^43:8At Tahpanhes the Lord spoke to Jeremiah.¹¹^43:9“Take some large stones¹² and bury them in the mortar of the clay pavement¹³ at the entrance of Pharaoh’s residence¹⁴ here in Tahpanhes. Do it while the people of Judah present there are watching.¹⁵

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Footnotes

9 This had been their intention all along (41:17). Though they consulted the Lord and promised to do what he told them whether they agreed with it or not (42:5–6), it is clear that they had no intention of doing so. Jeremiah could see that (42:19–22). They refused to believe that the Lord had really said what Jeremiah told them (43:4) and feared reprisal from the Babylonians more than any potential destruction from the Lord (43:3).
10 Tahpanhes was an important fortress city on the northern border of Egypt in the northeastern Nile delta. It is generally equated with the Greek city of Daphne. It has already been mentioned in 2:16 in conjunction with Memphis (the Hebrew name is “Noph”) as a source of soldiers who did violence to the Israelites in the past.
11 Heb “The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah at Tahpanhes, saying.”
12 Heb “Take some large stones in your hands.”
13 The meaning of the expression “mortar of the clay pavement” is uncertain. The noun translated “mortar” occurs only here and the etymology is debated. Both 572 מֶלֶט and 529 מֶלֶט give the meaning “mortar.” The noun translated “clay pavement” is elsewhere used of a “brick mold.” Here 527 מַלְבֵּן 2 gives “quadrangle” and 527 מַלְבֵּן 2 gives “terrace of bricks.” 2 give “loamy soil” for both words, seeing the second noun as a dittography or gloss of the first (see also note c in ).
14 All the commentaries point out that this was not Pharaoh’s (main) palace but a governor’s residence or other government building that Pharaoh occupied when he was in Tahpanhes.
15 Heb “in Tahpanhes in the eyes of the men of Judah.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they arrived at Tahpanhes.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes: “Take in your hands large stones and hide them in the mortar in the pavement that is at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah,

NIVNew International Version (2011)

So they entered Egypt in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.

In Tahpanhes the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “While the Jews are watching, take some large stones with you and bury them in clay in the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

They went to the land of Egypt because they did not obey the Lord. They went as far as Tahpanhes.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah at Tahpanhes: “Pick up some large stones and set them in the mortar of the brick pavement that is at the opening of Pharaoh’s palace at Tahpanhes. Do this in the sight of the Judean men

NLTNew Living Translation

The people refused to obey the voice of the Lord and went to Egypt, going as far as the city of Tahpanhes.

Then at Tahpanhes, the Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “While the people of Judah are watching, take some large rocks and bury them under the pavement stones at the entrance of Pharaoh’s palace here in Tahpanhes.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

and they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not listen to the voice of Yahweh. And they came up to Tahpanhes.

And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, “Take in your hands large stones and bury them in the mortar in the clay floor that is at the entrance of the palace of Pharaoh in Tahpanhes before the eyes of the people of the Judeans,

KJV 1900King James Version

So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.

Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, 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;

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