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Calamity in Egypt

44 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews dwelling in the land of Egypt—at Migdol, at Tahpanhes, at Noph, and in the region of Pathros[a], saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel: “You have seen all the calamity that I brought on Jerusalem and on all the cities of Judah. Behold, today they are a ruin, and no one lives in them, because of their wickedness which they committed to provoke Me, by continuing to burn sacrifices for and serve other gods, whom they had not known—not they, nor you, nor your fathers. Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets, sending them early and often, saying: ‘Oh, do not do this loathsome thing that I hate.’ But they did not listen or incline their ear to turn from their wickedness, to stop making offering to other gods.

“Therefore My fury and Mine anger was poured out and blazed in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. So they are waste and a ruin, as it is today. So now, thus says Adonai, Elohim-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel: “Why are you committing this great evil against your own souls? You cut off from yourselves man and woman, infant and nursing child, from the midst of Judah, to leave yourself without a remnant. You are provoking Me with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have come to dwell, so that you will be cut off and become a curse and a disgrace among all the nations of the earth. Have you forgotten the evils of your fathers, the evils of the kings of Judah, the evils of their wives, and your own evils and the evils of your wives, which were committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 They have not become contrite even to this day, nor have they feared nor walked in My Torah, My statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.”

11 Therefore thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel: “I will soon set My face against you for calamity, to cut off all Judah. 12 I will take the remnant of Judah who set their faces to enter the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they will all be consumed, falling in the land of Egypt by the sword and by famine. They will die, from the least to the greatest, by the sword and by famine, and they will be an execration, and a horror, a curse, and a disgrace.

13 So I will punish those dwelling in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by famine, and by plague. 14 So none of the remnant of Judah entering the land of Egypt to sojourn there will escape or remain, to return to the land of Judah, when they are longing with their soul to return to live there; for none will return except as refugees.”

15 Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women that stood by—a large assembly—with all the people dwelling in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying: 16 “As for the word that you spoke to us in the Name of Adonai, we are not going to listen to you! 17 Instead we will definitely do every word as went out of our mouth—burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we did, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem—for then we had plenty of food, were well off, and saw no calamity. 18 But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine. 19 Moreover, when we were burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, when we made cakes for her in her image and poured out drink offerings to her, were we without our husbands?”

20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and the women, to all the people that were giving him such an answer, saying: 21 “The incense-burning that you offered in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem—you and your fathers, your kings, your officials, and the people of the land—Adonai did remember them, they did come into His heart. 22 Then Adonai could no longer endure it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations that you committed! So your land has become a wasteland, a desolation and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is this day. 23 Because you have burned incense, because you have sinned against Adonai and have not listened to the voice of Adonai, nor walked in His Torah, nor in His statutes, nor in His testimonies—that is why this calamity has befallen you, as it is this day.”

24 Moreover Jeremiah said to all the people and to all the women: “Hear the word of Adonai, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt. 25 Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel, saying: ‘You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying: “We will definitely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink-offerings to her.” You surely will confirm your vows and surely will perform your vows!’”

26 Therefore hear the word of Adonai, all Judah dwelling in the land of Egypt: “Behold, I have sworn by My great Name,”[b] declares Adonai, “never more will My Name be invoked in the mouth of anyone of Judah in all the land of Egypt saying: ‘As my Lord Adonai lives.’ 27 Here I am, watching over them for evil, and not for good. All the people of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will be consumed by the sword and by famine, until there is an end of them. 28 Those escaping the sword will return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah only few in number. Then the remnant of Judah who entered the land of Egypt to sojourn there, will know whose word stands up—Mine or theirs!” It is a declaration of Adonai.

29 “Moreover, this will be the sign to you: I will visit punishment on you in this place, so that you may know that My words will surely stand against you as calamity.”

30 Thus says Adonai: “Soon, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them who seek his life, just as I gave King Zedekiah of Judah into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, his enemy who was seeking his life.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 44:1 In Upper or Southern Egypt; the other places were in Lower or Northern Egypt.
  2. Jeremiah 44:26 cf. Heb. 6:13.

Disaster Because of Idolatry

44 This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt(A)—in Migdol,(B) Tahpanhes(C) and Memphis(D)—and in Upper Egypt:(E) “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster(F) I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah.(G) Today they lie deserted and in ruins(H) because of the evil(I) they have done. They aroused my anger(J) by burning incense(K) to and worshiping other gods(L) that neither they nor you nor your ancestors(M) ever knew. Again and again(N) I sent my servants the prophets,(O) who said, ‘Do not do this detestable(P) thing that I hate!’ But they did not listen or pay attention;(Q) they did not turn from their wickedness(R) or stop burning incense(S) to other gods.(T) Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out;(U) it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins(V) they are today.

“Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster(W) on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women,(X) the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?(Y) Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made,(Z) burning incense(AA) to other gods in Egypt,(AB) where you have come to live?(AC) You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse[a] and an object of reproach(AD) among all the nations on earth. Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors(AE) and by the kings(AF) and queens(AG) of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives(AH) in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem?(AI) 10 To this day they have not humbled(AJ) themselves or shown reverence,(AK) nor have they followed my law(AL) and the decrees(AM) I set before you and your ancestors.(AN)

11 “Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty,(AO) the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster(AP) on you and to destroy all Judah. 12 I will take away the remnant(AQ) of Judah who were determined to go to Egypt to settle there. They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the sword or die from famine. From the least to the greatest,(AR) they will die by sword or famine.(AS) They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach.(AT) 13 I will punish(AU) those who live in Egypt with the sword,(AV) famine and plague,(AW) as I punished Jerusalem. 14 None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”(AX)

15 Then all the men who knew that their wives(AY) were burning incense(AZ) to other gods, along with all the women(BA) who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt,(BB) said to Jeremiah, 16 “We will not listen(BC) to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!(BD) 17 We will certainly do everything we said we would:(BE) We will burn incense(BF) to the Queen of Heaven(BG) and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials(BH) did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.(BI) At that time we had plenty of food(BJ) and were well off and suffered no harm.(BK) 18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings(BL) to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.(BM)

19 The women added, “When we burned incense(BN) to the Queen of Heaven(BO) and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbands(BP) know that we were making cakes(BQ) impressed with her image(BR) and pouring out drink offerings to her?”

20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, 21 “Did not the Lord remember(BS) and call to mind the incense(BT) burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem(BU) by you and your ancestors,(BV) your kings and your officials and the people of the land?(BW) 22 When the Lord could no longer endure(BX) your wicked actions and the detestable things you did, your land became a curse(BY) and a desolate waste(BZ) without inhabitants, as it is today.(CA) 23 Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him or followed(CB) his law or his decrees(CC) or his stipulations, this disaster(CD) has come upon you, as you now see.”(CE)

24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including the women,(CF) “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah in Egypt.(CG) 25 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives(CH) have done what you said you would do when you promised, ‘We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.’(CI)

“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!(CJ) 26 But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews living in Egypt:(CK) ‘I swear(CL) by my great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign(CM) Lord lives.”(CN) 27 For I am watching(CO) over them for harm,(CP) not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish(CQ) by sword and famine(CR) until they are all destroyed.(CS) 28 Those who escape the sword(CT) and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few.(CU) Then the whole remnant(CV) of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand(CW)—mine or theirs.(CX)

29 “‘This will be the sign(CY) to you that I will punish(CZ) you in this place,’ declares the Lord, ‘so that you will know that my threats of harm against you will surely stand.’(DA) 30 This is what the Lord says: ‘I am going to deliver Pharaoh(DB) Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who want to kill him, just as I gave Zedekiah(DC) king of Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who wanted to kill him.’”(DD)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 44:8 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed; also in verse 12; similarly in verse 22.