Jeremiah 43
The full text of Jeremiah 43 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Hebrew. Free to read.
1 When Jeremiah finished telling the people all the words of the LORD their God — everything the LORD had sent him to tell them —
2 Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, 'You are lying! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, 'Do not go to Egypt to settle there.'
3 'Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians, so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.'
4 So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people disobeyed the LORD's command to stay in the land of Judah.
5 Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the remnant of Judah who had returned to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered.
6 They also led away all the men, women, children, the king's daughters and everyone whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, including Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah.
7 So they entered Egypt in disobedience to the LORD and went as far as Tahpanhes.
8 In Tahpanhes the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
9 While the Jews are watching, take some large stones and bury them in clay in the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh's palace in Tahpanhes.
10 Then say to them: This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his throne over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy above them.
11 He will come and attack Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword.
12 He will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive. As a shepherd wraps his garment around him, so will he wrap Egypt around himself and depart from there unscathed.
13 There in the temple of the sun in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.
Translation notes (7)
- Jeremiah 43:2a The Hebrew word šāqer, meaning 'a lie,' refers to the accusation of false prophecy, the same charge that threatened Jeremiah throughout his ministry. The 'arrogant men' (haʾănāšîm hazzeḏîm) are described as proud or presumptuous men.
- Jeremiah 43:7a The Hebrew name Tahpanhes refers to the biblical city, which is known today as Tell Defenneh. It was an Egyptian border city located in the Nile Delta, presented here as the opposite of the Exodus, where God led his people out of Egypt.
- Jeremiah 43:9a The Hebrew text describes a public sign-act performed at the Pharaoh's official residence in Tahpanhes. Archaeological evidence supports this, as a brick paved area has been found at modern-day Tell Defenneh.
- Jeremiah 43:10a The Hebrew word 'abdi, meaning 'my servant,' refers to Nebuchadnezzar as God's divine servant again (compare Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6). His throne placed over the buried stones symbolizes his conquest of Egypt. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar did campaign in Egypt in 568/7 BC.
- Jeremiah 43:11a The Hebrew text applies the triple fate formula (compare Jeremiah 15:2) to Egypt. This means that the remnant who sought safety in Egypt will find that Egypt itself will receive the same doom.
- Jeremiah 43:12a The Hebrew text uses the shepherd-mantle simile to illustrate that Nebuchadnezzar will wrap up Egypt as easily as a shepherd wraps his cloak. An archaeological note confirms that Nebuchadnezzar did carry Egyptian temple property back to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 43:13a The Hebrew name bêt šemes, meaning 'house of the sun,' refers to Heliopolis in Greek, which was the site of a great sun-god temple. The matzzebot, or sacred pillars, of Heliopolis would be smashed.
About this translation
The Trinity Bible Version (TBV) is Trinity Bible's own modern English translation, worked directly from the original Hebrew and honest to the earliest manuscripts. It was completed in 2026 — the most modern English Bible translation — and is exclusive to Trinity Bible. Every chapter, including all of Jeremiah, is free to read here on the web.
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