Jeremiah 43 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

1 Jeremiah finished telling the people everything the LORD their God had said. Jeremiah told them everything the LORD had sent him to tell them. 2 After that, Azariah, the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan, the son of Kareah, spoke to Jeremiah. And all the proud men joined them. They said, ‘You are lying! The LORD our God hasn’t sent you to speak to us. He hasn’t told you to say, “You must not go to Egypt and make your homes there.” 3 But Baruch, the son of Neriah, is turning you against us. He wants us to be handed over to the Babylonians. Then they can kill us. Or they can take us away to Babylon.’ 4 So Johanan, the son of Kareah, disobeyed the LORD’s command. So did all the other army officers and all the people. They didn’t stay in the land of Judah. 5 Instead Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the other army officers led away all the people who were left in Judah. Those people had returned to Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered. 6 Johanan and the other officers also led away many people Nebuzaradan had left at Mizpah. They included men, women and children. They also included the king’s daughters. Nebuzaradan had left them with Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. They also took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah along with them. Nebuzaradan was commander of the royal guard. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. 7 So the Jewish leaders disobeyed the LORD. They took everyone to Egypt. They went all the way to Tahpanhes. 8 In Tahpanhes a message from the LORD came to Jeremiah. The LORD said, 9 ‘Make sure the Jews are watching you. Then get some large stones. Go to the entrance to Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes. Bury the stones in the clay under the brick walkway there. 10 Then tell the Jews, “The LORD who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, ‘I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. And I will set his throne over these stones that are buried here. He will set up his royal tent over them. 11 He will come and attack Egypt. He will bring death to those I have appointed to die. He will take away as prisoners those I have appointed to be taken away. And he will kill with swords those I have appointed to be killed. 12 He will set the temples of the gods of Egypt on fire. He will burn down their temples. He will take away the statues of their gods. Nebuchadnezzar will be like a shepherd who picks his coat clean of lice. Nebuchadnezzar will pick Egypt clean and then depart. 13 At Heliopolis in Egypt he will smash the sacred pillars to pieces. And he will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’ ” ’

English Standard Version

Jeremiah Taken to Egypt

1 When Jeremiah finished speaking to all the people all these words of the Lord their God, with which the Lord their God had sent him to them, 2 Azariah the son of Hoshaiah and Johanan the son of Kareah and all the insolent men said to Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to live there,’ (Ps 86:14; Isa 13:11; Jer 40:8; Jer 42:1; Jer 42:19; Mal 4:1)

Ps 86:14Isa 13:11Jer 40:8Jer 42:1Jer 42:19Mal 4:1

3 but Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may kill us or take us into exile in Babylon.” (Jer 32:12; Jer 37:13; Jer 38:22) 4 So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces and all the people did not obey the voice of the Lord, to remain in the land of Judah. (Jer 40:13; Jer 43:2) 5 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to live in the land of Judah from all the nations to which they had been driven— (Jer 40:11) 6 the men, the women, the children, the princesses, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan; also Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah. (Jer 38:23; Jer 39:10; Jer 39:14; Jer 40:7; Jer 44:20)

Jer 38:23Jer 39:10Jer 39:14Jer 40:7Jer 44:20

7 And they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they arrived at Tahpanhes. (Isa 30:4; Jer 2:16; Jer 44:1; Jer 46:14)

Isa 30:4Jer 2:16Jer 44:1Jer 46:14

8 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes: (Jer 43:7) 9 “Take in your hands large stones and hide them in the mortar in the pavement that is at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah, (Jer 43:7) 10 and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden, and he will spread his royal canopy over them. (Jer 1:15; Jer 25:9) 11 He shall come and strike the land of Egypt, giving over to the pestilence those who are doomed to the pestilence, to captivity those who are doomed to captivity, and to the sword those who are doomed to the sword. (Jer 15:2; Jer 44:13; Jer 46:13) 12 I shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive. And he shall clean the land of Egypt as a shepherd cleans his cloak of vermin, and he shall go away from there in peace. (Ex 12:12; Ps 104:2; Isa 19:1; Isa 49:18; Jer 17:27; Jer 46:25; Jer 48:7; Eze 30:13)

Ex 12:12Ps 104:2Isa 19:1Isa 49:18Jer 17:27Jer 46:25Jer 48:7Eze 30:13

13 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.’” (Ex 23:24; Jer 43:12)