Jeremiah 43:1–7

JEREMIAH’S COUNSEL REJECTED

43When Jeremiah had finished speaking to all the people all the words of the Lord their God—all these words the Lord their God had sent him to give them—²then Azariah^A son of Hoshaiah,^y Johanan son of Kareah, and all the other arrogant men responded to Jeremiah, “You are speaking a lie! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to stay there for a while!’ ³Rather, Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Chaldeans to put us to death or to deport us to Babylon!”

⁴So Johanan son of Kareah, all the commanders of the armies, and all the people failed to obey the Lord’s command to stay in the land of Judah. ⁵Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies led away the whole remnant of Judah,^a those who had returned to stay in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been banished. ⁶They led away the men, women, children, king’s daughters, and everyone whom Nebuzaradan, captain of the guards, had allowed to remain with Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan.^b They also led the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch son of Neriah away. ⁷They went to the land of Egypt because they did not obey the Lord. They went as far as Tahpanhes.^c