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,
[So] I finished telling to the people that message from Yahweh our God.
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;
But then Johanan and Azariah and some other insolent/arrogant men said to me, “You are lying! Yahweh our God has not told [us] that we should not go to 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.
[We think that] Baruch has urged/persuaded you to say this, in order that [if we stay here], the soldiers from Babylonia will seize us and kill us or take us to Babylonia.”
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 and the other leaders of the [Israeli] soldiers and [many of] [HYP] the other people [who were there] refused to obey Yahweh’s command to stay in 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:
Johanan and all the [other] leaders gathered together all the people who had returned from the other countries to which 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;
[They included] men, women, children, the king’s daughters, and all those whom Nebuzaradan had left with Gedaliah, and they also took Baruch and me.
7 and entered the land of Egypt, for they hearkened not unto the voice of Yahweh, —yea entered as far as Tahpanhes.
They refused to obey Yahweh, and they took us all [to Egypt], as far as Tahpenes [city].
8 Then came the word of Yahweh unto Jeremiah, in Tahpanhes, saying:
[While we were] at Tahpenes, Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
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.
“While the people of Judah are watching you, take some large rocks and bury them under the brick pavement at the entrance to the king’s palace there at Tahpenes.
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.
Then say to the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [you] Israelis [say you belong to], says: “I will summon Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon, who does my work, to come [with his army] to Egypt. I will set up his throne over these stones that I told Jeremiah to bury. And Nebuchadnezzar will set up his tent there [to show that he has become] the King [of Egypt].
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.
When his [army] comes, they will attack Egypt. Then those will die who [I have determined] must die, those who [I have determined] must be captured will be captured, and those who [I have determined] must be killed by swords will be killed by swords.
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;
Nebuchadnezzar’s [soldiers] will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt. [But before they burn the temples], they will take away their idols [as souvenirs]. His [troops] will clean Egypt like a shepherd cleans lice from his cloak. They will tear down the sacred pillars that are in the temple of their sun god. And then Nebuchadnezzar’s [troops] will leave there, without having been harmed.”’”
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.
