Jeremiah 42 - 46 - Legacy Standard Bible

Jeremiah 42 - 46

The People Ask Jeremiah to Pray

Then all the commanders of the military forces, Johanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people both small and great approached 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our supplication come before you, and pray for us to Yahweh your God, that is for all this remnant, because we remain but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us, 3 that Yahweh your God may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do.” 4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I am going to pray to Yahweh your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole message which Yahweh will answer you. I will not keep back a word from you.” 5 And they said to Jeremiah, “May Yahweh be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole message with which Yahweh your God will send you to us. 6 Whether it is good or bad, we will listen to the voice of Yahweh our God to whom we are sending you, so that good may come to us when we listen to the voice of Yahweh our God.” 7 Now it happened that at the end of ten days the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah. 8 Then he called for Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the military forces that were with him, and for all the people both small and great, 9 and said to them, “Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your supplication before Him: 10 ‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I have relented of the calamity that I have done against you. 11 Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you are now fearing; do not be afraid of him,’ declares Yahweh, ‘for I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand. 12 I will also show you compassion, so that he will have compassion on you and return you to your own soil. 13 But if you are going to say, “We will not stay in this land,” so as not to listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, 14 saying, “No, but we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the sound of a trumpet or hunger for bread, and we will stay there,” 15 then now, listen to the word of Yahweh, O remnant of Judah. Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “If you really set your face to enter Egypt, and you will enter to sojourn there, 16 then the sword, which you are afraid of, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, about which you are anxious, will follow closely after you there in Egypt, and you will die there. 17 So all the men who set their face to go to Egypt to sojourn there will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; and they will have no survivors or any who escaped from the calamity that I am going to bring on them.”’” 18 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “As My anger and wrath have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so My wrath will be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. And you will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation, and a reproach; and you will see this place no more.” 19 Yahweh has spoken to you, O remnant of Judah, “Do not go into Egypt!” You should clearly know that today I have testified against you. 20 For you have only led yourselves astray; for it is you who sent me to Yahweh your God, saying, “Pray for us to Yahweh our God; and according to all that Yahweh our God says, tell us so, and we will do it.” 21 So I have told you today, but you have not listened to the voice of Yahweh your God, even according to all that He has sent me to tell you. 22 So now, you should clearly know that you will die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, in the place where you desire to go to sojourn.

Jeremiah Taken to Egypt

But it happened that as soon as Jeremiah, whom Yahweh their God had sent, had finished speaking to all the people all the words of Yahweh their God—that is, all these words— 2 Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are speaking a lie! Yahweh our God has not sent you to say, ‘You are not to enter Egypt to sojourn there’; 3 but Baruch the son of Neriah is inciting you against us to give us over into the hand of the Chaldeans, so they will put us to death or exile us to Babylon.” 4 So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the military forces and all the people did not listen to the voice of Yahweh to stay in the land of Judah. 5 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the military forces took the entire remnant of Judah, who had returned from all the nations to which they had been banished, in order to sojourn in the land of Judah— 6 the men, the women, the little ones, the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, together with Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah— 7 and they entered the land of Egypt (for they did not listen to the voice of Yahweh) and went in as far as Tahpanhes. 8 Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, 9 “Take some large stones in your hands and hide them in the mortar in the brick terrace which is at the entrance of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of some of the Jews; 10 and you will say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am going to send and get Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and I am going to set his throne right over these stones that I have hidden; and he will spread his canopy over them. 11 He will also come and strike the land of Egypt; those who are meant for death will be given over to death, and those for captivity to captivity, and those for the sword to the sword. 12 And I shall set fire to the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he will burn them and take them captive. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself with his garment, and he will depart from there safely. 13 He will also shatter the sacred pillars of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt he will burn with fire.”’”

Wrath Against the Israelites in Egypt

The word that came to Jeremiah for all the Jews living in the land of Egypt, those who were living in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and the land of Pathros, saying, 2 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen all the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are a waste place and no one lives in them 3 because of their evil which they did so as to provoke Me to anger by continuing to burn incense and to serve other gods whom they had not known, neither they, you, nor your fathers. 4 Yet I sent you all My slaves the prophets, rising up early and sending, saying, “Oh, do not do this abominable thing which I hate.” 5 But they did not listen or incline their ears to turn from their evil, so as not to burn incense to other gods. 6 Therefore My wrath and My anger were poured out and burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so they have become a waste place and a desolation as it is this day. 7 So now, thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, “Why are you doing great evil against yourselves, so as to cut off from you man and woman, infant and nursing baby, from among Judah, leaving yourselves without remnant, 8 provoking Me to anger with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you are entering to sojourn, so that you might be cut off and become an imprecation and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? 9 Have you forgotten the evil of your fathers, the evil of the kings of Judah, and the evil of their wives, your own evil, and the evil of your wives, which they did in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 But they have not become contrite even to this day, nor have they feared nor walked in My law or My statutes, which I have put before you and before your fathers.”’ 11 “Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am going to set My face against you for your evil demise, even to cut off all Judah. 12 And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have set their face on entering the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they will all meet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword and meet their end by famine. Both small and great will die by the sword and famine; and they will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation, and a reproach. 13 And I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence. 14 So there will be no one who escapes or any survivors for the remnant of Judah who have entered the land of Egypt to sojourn there and then to return to the land of Judah, to which they are longing to return to live; for none will return except a few who escape.’” 15 Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, answered to Jeremiah, saying, 16 “As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of Yahweh, we are not going to listen to you! 17 But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our fathers, our kings, and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no evil. 18 But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine.” 19 “And,” said the women, “when we were burning incense to the queen of heaven and were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?” 20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and women—even to all the people who were answering him with such a word—saying, 21 “As for the smoking sacrifices that you offered in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not Yahweh remember them and did not all this come upon His heart? 22 So Yahweh was no longer able to bear it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have done; thus your land has become a waste place, an object of horror, and an imprecation, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. 23 Because you have burned incense and have sinned against Yahweh and not listened to the voice of Yahweh or walked in His law, His statutes, or His testimonies, therefore this evil has befallen you, as it has this day.” 24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt, 25 thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, “We will certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” Go ahead and establish your vows, and certainly perform your vows!’ 26 Nevertheless, hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, ‘Behold, I have sworn by My great name,’ says Yahweh, ‘never shall My name be called upon again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “As Lord Yahweh lives.” 27 Behold, I am watching over them for evil and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will meet their end by the sword and by famine until they are completely consumed. 28 Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah few in number. Then all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to sojourn there will know whose word will be established, Mine or theirs. 29 This will be the sign to you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘that I am going to punish you in this place, so that you may know that My words will surely be established against you for evil.’ 30 Thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I am going to give over Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt to the hand of his enemies, to the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave over Zedekiah king of Judah to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and was seeking his life.’”

Word to Baruch

This is the message which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written down these words in a book at Jeremiah’s dictation, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying: 2 “Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel to you, O Baruch: 3 ‘You said, “Ah, woe is me! For Yahweh has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my sighing and have found no rest.”’ 4 Thus you are to say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Behold, what I have built I am about to pull down, and what I have planted I am about to uproot, that is, the whole land.” 5 But as for you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring calamity on all flesh,’ declares Yahweh, ‘but I will give your life to you as spoil in all the places where you may go.’”

Word Against Egypt

That which came as the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. 2 To Egypt, concerning the military force of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck down in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 3

“Arrange the shield and large shield,

And draw near for the battle!

Harness the horses,

And mount the steeds,

And take your stand with helmets on!

Polish the spears,

Put on the scale‑armor!

Why have I seen it?

They are shattered;

They are drawing back,

And their mighty men are crushed

And have fled to refuge,

Without facing back;

Terror is on every side!”

Declares Yahweh.

Let not the swift man flee,

Nor the mighty man escape;

In the north beside the river Euphrates

They have stumbled and fallen.

Who is this that rises like the Nile,

Like the rivers whose waters toss about?

Egypt rises like the Nile,

Even like the rivers whose waters toss about;

And He has said, “I will rise and cover that land;

I will surely cause the city to perish, as well as its inhabitants.”

Go up, you horses, and drive madly, you chariots,

That the mighty men may go forth:

Ethiopia and Put, who seize the shield,

And the Lydians, who seize and bend the bow.

Indeed, that day belongs to Lord Yahweh of hosts,

A day of vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His adversaries;

And the sword will devour and be satiated

And drink its fill of their blood;

For there will be a sacrifice to Lord Yahweh of hosts

In the land of the north by the river Euphrates.

Go up to Gilead and obtain balm,

O virgin daughter of Egypt!

In vain have you multiplied remedies;

There is no healing for you.

The nations have heard of your disgrace,

And the earth is full of your outcry;

For one warrior has stumbled over another,

And both of them have fallen down together.

13 This is the message which Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike down the land of Egypt: 14

“Declare in Egypt and cause it to be heard in Migdol;

Cause it to be heard also in Memphis and Tahpanhes;

Say, ‘Take your stand and get yourself ready,

For the sword has devoured those around you.’

Why are your mighty ones thrown down?

They do not stand because Yahweh has thrust them down.

They have repeatedly stumbled;

Indeed, they have fallen one against another.

Then they said, ‘Rise up! And let us return

To our own people and land of our birth

Away from the sword of the oppressor.’

They called out there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a rumbling;

He has let the appointed time pass by!’

As I live,” declares the King

Whose name is Yahweh of hosts,

“Surely one shall come who looms up like Tabor among the mountains,

Or like Carmel by the sea.

Make your baggage ready for exile,

O inhabitant of the daughter of Egypt,

For Memphis will become a desolation;

It will even be turned into ruin and without inhabitants.

Egypt is a pretty heifer,

But a horsefly is coming from the north—it is coming!

Also her mercenaries in her midst

Are like fattened calves,

For even they have turned back and have fled away together;

They did not stand their ground.

For the day of their disaster has come upon them,

The time of their punishment.

Its sound moves along like a serpent;

For they move on like a military force

And come to her as woodcutters with axes.

They have cut down her forest,” declares Yahweh;

“Surely it will no longer be searched out,

Even though they are now more numerous than locusts

And are without number.

The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame,

Given over to the hand of the people of the north.”

25 Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, says, “Behold, I am going to punish Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her gods and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who trust in him. 26 I shall give them into the hand of those who are seeking their lives, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of his servants. Afterwards, however, it will be dwelt in like in the days of old,” declares Yahweh. 27

“But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear,

Nor be dismayed, O Israel!

For behold, I am going to save you from afar,

And your seed from the land of their captivity;

And Jacob will return and have quiet

And be at ease, with no one making him tremble.

O Jacob My servant, do not fear,” declares Yahweh,

“For I am with you.

For I will make a complete destruction of all the nations

Where I have banished you,

Yet I will not make a complete destruction of you;

But I will discipline you with justice

And by no means leave you unpunished.”