Tahpanhes — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Important Egyptian center in the eastern Delta. Listed with Memphis among Israel’s enemies (Jer 2:16), it is the place to which Jews fled after the murder of Gedaliah in 586 BC when Jeremiah was taken to Egypt (43:7-9; 44:1; 46:14). Ezekiel prophesied doom against this city (alternately spelled Tehaphnehes in Ez 30:18, rsv).

Show passage in OET: JER 2:16

OET-RV JER 2:16

16 Also the people from Nof (Memphis) and Tahfanhes have shaved your heads.

OET-LV JER 2:16

16 Also the _people _of Nof/(Memphis) and they_will _graze _you crown _of _head.

Show passage in OET: JER 43:7–9

OET-RV JER 43:7

7 Then they went to Mitsrayim because they took no notice of Yahweh’s instructions and they arrived at Tahfanhes.

OET-RV JER 43:8

8 In Tahfanhes, Yahweh gave Yirmiyah a message:

OET-RV JER 43:9

9 Get some large stones and while the people from Yehudah are watching, push them into the mortar in the pavement at the entrance to Par’oh’s (Pharaoh’s) palace at Tahfanhes.

OET-LV JER 43:7

7 And_they _came the _land _of Miʦrayim if/because not they _had _listened to_the _voice _of YHWH and_they _came to Taḩpanḩēş.

OET-LV JER 43:8

8 And_ the _message _of YHWH _he/it _was to Yirmə^yāh in_Taḩpanḩēş to_say.

OET-LV JER 43:9

9 Take in_hand _of_your stones large and_you_will _hide _them in_mortar in_brick-terrace which is_at_the _entrance _of the _house _of Parˊoh in_Taḩpanḩēş to_the_eyes _of the_people Yəhūdī/(Judeans).

Show passage in OET: JER 44:1

OET-RV JER 44:1

44 Yahweh spoke to Yirmiyah (Jeremiah) about all the Yehudim (Jews) who lived in Migdol, Tahfanhes, and Nof (Memphis) in northern/lower Mitsrayim (Egypt), as well as those in Patros in southern/upper Mitsrayim:

OET-LV JER 44:1

44 The_message which it _came to Yirmə^yāh/(Jeremiah) concerning all _of the_Yəhūdī/(Judeans) who_were_dwelling in_land of _Miʦrayim who_were_dwelling in_Migdōl and_in_Taḩpanḩēş and_in_Nof/(Memphis) and_in_the _land _of Patrōş to_say.

Show passage in OET: JER 46:14

OET-RV JER 46:14

14 Announce in Mitsrayim, and proclaim it in Migdol, Nof (Memphis), and Tahfanhes:
⇔ ‘Take your station and prepare to defend yourself,
⇔ because everyone around you will be killed.’

OET-LV JER 46:14

14 Declare in_Miʦrayim and_make _a _proclamation in_Migdōl and_make _a _proclamation in_Nof/(Memphis) and_in_Taḩpanḩēş say take _your _stand and_prepare to/for_you(fs) if/because the_sword it _will _devour around _of_you.

Show passage in OET: EZE 30:18

OET-RV EZE 30:18

18 In Mitsrayim’s Tahfanhes, the day will hold back its light when I break Mitsrayim’s power and control there, and its pride in its strength will be finished. There’ll be a cloud covering it, and its daughters will be taken away into captivity.

OET-LV EZE 30:18

18 And_in_Taḩpanḩēş the_day it _will _withhold when_break_I there DOM the _yoke-bars _of Miʦrayim and_it _will _cease in_it the _pride _of its _strength _of_her it a _cloud it_will _cover _it and_her/its_daughters in_captivity they _will _go.

Jump to OET JER 2:16 section.

Jump to OET JER 43:7–9 section.

Jump to OET JER 44:1 section.

Jump to OET JER 46:14 section.

Jump to OET EZE 30:18 section.

Today the site is identified with Tell Dephneh (Defenneh), 26 miles (41.8 kilometers) southwest of Port Said. There is little evidence of occupation here before the time of Psammetichus I (664–610 BC), who established a fortress at the site and left a garrison of Greek mercenaries. Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes, where Jeremiah buried stones as a promise of Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion (Jer 43:9), has been identified with the fortress of Psammetichus. A fragmentary Neo-Babylonian text of the 37th year of Nebuchadnezzar refers to operations against Pharaoh Amasis and a Greek garrison.