Jeremiah 43:12

And I wil kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and hee shall burne them, and carry them away captiues, and hee shall aray himselfe with the land of Egypt, as a shepheard putteth on his garment, and hee shall goe forth from thence in peace. Jeremiah 43:12 (KJV)

The quotation presented above is not found in the King James Version or in any other standard biblical translation; it appears to be a later composition or a misattribution rather than a genuine Jeremiahic prophecy. The historical situation after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE did involve groups of Judeans fleeing to Egypt, as recorded in Jeremiah 43. That chapter describes the exiles and their intent to worship the LORD in Egypt, warning them that they would still be subject to divine judgment. The narrative, however, does not contain the language of the quoted verse, nor does it name a leader called Johanan as the head of those refugees.

Nevertheless, the themes expressed in the quoted passage echo biblical concerns: a divine fire against the houses of foreign gods, the burning of idols, the taking of captives, and the image of a ruler arraying himself over a land as a shepherd puts on his garment, concluding with a peaceful departure. These images convey the futility of seeking refuge in worldly powers and false idols instead of relying on God’s guidance and protection. While the biblical text does warn the Judean exiles that they remain under God’s judgment even in Egypt, the specific wording of the quotation is not part of the canonical Scriptures. Readers are therefore encouraged to verify the authenticity of such verses and to understand the biblical warning that reliance on foreign nations cannot replace trust in the living God.