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Wrath Against the Israelites in Egypt

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, “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen all the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are a (E)waste place and no one lives in them (F)because of their evil which they did so as to (G)provoke Me to anger by continuing to (H)burn incense and to (I)serve other gods whom they had not known, neither they, you, nor your fathers. Yet I (J)sent you all My slaves the prophets, rising up early and sending, saying, “Oh, do not do this (K)abominable thing which I hate.” But (L)they did not listen or incline their ears to turn from their evil, so as not to burn incense to other gods. 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 waste place and a (O)desolation as it is this day. So now, thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, “Why are you (P)doing great evil against yourselves, so as to (Q)cut off from you man and woman, infant and nursing baby, from among Judah, leaving yourselves without remnant, (R)provoking Me to anger with the works of your hands, (S)burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you are entering to sojourn, so that you might be cut off and become an (T)imprecation and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? Have you forgotten the (U)evil of your fathers, the evil of the kings of Judah, and the evil of their wives, your own evil, and the evil of your wives, which they did in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 But they (V)have not become [a]contrite even to this day, nor have they feared nor (W)walked in My law or My statutes, which I have put before you and before your fathers.”’

11 “Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am going to (X)set My face against you for your evil demise, even to cut off all Judah. 12 And I will (Y)take away the remnant of Judah who have set their face on entering the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they will all [b](Z)meet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword and [c]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 one who escapes or any survivors for the remnant of Judah who have entered the land of Egypt to sojourn there and then to return to the land of Judah, to which they are [d](AD)longing to return to live; for none will (AE)return except a few who escape.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 44:10 Lit crushed
  2. Jeremiah 44:12 Lit be finished
  3. Jeremiah 44:12 Lit be finished
  4. Jeremiah 44:14 Lit lifting up their soul

Jeremiah’s final words to Judeans in Egypt

44 Jeremiah received the Lord’s word for the Judeans living in the land of Egypt, those living in Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis and in the land of Pathros. The Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims: You have seen the disaster I brought on Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. They are now a wasteland with no one left because of their evil ways. They have angered me by making offerings and worshipping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors knew. Yet time and again I sent you all my servants the prophets, saying, “Don’t do these detestable things that I hate.” But they wouldn’t listen or pay attention or turn from their evil ways. They continued making offerings to other gods. So my fierce anger poured out and blazed against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. And they were reduced to an utter wasteland, as they are today.

Now the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims: Why are you committing this huge mistake that will cost you your lives? Every man, woman, child, and infant will be eliminated from the midst of Judah, and no one will be left. Why do you anger me by what you do: by burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live? You will be eliminated and become an object of cursing and disgrace among all the nations of the earth. Have you forgotten the sins of your ancestors and the sins of the kings of Judah and their wives?[a] Have you forgotten the sins that you and your wives committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 To this day you[b] haven’t shown any sorrow for what you have done. And you haven’t revered me or followed my Instruction and my laws that I set before you and your ancestors.

11 Therefore, the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims: I’m determined to bring disaster on you, to eliminate all of Judah. 12 I will take the few remaining Judeans who were determined to go to the land of Egypt to live. They will all perish there. They will fall by the sword and perish due to famine. The least to the greatest will die by the sword and by famine. They will become an object of cursing, scorn, contempt, and disgrace. 13 I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, just as I punished Jerusalem with war, famine, and disease. 14 From the few remaining in Judah, no fugitive or survivor who came to live here in the land of Egypt will be able to return to the land of Judah. Even though they want to return and live there, they won’t be able to return, except for some fugitives.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 44:9 Heb his wives
  2. Jeremiah 44:10 Or they