1When Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything Yahweh their God had sent him to say,
2Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men spoke up. They said to Jeremiah, “You are lying. Yahweh our God did not send you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to live there.’
3Instead, Baruch son of Neriah has incited you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians, so they can kill us or take us captive to Babylon.”
4So Johanan son of Kareah, all the army commanders, and all the people did not obey Yahweh’s command to stay in the land of Judah.
5Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders took everyone who was left from Judah—those who had returned from all the nations where they had been scattered and were now living in Judah.
6This included the men, women, children, the king’s daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan, the 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 the land of Egypt, for they did not obey Yahweh’s command, and they arrived at Tahpanhes.
8Then Yahweh’s message came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
9“Take some large stones and hide them in the mortar of the brick pavement at the entrance of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, while the men of Judah are watching.
10Then tell them, ‘Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: "Behold, I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and set his throne on these stones that I have hidden. He will spread his royal canopy over them.
11He will come and attack the land of Egypt. Those destined for death will die, those for captivity will be taken captive, and those for the sword will be killed by the sword.
12I will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt. He will burn them and take their idols captive. He will wrap himself in the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his cloak, and he will leave there peacefully.
13He will also break the sacred pillars of Beth Shemesh, which is in the land of Egypt, and he will burn the temples of the gods of Egypt with fire."