Jeremiah 43:9
in Jeremiah 43“In the sight of the Jews, pick up some large stones and bury them in the clay of the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace at Tahpanhes.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Take great stones in thy hand, and hide them in mortar in the brickwork, which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;
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;
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This verse in Jeremiah 43
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Brickkiln - Possibly, a pavement of brick. Jeremiah was to take a few large stones, such, nevertheless, as he could carry in his hand, and build with them, in the propylaea before the royal palace, something that would serve to represent the dais upon which the seat of kings was usually placed. By hiding them in the clay is meant plastering them over with mortar.
This site's exposition
Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah at Tahpanhes
on Jeremiah 43:8-11
At Tahpanhes Jeremiah is told to bury “large stones” at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace. Nebuchadnezzar is called “My servant,” as in 25:9 and 27:6, and he will set his throne over these stones. Egypt will receive “death to those destined for death,” as Judah did in 15:2.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
He received the word of the Lord; it came to him. God can find his people, with the visits of his grace, wherever they are; and, when his ministers are bound, yet the word of the Lord is not bound. The spirit of prophecy was not confined to the land of Israel.
The foundation of Egypt's desolation was laid in those brick-kilns, in that clay. This he must do, not in the sight of the Egyptians (they knew not Jeremiah's character), but in the sight of the men of Judah to whom he was sent, that, since he could not prevent their going into Egypt, he might bring them to repent of their going.
Take great stones in thine hand,....
7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the L ORD : thus came they even to Tahpanhes. What God said to the builders of Babel may be truly said of this people that Jeremiah is now dealing with: Now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do, Gen. xi.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
stones--to be laid as the foundation beneath Nebuchadnezzar's throne (Jer 43:10). clay--mortar. brick-kiln--Bricks in that hot country are generally dried in the sun, not burned. The palace of Pharaoh was being built or repaired at this time; hence arose the mortar and brick-kiln at the entry.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Take great stones - This discourse seems to have been delivered about a year after the destruction of Jerusalem. They pretended that they dared not stay in Judea for fear of the Chaldeans. The prophet here assures them that Nebuchadnezzar shall come to Egypt, extend his conquests in that kingdom, and place his tent over the very place where these stones were laid up, and destroy them. How these prophecies were fulfilled, see at the end of Jer 44:30 (note).
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| קַ֣ח | kach | take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| בְּיָדְךָ֞ | beyadekha | in hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אֲבָנִ֣ים | ʾavanim | stones | H68 → | 273 times |
| גְּדֹל֗וֹת | gedolot | large | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וּטְמַנְתָּ֤ם | utemantam | and you will hide them | H2934 → | 31 times |
| בַּמֶּ֙לֶט֙ | bamelet | in the mortar | H4423 → | |
| בַּמַּלְבֵּ֔ן | bamalben | in the brick-terrace | H4404 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֛ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּפֶ֥תַח | befetach | [is] at [the] entrance of | H6607 → | 164 times |
| בֵּית־ | beit- | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| פַּרְעֹ֖ה | paroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
| בְּתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס | betachpanches | in Tahpanhes | H8471 → | 7 times |
| לְעֵינֵ֖י | leeinei | to [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| אֲנָשִׁ֥ים | ʾanashim | [the] people | H582 → | 566 times |
| יְהוּדִֽים׃ | yehudim | Jews | H3064 → | 75 times |
קַ֣חtake
kachH3947 →966 times
בְּיָדְךָ֞in hand your
beyadekhaH3027 →1618 times
אֲבָנִ֣יםstones
ʾavanimH68 →273 times
גְּדֹל֗וֹתlarge
gedolotH1419 →526 times
וּטְמַנְתָּ֤םand you will hide them
utemantamH2934 →31 times
בַּמֶּ֙לֶט֙in the mortar
bameletH4423 →
בַּמַּלְבֵּ֔ןin the brick-terrace
bamalbenH4404 →
אֲשֶׁ֛רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בְּפֶ֥תַח[is] at [the] entrance of
befetachH6607 →164 times
בֵּית־[the] house of
beit-H1004 →2046 times
פַּרְעֹ֖הPharaoh
parohH6547 →274 times
בְּתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑סin Tahpanhes
betachpanchesH8471 →7 times
לְעֵינֵ֖יto [the] eyes of
leeineiH5869 →887 times
אֲנָשִׁ֥ים[the] people
ʾanashimH582 →566 times
יְהוּדִֽים׃Jews
yehudimH3064 →75 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Nahum 3:14Draw your water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Work the clay and tread the mortar; repair the brick kiln!
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 32:3–4
he consulted with his leaders and commanders about stopping up the waters of the springs outside the city, and they helped him carry it out.
- Nahum 2:1
One who scatters advances against you, O Nineveh. Guard the fortress! Watch the road! Brace yourselves! Summon all your strength!
- Jeremiah 46:3–4
“Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle!
- Isaiah 8:9
Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered!
- Jeremiah 46:9
Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth—Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow.
- 2 Chronicles 32:3–4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.