The remnant rejects Jeremiah's word. Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men accuse Jeremiah of lying and blame Baruch son of Neriah for turning the prophet against them. They refuse to remain in Judah and take the entire remnant — men, women, children, the king's daughters, and Jeremiah and Baruch themselves — to Egypt. They arrive at Tahpanhes, a frontier city in the eastern Nile Delta. There the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah: take large stones and bury them in the mortar at the entrance to Pharaoh's palace in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the Judean men. Then declare that Nebuchadnezzar will come and set his throne over these very stones, spreading his royal canopy over them. He will strike the land of Egypt — death for those destined for death, captivity for those destined for captivity, sword for those destined for the sword. He will burn the temples of Egypt's gods and carry off their idols. He will wrap Egypt around himself like a shepherd wraps his garment, and depart in peace.
What Makes This Chapter Remarkable
The accusation against Baruch (v.3) is a remarkable deflection: rather than confront Jeremiah's authority directly, they invent a conspiracy theory — the scribe Baruch has manipulated the prophet. This is the first and only time in the book where Baruch is blamed for Jeremiah's message. The forced march to Egypt completes the ironic inversion of the exodus: the people whom God brought out of Egypt now return there voluntarily, dragging the prophet with them. The sign-act at Tahpanhes — burying stones in the pavement — is Jeremiah's last recorded prophetic action. It declares that even Egypt cannot protect them from Babylon. The prophecy was historically fulfilled: Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt in 568/567 BCE.
Translation Friction
The text says the people 'did not obey the voice of the LORD' (v.7), yet Jeremiah and Baruch are taken along against their will — the prophet who told them to stay is himself dragged to the place God forbade. We have not resolved this tension. The phrase 'Nebuchadnezzar My servant' (v.10, avdi) — God calling the pagan king His servant — is theologically jarring and preserved without softening.
Connections
The flight to Egypt inverts the exodus of Exodus 12-15. Tahpanhes (Egyptian: Daphnae) was a garrison city where Greek mercenaries served Pharaoh — the remnant seeks refuge among foreign soldiers. Nebuchadnezzar is again called 'My servant' (avdi), as in 25:9 and 27:6 — God uses pagan rulers as instruments of His purpose. The prophecy of Nebuchadnezzar's invasion of Egypt connects to Ezekiel 29:19-20 and was fulfilled historically. The burning of Egyptian temples (v.12) parallels the burning of the Jerusalem Temple.
When Jeremiah had finished speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God — everything the LORD their God had sent him to tell them —
KJV And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The narrator twice emphasizes 'the LORD their God' (YHWH eloheihem) — the God they claimed to want to obey is still their God, even as they reject His word. The phrase kol ha-devarim ha-elleh ('all these words') underscores that nothing was withheld.
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."
KJV Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The narrator calls them ha-anashim ha-zedim ('the arrogant/presumptuous men') — the only time this label appears in Jeremiah. Their accusation is direct: sheqer attah medabber ('you are speaking falsehood'). They accuse the prophet of fabricating the oracle. Having sworn to obey (42:5-6), they now deny the word came from God at all.
Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Chaldeans, so they can kill us or deport us to Babylon!'
KJV But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The accusation against Baruch is unprecedented. Throughout the book, Baruch has been Jeremiah's faithful scribe (chapter 36). Now the remnant invents a political motive for him: he wants to hand them to the Chaldeans. The word massit ('inciting') is the same root used in Deuteronomy 13:6 for one who entices Israel to worship other gods — a serious charge.
So Johanan son of Kareah, all the commanders of the forces, and all the people did not obey the voice of the LORD by remaining in the land of Judah.
KJV So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The verdict is stated plainly: ve-lo shama ('they did not obey'). The oath of 42:5-6 is broken. The voice of the LORD — the very voice they pledged to follow whether good or bad — is rejected.
Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took the entire remnant of Judah — those who had returned from all the nations where they had been scattered to live in the land of Judah:
KJV But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The phrase asher shavu mi-kol ha-goyim ('who had returned from all the nations') reveals that this remnant included people who had fled to neighboring countries during the Babylonian invasion and then returned to Judah after the destruction. They are now being uprooted a second time.
men, women, children, the king's daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam — along with Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah.
KJV Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Jeremiah and Baruch are listed at the end, almost as an afterthought — but it is the most significant detail. The prophet who told them not to go to Egypt is himself taken to Egypt. The man who delivered God's prohibition is compelled to accompany those who violate it. Whether by force or by the momentum of events, Jeremiah goes where God said not to go.
They entered the land of Egypt — for they did not obey the voice of the LORD — and they came to Tahpanhes.
KJV So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
תַּחְפַּנְחֵסTachpanches
"Tahpanhes"—proper noun; Egyptian frontier city
Tahpanhes (Egyptian Daphnae, modern Tell Defenneh) was a fortified city in the eastern Nile Delta, near the border. It served as a garrison town with Greek mercenary soldiers. Archaeological excavations by Flinders Petrie in 1886 uncovered a large brick platform that some identify with the pavement mentioned in verse 9.
Translator Notes
The narrator repeats the verdict — ki lo shame'u be-qol YHWH ('for they did not obey the voice of the LORD') — embedding the judgment within the narrative. Tahpanhes is the first stop inside Egypt, a border fortress. The people who left Egypt in the exodus now re-enter it in disobedience.
The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah at Tahpanhes:
KJV Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Even in Egypt, the word of the LORD comes. God's speech is not confined to the land of Israel. Jeremiah continues to function as a prophet outside the promised land — the word follows the people wherever they go.
'Take large stones in your hand and bury them in the mortar in the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh's palace in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the Judean men.
KJV Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
This is a prophetic sign-act (otot, symbolic actions). The stones are buried ba-melet ba-malben ('in the mortar in the brick pavement/kiln') at the entrance to Pharaoh's palace. The act is performed publicly — le-einei anashim yehudim ('in the sight of Judean men') — so witnesses can testify when the prophecy is fulfilled. Petrie's excavation at Tell Defenneh found a large brick platform before the entrance to the fortress.
Then say to them, "This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to send for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I will set his throne over these very stones that I have buried. He will spread his royal canopy over them.
KJV And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
עַבְדִּיavdi
"My servant"—servant, slave, vassal, worshiper
God calls Nebuchadnezzar 'My servant' — the pagan king unknowingly serves God's purpose. The same title is given to Moses, David, and the prophets. Its application to Nebuchadnezzar does not imply worship but instrumentality: God uses whom He chooses.
Translator Notes
Nebuchadnezzar is again called avdi ('My servant'), as in 25:9 and 27:6. The stones Jeremiah buried become the foundation for Babylon's throne in Egypt. The shapriро ('royal pavilion/canopy') represents Babylonian sovereignty established on Egyptian soil. This prophecy was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt in 568/567 BCE.
He will come and strike the land of Egypt — those destined for death, to death; those destined for captivity, to captivity; those destined for the sword, to the sword.
KJV And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The threefold sorting — death, captivity, sword — echoes 15:2 where God similarly assigns fates. The repetitive structure (asher la-mavet la-mavet, 'those for death to death') has the rhythm of an inescapable decree. There is no category for escape.
I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt. He will burn them and carry the gods away. He will wrap himself in the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment, and he will depart from there in peace.
KJV And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The burning of Egyptian temples mirrors the burning of the LORD's temple in Jerusalem (52:13). Egypt's gods prove as powerless as Judah's Temple was to prevent destruction. The shepherd-garment simile — ka'asher ya'teh ha-ro'eh et bigdo ('as a shepherd wraps his garment') — portrays the conquest as effortless. Nebuchadnezzar wraps Egypt around himself and walks away.
He will shatter the pillars of the temple of the sun in the land of Egypt, and he will burn the temples of the gods of Egypt with fire."
KJV He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Beit Shemesh ('House of the Sun') is Heliopolis (Egyptian: Iunu/On), the great center of solar worship northeast of Cairo. Its obelisks (matsevot, 'sacred pillars/standing stones') were among the most famous monuments in the ancient world. Nebuchadnezzar will shatter them. The chapter ends with the burning of Egypt's temples — the same fate that befell the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.