Jeremiah 43:9 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;
Jeremiah 43:9 nkjv
"Take large stones in your hand, and hide them in the sight of the men of Judah, in the clay in the brick courtyard which is at the entrance to Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes;
Jeremiah 43:9 niv
"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.
Jeremiah 43:9 esv
"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,
Jeremiah 43:9 nlt
"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.
Jeremiah 43 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 43:11 | "And when he comes, he shall strike the land of Egypt, with terrors; and Egypt shall be in terror, and its kings, its princes, and its officials shall tremble. For the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, declares: ‘Behold, I will hand over to them all who are found in Egypt—those who seek their own life, and those who have escaped to Egypt for refuge—and I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of those whom you fear, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of his army. After that it shall be inhabited as in the days of old, declares the LORD." | Jer 43:11 - Prophecy of judgment on Egypt |
| Jeremiah 7:11 | "Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD." | Jer 7:11 - God's house defiled |
| Jeremiah 25:9 | "behold, I will send for all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. And I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror, a waste, a ruin, and an object of curses, as they are this day." | Jer 25:9 - Nebuchadnezzar as God's servant |
| Jeremiah 44:28 | "Those who escape the sword shall not escape death by famine or pestilence, nor shall they escape the sword in exile and desolation. And thus the remnant who survive from that land of Egypt shall be few and shall not escape. For they shall not see my face again, nor shall Egypt ever again be their refuge. But I will remember them, for good and for ill, says the LORD of hosts." | Jer 44:28 - Consequences of fleeing to Egypt |
| Isaiah 19:1 | "An oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them." | Isa 19:1 - Judgment on Egypt |
| Isaiah 30:1-3 | "“Woe to the rebellious children, declares the LORD, who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make a league, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin upon sin, who set out to go down to Egypt without asking my mouth, to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt, but Pharaoh’s protection shall be your shame, and your trust in the shadow of Egypt your humiliation." | Isa 30:1-3 - Rebuke for seeking Egyptian alliance |
| Hosea 12:1 | "Ephraim fences himself with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still wanders with God and is faithful to the Holy One." | Hos 12:1 - Ephraim's deceit |
| Ezekiel 29:2 | "Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. Speak, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, you great dragon that lies in the midst of his rivers, that said, ‘My river is my own, and I have made it for myself.’”" | Eze 29:2 - Judgment on Pharaoh |
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." | John 14:6 - Jesus the way and truth |
| Acts 4:12 | "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”" | Acts 4:12 - Salvation in Christ alone |
| Matthew 6:33 | "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." | Matt 6:33 - Seek God's kingdom |
| 1 Kings 18:21 | "And Elijah came to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word." | 1 Kings 18:21 - Elijah challenges Israel's divided loyalty |
| Proverbs 3:5-6 | "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." | Prov 3:5-6 - Trust in God |
| Psalm 5:11 | "But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, because you spread your protection over them; let those who love your name be exultant in you." | Ps 5:11 - Rejoicing in God's protection |
| Romans 8:31 | "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" | Rom 8:31 - God's sufficiency |
| Galatians 5:22-23 | "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." | Gal 5:22-23 - Fruit of the Spirit |
| 2 Timothy 4:3-4 | "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." | 2 Tim 4:3-4 - Turning away from truth |
| 1 Peter 5:7 | "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." | 1 Pet 5:7 - Casting anxieties on God |
Jeremiah 43 verses
Jeremiah 43 9 Meaning
The verse describes a brazen act of defiance by the Judean refugees who had fled to Egypt. They constructed a pavilion or throne platform for Pharaoh, openly in front of Jeremiah. This action signified their allegiance and perhaps their aspiration to gain favor with the Egyptian ruler, completely disregarding God's warnings and Jeremiah's prophetic message. It demonstrates a hardening of their hearts against God's will, choosing political alliance and perceived safety in Egypt over trust in the LORD.
Jeremiah 43 9 Context
This verse occurs within the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. A remnant of Judeans, against God's explicit command through Jeremiah, fled to Egypt. They wrongly believed that seeking refuge in Egypt, a powerful nation, would provide them safety and prosperity. Jeremiah, however, had been sent by God to deliver a message of judgment upon Egypt as well, and a confirmation of God's impending judgment on those who had fled there. Chapter 43 begins with the Judean leaders, specifically Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men, accusing Jeremiah of lying and coercing them. They then take everyone, including Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch, to Tahpanhes, Egypt. This verse highlights their complete rejection of Jeremiah's prophetic word and their determination to pursue their own perceived interests in Egypt.
Jeremiah 43 9 Word Analysis
Then (וְאָז - wə'āz): A conjunction indicating a sequence of events or a consequence. It places the following action immediately after what was previously described.
ye shall take (וְלָקַחְתֶּם - wəlāqaḥtəm): Second person plural imperfect verb from לָקַח (laqach), meaning "to take," "to seize," "to carry away." It signifies a deliberate action.
great stones (אֲבָנִים גְּדֹלֹת - ’ăḇānîm gəḏōlōṯ): Plural form of אֶבֶן (’eḇen), "stone," with the adjective גָּדוֹל (gāḏōl), "great," "large." This refers to substantial stones, likely substantial enough to build or adorn something significant.
and ye shall hide (וְטָמַנְתֶּם - wəṭāmantoṯem): Second person plural imperfect verb from טָמַן (ṭāman), meaning "to hide," "to conceal," "to bury." This action suggests an intentional act of concealment or planting.
them (אוֹתָם - ’ōṯām): Plural masculine demonstrative pronoun referring back to the "great stones."
in the mortar (בַּמּוֹשֵׁחָה - bammōšĕḥâ): Preposition בְּ(bə), "in," "with," followed by the feminine singular noun מוֹשֵׁחָה (mōšĕḥâ). This word is unique and its exact meaning is debated. It is derived from the verb מָשַׁח (māšaḥ), meaning "to anoint," "to spread," "to smear." Therefore, it likely refers to a layer of mortar, cement, or plaster used in construction or for covering.
in the brick-kiln (בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַלְּבֵנִים - bəmaʿăśeh halləḇēnîm): Preposition בְּ(bə), "in," "at," followed by the construct phrase מַעֲשֵׂׂה (maʿăśeh), "work of," "making of," and the feminine plural noun לְבֵנָה (ləḇênâ), "brick." This phrase specifies the location as the place where bricks were made or fired.
at the entering (בְּבוֹא־): Preposition בְּ(bə), "in," "at," followed by the participle בּוֹא (bō’) with a conjunctive vav (וְ), "when coming," "upon entering."
of Pharaoh’s house (בֵּית־פַרְעֹה - ḇêṯparʿōh): The noun בַּיִת (bayiṯ), "house," in the construct state with פַּרְעֹה (Parʿōh), "Pharaoh." This refers to the palace or a specific structure belonging to Pharaoh.
into Egypt (מִצְרָיִמָה - miṣrāyimâ): The proper noun מִצְרַיִם (miṣrāyim), "Egypt," with the directional suffix ־ָה (-â), indicating "to Egypt" or "into Egypt."
Great stones and mortar at the brick-kiln: This imagery evokes construction and permanence, highlighting the refugees' deliberate act of establishing a presence and seeking stability in Egypt, despite God's will.
In the brick-kiln at the entering of Pharaoh’s house into Egypt: This specific location suggests a very public and prominent place within the Egyptian infrastructure associated with Pharaoh. It implies they are setting up their act of defiance right where it can be seen by those in power and the populace.
Jeremiah 43 9 Bonus Section
This act of burying stones at a significant entrance point, particularly in connection with building or marking territory, resonates with certain ancient practices, though not explicitly detailed for this verse's context. In some cultures, foundational stones were laid with symbolic meaning. Here, however, the stones seem to represent not a foundation of faith, but a fortification of their rebellion and misplaced trust in Egypt. The detail of the "brick-kiln" and "mortar" is highly specific and may allude to the very processes that create enduring structures, mirroring their desire for enduring security in Egypt. The mention of Pharaoh's house points to the royal court and the source of Egyptian power, indicating that their efforts were aimed at securing their position within the ruling structure of Egypt.
Jeremiah 43 9 Commentary
The Judeans, in their defiance of God's command conveyed through Jeremiah, engaged in a deeply symbolic act. They took large stones and buried them within the mortar of the brick-kiln where new bricks were being made, right at the entrance of Pharaoh's palace in Tahpanhes. This action signifies their intent to build a future in Egypt, rejecting God's promised restoration in their own land. It’s a physical manifestation of their hardened hearts, their misplaced trust in Pharaoh's power over God's power, and their rejection of the prophetic warnings. They were seeking to embed themselves within the Egyptian system, making their own refuge concrete and visible. This mirrors the spiritual adulteries often condemned in the Old Testament, where Israel would seek alliances with foreign powers instead of relying on the Lord. Their actions revealed a complete departure from faith, choosing a tangible, human-centered security over an intangible, divine one.