Jeremiah 43

The answer rejected

1Jeremiah finished telling all the people every word of the LORD their God—all these words the LORD their God had sent him to speak to them. 2Then Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The LORD our God did not send you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to settle there.’ 3Baruch son of Neriah is turning you against us, to hand us over to the Chaldeans so they can kill us or carry us into exile in Babylon.” 4So Johanan son of Kareah, all the army commanders, and all the people refused to obey the LORD's command to stay in the land of Judah. 5Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders took the whole remnant of Judah who had returned from all the nations where they had been scattered to settle in Judah: 6the men, women, children, and king's daughters—everyone Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan. They also took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah. 7They entered Egypt, refusing to obey the LORD, and reached Tahpanhes.

Stones at Tahpanhes

8In Tahpanhes, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 9“Take large stones and hide them in the mortar of the brickwork at the entrance to Pharaoh's palace in Tahpanhes, while the men of Judah watch. 10Tell them, ‘This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am sending for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I will place his throne over these stones I have hidden, and he will spread his canopy above them. 11He will come and strike Egypt: those destined for death, to death; those for captivity, to captivity; those for the sword, to the sword. 12I will set fire to the temples of Egypt's gods. He will burn them and carry them away. He will wrap himself in Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment, and leave there unharmed. 13He will shatter the pillars of Beth-shemesh in Egypt and burn the temples of Egypt's gods.’”