CHAPTER 44
This is the word
that
came
to
Jeremiah
concerning
all
the Jews
living
in the land
of Egypt—
in Migdol,
Tahpanhes,
and Memphis—
and in the land
of Pathros:
“This is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
You
have seen
all
the disaster
I brought
against
Jerusalem
and all
the cities
of Judah;
and behold,
they lie today in ruins
and
desolation
because of
the evil
they have done.
They provoked Me to anger
by continuing
to burn incense
and to serve
other
gods
that neither
they
nor you
nor your fathers
ever knew.
Yet I sent
you
all
My servants
the prophets
again and again,
saying:
‘Do not
do
this
detestable
thing
that
I hate.’
But they did not
listen
or incline
their ears;
they did not
turn
from their wickedness
or stop
burning incense
to other
gods.
Therefore My wrath
and anger
poured out
and burned
in the cities
of Judah
and in the streets
of Jerusalem,
so they have become
the desolate
ruin
they are today.
So now,
this is what
the LORD
God
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
Why
are you
doing
such great
harm
to
yourselves?
You are cutting off
from
Judah
man
and woman,
child
and infant,
leaving
yourselves
without
a remnant,
provoking Me to anger
by the work
of your hands,
burning incense
to other
gods
in the land
of Egypt
where
you
have gone
to reside.
As a result,
you will be cut off
and become
an object of cursing
and reproach
among all
the nations
of the earth.
Have you forgotten
the wickedness
of your fathers
and
of the kings
of Judah
and
their wives,
as well as
the wickedness that
you
and
your wives
committed
in the land
of Judah
and the streets
of Jerusalem?
To
this
day
they have not
humbled themselves
or
shown reverence,
nor
have they followed
My instruction
or the statutes
that
I set
before you
and
your fathers.
Therefore,
this is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
I will set
My face
to bring disaster
and to cut off
all
Judah.
And I will take away
the remnant
of Judah
who
have resolved
to go
to the land
of Egypt
to reside there;
they will meet their end.
They will all
fall
by the sword
or
by famine.
From the least
to
the greatest,
they will die
by sword
or famine.
Then they will become
an object of cursing
and horror,
of vilification
and reproach.
I will punish
those who live
in the land
of Egypt,
just as
I punished
Jerusalem,
by sword,
famine,
and plague,
so that none of
the remnant
of Judah
who have gone
to reside
in Egypt
will
escape
or survive
to return
to the land
of Judah,
where
they
long
to return
and dwell;
for
none
will return
except
a few fugitives."
Then all
the men
who knew
that
their wives
were burning incense
to other
gods,
all
the women
standing by—
a great
assembly—
along with all
the people
who were living
in the land
of Egypt
at Pathros,
answered
Jeremiah,
Instead,
we will do
everything
we said:
We will burn incense
to the queen
of heaven
and offer
drink offerings
to her,
just as
we,
our fathers,
our kings,
and our officials
did
in the cities
of Judah
and in the streets
of Jerusalem.
At that time we had plenty
of food
and good things,
and we saw
no
disaster.
But from the time
we stopped
burning incense
to the queen
of heaven
and pouring out
drink offerings
to her,
we have lacked
everything
and have been perishing
by sword
and famine.”
“Moreover,” said the women, “when
we
burned incense
to the queen
of heaven
and poured out
drink offerings to her,
was it without
our husbands’ knowledge
that we made
sacrificial cakes
in her image
and poured out
drink offerings to her?”
“As for the incense
you burned
in the cities
of Judah
and the streets
of Jerusalem—
you,
your fathers,
your kings,
your officials,
and the people
of the land—
did the LORD
not
remember
and bring
this to
mind?
So the LORD
could
no
longer
endure
the evil
deeds
and detestable acts
you committed,
and your land
became
a desolation,
a horror,
and an object of cursing,
without
inhabitant,
as it is today.
Because
you burned incense
and sinned
against the LORD,
and did not
obey
the voice
of the LORD
or
walk
in
His instruction,
His statutes,
and His testimonies,
this
disaster
has befallen you,
as you see today.”
Then Jeremiah
said
to
all
the people,
including all
the women,
“Hear
the word
of the LORD,
all those
of Judah
who
are in the land
of Egypt.
This is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
‘As for you
and your wives,
you have spoken
with your mouths
and fulfilled
with your hands
your words,
“We will surely
perform
our vows
that
we have made
to burn incense
to the queen
of heaven
and to pour out
drink offerings
to her."
Go ahead, then,
do
what you have promised!
Keep
your vows!
Nevertheless,
hear
the word
of the LORD,
all
you Jews
living
in Egypt:
Behold,
I have sworn
by My great
name,
says
the LORD,
that My name
will never
again
be
invoked
by
anyone
of Judah
in all
the land
of Egypt,
saying,
"As surely as the Lord
GOD
lives."
I am watching
over them
for harm
and not
for good,
and every
man
of Judah
who
is in the land
of Egypt
will meet his end
by sword
or famine,
until
they are finished off.
Those who escape
the sword
will return
from
Egypt
to Judah,
few
in number,
and the whole
remnant
of Judah
who went
to dwell
in the land
of Egypt
will know
whose
word
will stand,
Mine
or theirs!
This
will be a sign to you,
declares
the LORD,
that
I
will punish
you
in this
place,
so
you may know
that
My threats
of harm
against you
will surely
stand.
This is what
the LORD
says:
Behold,
I am going to hand
Pharaoh Hophra
king
of Egypt
over to
his enemies,
to those who seek
his life,
just as
I handed
Zedekiah
king
of Judah
over to
Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon,
the enemy
who was seeking
his life.'"