Jeremiah 44
Expanded Bible
Disaster in Egypt
44 Jeremiah received a message from the Lord for all the ·Jews [L Judeans] living in Egypt—in the cities of Migdol [C a city in the Nile Delta], Tahpanhes [43:7], Memphis [C a capital city in central Egypt], and in ·southern Egypt [L the land of Pathros]. This was the message: 2 “The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: You saw all the ·terrible things [disasters; evil; troubles] I brought on Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, which are ruins today with no one living in them. 3 It is because the people who lived there did evil. They made me angry by burning incense and ·worshiping [serving] other gods that neither they nor you nor your ·ancestors [fathers] ever knew. 4 I sent all my servants, the prophets, to you again and again. By them I said to you, ‘Don’t do this ·terrible [abominable] thing that I hate.’ 5 But they did not listen or ·pay attention [L incline their ear]. They did not ·stop doing [turn back from] evil things and burning incense to other gods. 6 So I showed my great anger against them. I poured out my anger in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem so they are only ruins and ·piles of stones [a desolation] today.
7 “Now the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: Why are you doing such great ·harm [damage; evil] to yourselves? You are cutting off the men and women, children and ·babies [suckling infants] from the ·family [L midst] of Judah, leaving yourselves without ·anyone from the family of Judah [L a remnant]. 8 Why do you want to make me angry by ·making idols [L the work of your hands]? Why do you ·burn incense [make offerings] to the gods of Egypt, where you have come to ·live [sojourn; wander]? You will ·destroy [L cut off] yourselves. Other nations will ·speak evil of [curse] you and ·make fun of [reproach] you. 9 Have you forgotten about the evil things your ·ancestors [fathers] did? And have you forgotten the evil the kings and ·queens [L their wives] of Judah did? Have you forgotten about the evil you and your wives did? These things were done in the country of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. 10 Even to this day the people of Judah ·are still too proud [have shown no remorse]. They have not ·learned to respect [feared] me or ·to follow [L walked in] my ·teachings [laws; instructions]. They have not obeyed the ·laws [statutes; requirements; ordinances] I gave you and your ·ancestors [fathers].
11 “So this is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: I am ·determined [L setting my face against you] to bring ·disasters [evil; trouble] on you. I will ·destroy [L cut off] ·the whole family of [L all] Judah. 12 The ·few who were left alive [remnant] from Judah ·were determined [L set their face] to go to Egypt and ·settle [sojourn; wander] there, but they will all die in Egypt. They will be killed ·in war [L by the sword] or ·die from hunger [L by famine]. From the least important to the greatest, they will be killed ·in war [L by sword] or ·die from hunger [L by famine]. Other nations will ·speak evil about [L curse] them. People will be shocked by what has happened to them. They will become a curse word, and people will ·insult [reproach] them. 13 I will punish those people who have gone to live in Egypt, just as I punished Jerusalem, using swords, ·hunger [famine], and ·terrible diseases [plague; pestilence]. 14 Of the ·people of Judah who were left alive [remnant of Judah] and have gone to ·live [wander; sojourn] in Egypt, none will escape ·my punishment [L or survive]. They want to return to Judah and live there, but none of them will live to return to Judah, except a few people who will escape.”
15 A large group of the people [C of Judah] who lived in ·southern Egypt [L Pathros] were ·meeting [assembling] together. Among them were many women who were ·burning incense [or making offerings] to other gods, and their husbands knew it. All these people said to Jeremiah, 16 “We will not listen to the ·message from [L the word in the name of] the Lord that you spoke to us. 17 We promised to make sacrifices to the Queen Goddess [C a female astral deity, probably Ashtart or Asherah], and we will certainly do everything ·we promised [L that came out of our mouths]. We will ·burn incense [or make offerings] and pour out drink offerings to worship her, just as we, our ·ancestors [fathers], kings, and officers did in the past. All of us did these things in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were ·successful [fine], and ·nothing bad happened to us [L we saw/experienced no evil]. 18 But since we stopped ·making sacrifices [or offering incense] to the Queen Goddess and stopped pouring out drink offerings to her, we have ·had great problems [L lacked everything]. Our people have also been killed ·in war [L by sword] and by ·hunger [famine].”
19 The women said, “Our husbands knew what we were doing. We had their permission to ·burn incense [or make offerings] to the Queen Goddess and to pour out drink offerings to her. Our husbands knew we were making cakes ·that looked like her [with her image] and were pouring out drink offerings to her.”
20 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the people—men and women—who answered him. 21 He said to them, “·The Lord remembered [L Did not the Lord remember…?] that you and your ·ancestors [fathers], kings and officers, and the people of the land ·burned incense [or made offerings] in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. He remembered and ·thought [set/L lifted up his mind/heart] about it. 22 Then he could not be patient with you any longer. He hated the ·terrible things [abominations] you did. So he made your country an ·empty desert [desolation and a ruin], where no one lives. Other people curse that country. And so it is today. 23 All this happened because you ·burned incense to other gods [or made offerings]. You sinned against the Lord. You did not ·obey him [L listen to the voice of the Lord] or follow his ·teachings [laws; instructions; L Torah] or the ·laws [statutes; requirements; ordinances] he gave you. You did not ·keep your part of the agreement with him [L walk in his testimonies]. So this ·disaster [evil; trouble] has happened to you. ·It is there for you to see [L …according to this day].”
24 Then Jeremiah said to all those men and women, “People of Judah who are now in Egypt, hear the word of the Lord: 25 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: You and your wives did what you said you would do. You said, ‘We will certainly keep the ·promises [vows] we made. We ·promised [vowed] to ·make sacrifices [or offer incense] to the Queen Goddess and to pour out drink offerings to her.’ So, go ahead. Do the things you ·promised [vowed], and keep your ·promises [vows]. 26 But hear the word of the Lord. Listen, all you ·Jews [L Judeans] living in Egypt. The Lord says, ‘I have sworn by my great name: The people of Judah now living in Egypt will never again ·use [pronounce] my name to make promises. They will never again say in Egypt, “As surely as the Lord God lives…” 27 I am watching over them, not ·to take care of them, but to hurt them [L for good but for evil/harm]. The ·Jews [L Judeans] who live in Egypt will die from swords or ·hunger [famine] until they are all ·destroyed [annihilated]. 28 A few will escape being killed by the sword and will come back to Judah from Egypt. Then, of the people of Judah who came to ·live [sojourn; wander] in Egypt, ·those who are left alive [the remnant] will know ·if my word or their word came true [L whose word will stand, theirs or mine]. 29 I will give you a sign that I will punish you here in this place [C Egypt],’ says the Lord. ‘When you see it happen, you will know that my ·promises to hurt you will really happen [L words for you will be carried out for harm/evil].’ 30 This is what the Lord says: ‘Hophra king of Egypt [C also known as Apries, ruled 587–570 bc] has enemies who ·want to kill him [L seek his life]. Soon I will hand him over to his enemies just as I handed Zedekiah king of Judah over to Nebuchadnez-zar king of Babylon, who ·wanted to kill him [L sought his life; 39:5–7].’”
Jeremiah 44
New American Standard Bible 1995
Conquest of Egypt Predicted
44 The word that came to Jeremiah for all the Jews living in the land of Egypt, those who were living in (A)Migdol, (B)Tahpanhes, (C)Memphis, and the land of (D)Pathros, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are in (E)ruins and no one lives in them, 3 (F)because of their wickedness which they committed so as to (G)provoke Me to anger by continuing to (H)burn [a]sacrifices and to (I)serve other gods whom they had not known, neither they, you, nor your fathers. 4 Yet I (J)sent you all My servants the prophets, [b]again and again, saying, “Oh, do not do this (K)abominable thing which I hate.” 5 But (L)they did not listen or incline their ears to turn from their wickedness, so as not to burn [c]sacrifices to other gods. 6 Therefore My (M)wrath and My anger were poured out and burned in the (N)cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so they have become a ruin and a (O)desolation as it is this day. 7 Now then thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, “Why are you (P)doing great harm to yourselves, so as to (Q)cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, from among Judah, leaving yourselves without remnant, 8 (R)provoking Me to anger with the works of your hands, (S)burning [d]sacrifices to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you are entering to reside, so that you might be cut off and become a (T)curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? 9 Have you forgotten the (U)wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 But they (V)have not become [e]contrite even to this day, nor have they feared nor (W)walked in My law or My statutes, which I have set before you and before your fathers.”’
11 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am going to (X)set My face against you for [f]woe, even to cut off all Judah. 12 And I will (Y)take away the remnant of Judah who have set their [g]mind on entering the land of Egypt to reside there, and they will all [h](Z)meet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword and meet their end by famine. Both small and great will die by the sword and famine; and they will become a (AA)curse, an object of horror, an imprecation and a reproach. 13 And I will (AB)punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine and with pestilence. 14 So there will be (AC)no refugees or survivors for the remnant of Judah who have entered the land of Egypt to reside there and then to return to the land of Judah, to which they are [i](AD)longing to return and live; for none will (AE)return except a few refugees.’”
15 Then (AF)all the men who were aware that their wives were burning [j]sacrifices to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, [k]including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying, 16 “As for the [l](AG)message that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, (AH)we are not going to listen to you! 17 But rather we will certainly (AI)carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, [m]by burning [n]sacrifices to the (AJ)queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as (AK)we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had (AL)plenty of [o]food and were well off and saw no [p]misfortune. 18 But since we stopped burning [q]sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have (AM)lacked everything and have [r]met our end by the sword and by famine.” 19 “And,” said the women, “when we were (AN)burning [s]sacrifices to the queen of heaven and [t]were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it (AO)without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes [u]in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”
Calamity for the Jews
20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and women—even to all the people who were giving him such an answer—saying, 21 “As for the [v](AP)smoking sacrifices that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the (AQ)streets of Jerusalem, you and your forefathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord (AR)remember them and did not all this come into His [w]mind? 22 So the Lord was (AS)no longer able to endure it, (AT)because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have committed; thus your land has become a (AU)ruin, an object of horror and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. 23 Because you have burned [x]sacrifices and have sinned against the Lord and (AV)not obeyed the voice of the Lord or (AW)walked in His law, His statutes or His testimonies, therefore this (AX)calamity has befallen you, as it has this day.”
24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “(AY)Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are (AZ)in the land of Egypt, 25 thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, as follows: ‘As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, “We will (BA)certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn [y]sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” [z](BB)Go ahead and confirm your vows, and certainly perform your vows!’ 26 [aa]Nevertheless hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, ‘Behold, I have (BC)sworn by My great name,’ says the Lord, ‘(BD)never shall My name be invoked again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “(BE)As the Lord [ab]God lives.” 27 Behold, I am watching over them (BF)for harm and not for good, and (BG)all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will [ac]meet their end by the sword and by famine until they [ad]are completely gone. 28 (BH)Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah [ae](BI)few in number. Then all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to reside there will know (BJ)whose word will stand, Mine or theirs. 29 This will be the (BK)sign to you,’ declares the Lord, ‘that I am going to punish you in this place, so that you may know that (BL)My words will surely stand against you for harm.’ 30 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am going to give over (BM)Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt to the hand of his enemies, to the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave over (BN)Zedekiah king of Judah to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and was seeking his life.’”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 44:3 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:4 Lit rising early and sending
- Jeremiah 44:5 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:8 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:10 Lit crushed
- Jeremiah 44:11 Lit evil
- Jeremiah 44:12 Lit face
- Jeremiah 44:12 Lit be finished
- Jeremiah 44:14 Lit lifting up their soul
- Jeremiah 44:15 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:15 Lit and
- Jeremiah 44:16 Lit word
- Jeremiah 44:17 Or so as to burn
- Jeremiah 44:17 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:17 Lit bread
- Jeremiah 44:17 Lit evil
- Jeremiah 44:18 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:18 Lit been finished
- Jeremiah 44:19 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:19 Lit to pour
- Jeremiah 44:19 Lit to make an image of her
- Jeremiah 44:21 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:21 Lit heart
- Jeremiah 44:23 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:25 Or incense
- Jeremiah 44:25 Lit Surely cause to stand
- Jeremiah 44:26 Lit Therefore
- Jeremiah 44:26 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Jeremiah 44:27 Lit be finished
- Jeremiah 44:27 Lit come to an end
- Jeremiah 44:28 Lit men of number
Jeremiah 44
King James Version
44 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,
3 Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.
4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.
5 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
6 Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.
7 Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;
8 In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?
9 Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?
10 They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.
12 And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.
13 For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:
14 So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape.
15 Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee.
17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?
20 Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,
21 The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them, and came it not into his mind?
22 So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.
23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.
24 Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:
25 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.
26 Therefore hear ye the word of the Lord, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the Lord, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord God liveth.
27 Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.
28 Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or their's.
29 And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the Lord, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil:
30 Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
