר" (shabar), which means to break or shatter. This conveys not just a physical destruction but a symbolic act of divine judgment against idolatry. The act of demolishing signifies God's power over false gods and His intolerance of idolatry, reminding believers of the importance of worshiping the one true God.

the sacred pillars
"Sacred pillars" refers to the standing stones or obelisks that were often erected in ancient times as objects of worship or as symbols of deities. In the context of Egypt, these pillars were likely associated with sun worship. The Hebrew word "מַצֵּבָה" (matzevah) is used, which can denote a monument or pillar. The destruction of these pillars symbolizes the dismantling of false religious systems and the futility of worshiping created things rather than the Creator.

of the temple of the sun
The "temple of the sun" refers to a specific place of worship dedicated to the sun god, likely the Egyptian god Ra or Amun-Ra. Sun worship was central to Egyptian religion, and temples dedicated to the sun were significant cultural and religious centers. The Hebrew term "בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ" (beth shemesh) literally means "house of the sun." This highlights the confrontation between the God of Israel and the gods of Egypt, emphasizing that the Lord is sovereign over all creation, including the sun.

in the land of Egypt
The phrase "in the land of Egypt" situates this prophecy geographically and historically. Egypt was a powerful nation with a rich religious tradition, often seen as a symbol of worldly power and idolatry in the Bible. The mention of Egypt serves as a reminder of God's past deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage and His ongoing authority over all nations.

and he will burn down
"Burn down" indicates a complete and consuming destruction. The Hebrew verb "שָׂרַף" (saraph) means to burn or consume with fire. Fire is often used in Scripture as a symbol of purification and judgment. This act of burning signifies the total eradication of idolatrous practices and the cleansing of the land from false worship.

the temples of the gods of Egypt
"The temples of the gods of Egypt" refers to the various places of worship dedicated to the pantheon of Egyptian deities. These temples were centers of religious, political, and social life. The destruction of these temples signifies the impotence of these gods in the face of the true God. It serves as a powerful reminder that no false god can stand against the Lord, and it calls believers to place their trust solely in Him.

(13) He shall break also the images of Bethshe-mesh.--This name, which means "Home of the Sun" (so the Vulgate renders it here by domus solis), was naturally not an uncommon one where sun-worship had prevailed, and we find it accordingly in Judah (Joshua 15:10; 1Samuel 6:9; 1Samuel 6:12), in Issachar (Joshua 19:22), and in Naphtali (Joshua 19:38; Judges 1:33). Here the context shows that it was the name of an Egyptian city. The LXX. renders the words "he shall break the pillars of Heliopolis, which are in On," and so identifies it with the city of that name on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles north-east of Memphis. Under the name of On it appears in Genesis 41:45. The "images" or "pillars" are now represented by a solitary obelisk of red granite, sixty-eight feet high, its companion having been brought to Rome and erected in the Vatican Circus in front of St. Peter's (Herod. II., III.; Plin. Hist. Nat. xxxvi. 11). There were at one time many others, besides colossal statues. The fulfilment of the prediction, as far as it referred to the defeat and death of Pharaoh-hophra, is related by Josephus (Ant. x. 9, ? 7). . . . Verse 13. - The images of Beth-shemesh; rather, the pillars of Beth-shemesh; i.e. the obelisks of the temple of Ra, the sun god, from Which Heliopolis derived its sacred name "Pe-Ra" "the abode of Ra." It was the custom to place obelisks in pairs at the entrance of their temples. Only one of those of Heliopolis is still standing, though that, indeed, is the oldest in Egypt, for it was "set up at least four thousand years ago" (R. S. Poole, 'The Cities of Egypt,' p. 131). That is in the land of Egypt. To distinguish it from the Beth-shemesh in Palestine. But we may also render "which are," etc.; comp. "the gods of Egypt" in the second verse half. The Septuagint reads, "which are in On."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He will demolish
וְשִׁבַּ֗ר (wə·šib·bar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

the sacred pillars
מַצְּבוֹת֙ (maṣ·ṣə·ḇō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4676: Something stationed, a column, an idol

of the temple of the sun
שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ (še·meš)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1053: Beth-shemesh -- 'sun temple', three places in Palestine, also a place in Egypt

in Egypt,
מִצְרָ֑יִם (miṣ·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

and
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

he will burn down
יִשְׂרֹ֥ף (yiś·rōp̄)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8313: To be, on fire

the temples
בָּתֵּ֥י (bāt·tê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of the gods
אֱלֹהֵֽי־ (’ĕ·lō·hê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Egypt.”
מִצְרַ֖יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 43:13 He shall also break the pillars (Jer.)
Jeremiah 43:12
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