They took men, women, children, and the king's daughters. They took every person whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had left with Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, including the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch, son of Neriah.

Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the arrogant (egotistical) men said to Jeremiah: You are telling a lie! Jehovah our God has not sent you to say: 'You are not to enter Egypt to reside there.

As soon as Jeremiah, whom Jehovah their God had sent, had finished telling all the people all the words of Jehovah their God, that is, all these words,

At Beth Shemesh he will break the monuments in Egypt and burn down the temples of Egypt's gods.'

But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took the entire remnant of Judah who had returned from all the nations to which they had been driven away, in order to reside in the land of Judah.

Then Jehovah spoke his word to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes. He said:

They did not listen to Jehovah. They went to Egypt. They went as far as Tahpanhes.

Say to them: 'This is what Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to send for my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will set his throne over these stones that I buried, and I will spread his royal canopy above them.

Baruch the son of Neriah is inciting you against us to give us over into the hand of the Chaldeans. They will put us to death or exile us to Babylon.

So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces, and all the people, did not obey the voice of Jehovah and stay in the land of Judah.

He will set fire to the temples of Egypt's gods. He will burn down the temples and take their gods captive. Nebuchadnezzar will put on Egypt as his coat as a shepherd puts on his coat. He will leave Egypt peacefully.

Take some large stones, and bury them under the brick pavement at the entrance to the Pharaoh's palace in Tahpanhes. Do this while the people of Judah watch you.

He will defeat Egypt. He will bring death to those who are supposed to die. He will capture those who are supposed to be captured. He will kill in battle those who are supposed to be killed in battle.