Jeremiah 43

1 And it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of Yahweh their God, with which Yahweh their God had sent him unto them, —even all these words,

After Jeremiah finished telling everyone all that the Lord their God had send him to say,

2 then spake Azariah son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan son of Kareah, and all the proud men, —saying unto Jeremiah—Falsely, art thou speaking, Yahweh our God hath not sent thee to say, Ye shall not enter Egypt to sojourn there;

Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the proud and rebellious men told Jeremiah, “You're lying! The Lord our God hasn't sent you to tell us, ‘You are not to go and live in Egypt.’

3 but Baruch son of Neriah, is goading thee on against us, —that he may deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, to put us to death, or take us away captive to Babylon.

No, it's Baruch son of Neriah who's turned you against us in order to hand us over to the Babylonians so they can kill us or exile us to Babylon!”

4 So Johanan son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces and all the people, hearkened not, unto the voice of Yahweh, —by remaining in the land of Judah;

So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders refused to obey the Lord's command to stay in the land of Judah.

5 but Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces took all the remnant of Judah, who had returned, out of all the nations whither they had been driven to sojourn in the land of Judah:

Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders took with them all who were left of the people of Judah, those who had returned to the country from all the nations where they had been scattered.

6 both the men and the women and the children, and the daughters of the king, and every soul that Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners had left, with Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, —and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch son of Neriah;

These included men, women, and children, the king's daughters, and everyone Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard had allowed to remain with Gedaliah, as well as Jeremiah and Baruch.

7 and entered the land of Egypt, for they hearkened not unto the voice of Yahweh, —yea entered as far as Tahpanhes.

They went to Egypt because they refused to obey the Lord's command. They went all the way to Tahpanhes.

8 Then came the word of Yahweh unto Jeremiah, in Tahpanhes, saying:

A message from Lord came to Jeremiah at Tahpanhes:

9 Take in thy hand great stones and hide them in the mortar that is in the brickyard which is at the entrance of the house of Pharaoh in Tahpanhes, —before the eyes of the men of Judah.

As the people of Judah watch, get some large stones and set them into the cement of the brick pavement in the entrance way to Pharaoh's palace at Tahpanhes.

10 Then shalt thou say unto them—Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel—Behold me! sending and fetching Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, my servant, and I will set his throne over these stones which I have hid, —and he shall spread his canopy over them.

Tell them that this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I'm going to send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bring him here. I will place his throne over these stones that I have set into the pavement, and he will spread out his royal tent over them.

11 And when he entereth, then will he smite the land of Egypt and deliver Him who is for death to death and Him who is for captivity to captivity, and Him who is for the sword to the sword.

He will come and attack Egypt, bringing death to those destined to die, imprisonment to those destined to be imprisoned, and the sword to those destined to be killed by the sword.

12 So will I kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away Captive, —and shall wrap the land of Egypt about him, just as a shepherd, wrappeth about, him his garment, and shall go forth from thence in peace;

I will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar will burn them and loot their idols. He will pick the land of Egypt clean like a shepherd picks his cloak clean of fleas, and he will leave unharmed.

13 And he shall break in pieces the pillars of Beth-shemesh, which is in the land of Egypt, —And the houses of the gods of Egypt, shall he burn with fire.

He will knock down the sacred pillars of the temple of the sun in Egypt, and he will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.