43 Johanan carrieth the remnant of the people into Egypt, contrary to the mind of Jeremiah.  8 Jeremiah prophesieth the destruction of Egypt.

Now when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto the whole people all the words of the Lord their God, for the which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words,

Then spake [a]Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the [b]proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, [c]Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath [d]not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to dwell there,

But Baruch the son of Neriah [e]provoketh thee against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might slay us, and carry us away captives into Babel.

So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, and all the people obeyed not the voice of the Lord, to dwell in the land of Judah.

But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host took all the remnant of Judah that were returned from all [f]nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah:

Even men and women, and children, and the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the chief steward had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the [g]Prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.

So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: thus came they to [h]Tahpanhes.

¶ Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,

Take great stones in thine hand, and [i]hide them in the clay in the brick kiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes in the sight of the men of Judah,

10 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel [j]my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid, and he shall spread his pavilion over them.

11 And when he shall come, he shall smite the land of Egypt: [k]such as are appointed for death, to death, and such as are for captivity, to captivity, and such as are for the sword, to the sword.

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 [l]shepherd putteth on his garment, and shall depart from thence in peace.

13 He shall break also the images of [m]Beth Shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 43:2 Who was also called Jezaniah, Jer. 42:1.
  2. Jeremiah 43:2 This declareth that pride is the cause of rebellion: and contempt of God’s ministers.
  3. Jeremiah 43:2 When the hypocrisy of the wicked is discovered, they burst forth into open rage: for they can abide nothing but flattery, read Isa. 30:10.
  4. Jeremiah 43:2 He showeth what is the nature of the hypocrites: to wit, to feign that they would obey God and embrace his word, if they were assured that his messenger spake the truth: though indeed they be most far from all obedience.
  5. Jeremiah 43:3 Thus the wicked do not only contemn and hurt the messengers of God, but slander, and speak wickedly of all them that support or favor the godly.
  6. Jeremiah 43:5 As from the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, Jer. 40:11.
  7. Jeremiah 43:6 Whom these wicked lead away by force.
  8. Jeremiah 43:7 A city in Egypt near to Nilus.
  9. Jeremiah 43:9 Which signified that Nebuchadnezzar should come even to the gates of Pharaoh, where were his brick kilns for his buildings.
  10. Jeremiah 43:10 Read Jer. 25:9.
  11. Jeremiah 43:11 Everyone shall be slain by that means that God hath appointed, Jer. 15:2.
  12. Jeremiah 43:12 Meaning, most easily and suddenly shall he carry the Egyptians away.
  13. Jeremiah 43:13 Or, the house of the Sun.

43 When Jeremiah had finished telling the people all the words of the Lord their God—everything the Lord had sent him to tell them(A) Azariah son of Hoshaiah(B) and Johanan(C) son of Kareah and all the arrogant(D) men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying!(E) The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’(F) But Baruch(G) son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians,[a] so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.”(H)

So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people(I) disobeyed the Lord’s command(J) to stay in the land of Judah.(K) Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the remnant of Judah who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered.(L) They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan—the men, the women,(M) the children and the king’s daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch(N) son of Neriah along with them. So they entered Egypt(O) in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.(P)

In Tahpanhes(Q) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “While the Jews are watching, take some large stones(R) with you and bury them in clay in the brick(S) pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace(T) in Tahpanhes. 10 Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant(U) Nebuchadnezzar(V) king of Babylon, and I will set his throne(W) over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy(X) above them. 11 He will come and attack Egypt,(Y) bringing death(Z) to those destined(AA) for death, captivity to those destined for captivity,(AB) and the sword to those destined for the sword.(AC) 12 He will set fire(AD) to the temples(AE) of the gods(AF) of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive.(AG) As a shepherd picks(AH) his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart. 13 There in the temple of the sun[b](AI) in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars(AJ) and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 43:3 Or Chaldeans
  2. Jeremiah 43:13 Or in Heliopolis