In Tahpanhes(A) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “While the Jews are watching, take some large stones(B) with you and bury them in clay in the brick(C) pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace(D) in Tahpanhes. 10 Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant(E) Nebuchadnezzar(F) king of Babylon, and I will set his throne(G) over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy(H) above them. 11 He will come and attack Egypt,(I) bringing death(J) to those destined(K) for death, captivity to those destined for captivity,(L) and the sword to those destined for the sword.(M) 12 He will set fire(N) to the temples(O) of the gods(P) of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive.(Q) As a shepherd picks(R) his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart. 13 There in the temple of the sun[a](S) in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars(T) and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 43:13 Or in Heliopolis

Nebuchadnezzar’s Invasion of Egypt Predicted

Then this message from the Lord came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes: “Take large stones in your hands, and, in the sight of the men of Judah, bury them in the mortar of the brickwork at the entrance of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes. 10 Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “I’m going to send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I’ll take him and set his throne over these stones that I’ve buried, and he will spread his canopy over them. 11 He will come and attack the land of Egypt—those meant for death will be put to death, those meant for captivity will be taken captive, and those meant for the sword will be put to the sword. 12 He[a] will set fire to the temples[b] of the gods of Egypt. He will burn their idols[c] and take them captive. He will wrap himself with the land of Egypt like a shepherd wraps himself with a garment, and then he will leave from there in peace. 13 He will shatter the pillars of Heliopolis[d] in the land of Egypt and will burn the temples of the gods of Egypt with fire.”’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 43:12 So LXX; Heb. reads I
  2. Jeremiah 43:12 Lit. houses; and so throughout the section
  3. Jeremiah 43:12 Lit. them
  4. Jeremiah 43:13 Lit. beth-shemesh; i.e. house of the sun