Yirmiyahu's Prophecy regarding Egypt

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1. The Destruction of the Egyptian Kingdom: The Difference Between Va'era and Bo

   Haftarot: Bo

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   The haftara describes the heavy price Egypt stands to pay for its sins and for the enslavement, in parallel to the plagues in Parashat Bo, which cause real damage to the Egyptian kingdom.

2. Prophecies to Egypt

   Dr. Tova Ganzel

   Egypt’s long-term stability in the region, its geographic proximity, and its historic connection with Israel form the foundation of Yehezkel’s prophecies to this country. The prophet points an accusing finger at Egypt in three areas:

   The first and most central accusation, common to Tzor and Egypt, is the sin of arrogance towards God. The kings of Tzor and of Egypt attribute their successes to themselves. They pride themselves on their successes, boast about them, and scorn the God of Israel. However, the prophet assures Egypt that even when the Temple is in ruins and God’s nation is exiled, it is God Who determines the fate of all nations, including Egypt, and its king.

   This was a period when Egypt hoped to become a superpower with influence beyond the region, following the fall of Assyria and prior to Babylon reaching its zenith. Therefore, Egypt encouraged Tzidkiyahu to rebel against Babylon which ultimately brought upon the downfall of Yehuda.  Yehezkel’s prophecies put an end to the possibility of an Egyptian empire, not only in the worldly realm, but also from the Divine perspective. From now onwards, as in the past, Egypt will be a “lowly kingdom,” not an empire.

   Finally, Egypt is accused of the religious harlotry that infiltrated Israel.

3. Yirmiyahu 43-44

   Matan Al Haperek

   Rabbi David Sabato

   This perek describes the first prophecy of Yirmiyahu in Egypt. Yirmiyahu is commanded in his prophecy to perform an action which will symbolize the "laying of the cornerstone" of Nevuchadnezzar's rule over Egypt.

   In perek 44 we see that despite the fact that Yirmiyahu's prophecies of the destruction of Judah have come true, the people have not learned their lesson and have continued to worship idols. This causes a harsh confrontation between Yirmiyahu and the Judeans who are now in Egypt. Yirmiyahu chastises the men and their wives for their sin of idolatry, while reminding them of the process which led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of Judah. He warns them that calamity will continue to befall them (1-14). The people react to this speech by reinterpreting history such that the cause of the fall of Judah and the destruction was that the people ceased worshipping idols in the time of Yoshiyahu and therefore they conclude that they must return to idolatry (15-19). The confrontation ends with a prophecy of doom for the Jews living in Egypt (20-30). On this harsh note we conclude the last prophecy of Yirmiyahu to Israel in our book, from here on the book brings prophecies for the gentile nations and historical descriptions.  

4. Yirmiyahu 45-46

   Matan Al Haperek

   Rabbi David Sabato

   The prophecy in perek 45 is dated to the fourth year of Yehoyakim. This year was a turning point in Yirmiyahu's prophecies. This was the year that Nevuchadnezzar rose to power, and the year in which Yirmiyahu was commanded to write down his prophecies in a book (see perakim 25 and 36). The prophecy in perek 45 is given during the reading of the prophecies to Baruch ben Neriah (this reading is described in perek 36). During the reading Yirmiyahu suddenly turns to Baruch the scribe and prophecies about him.

   Perek 46 opens the section of the book which deals with Yirmiyahu's prophecies to the gentiles. Two prophecies of doom about Egypt in different eras are included in the perek: the first prophecy was given in the fourth year of Yehoyakim and foresees the fall of the Egyptian army to the Babylonian army at Karkhemish, near the Euphrates River (1-12). The second prophecy in the perek is not dated, although it takes place after the first prophecy, and describes the rise to power of Nevuchadnezzar over Egypt itself, the occupation of the country and the exile of a portion of the population (13-26). The perek ends with consolation for Israel - "But fear not, O Yaakov My servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel; for, lo, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity..." (27)