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, “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘You yourselves have seen all the disaster 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, (F)because of their wickedness which they committed 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. Yet I (J)sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, 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 wickedness, so as not to burn [b]sacrifices to other gods. Therefore My (M)wrath and My anger gushed out and burned in the (N)cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so they have become ruins and a (O)desolation as it is this day. Now then, this is what the Lord God of armies, the God of Israel says: “Why are you (P)doing great harm to yourselves, to (Q)eliminate from yourselves man and woman, child and infant from among Judah, leaving yourselves without a remnant, (R)provoking Me to anger with the works of your hands, (S)burning [c]sacrifices to other gods in the land of Egypt where you are entering to reside, so that you may be eliminated and become a (T)curse and a disgrace among all the nations of the earth? 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 Yet they (V)have not become [d]contrite even to this day, nor have they feared, nor (W)walked in My Law or My statutes, which I placed before you and before your fathers.”’

11 “Therefore this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Behold, I am going to (X)set My face against you for a disaster, even to eliminate all Judah. 12 And I will (Y)take away the remnant of Judah who have set their [e]minds on entering the land of Egypt to reside there, and they will all [f](Z)meet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword or meet their end by famine. From the small to the great, they will die by the sword and famine; and they will become a (AA)curse, an object of horror, [g]an imprecation, and a disgrace. 13 And I will (AB)punish those who live in the land of Egypt, just as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with plague. 14 So there will be (AC)no survivor or refugee 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 [h](AD)longing to return to live; for none will (AE)return except a few refugees.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 44:3 Or incense
  2. Jeremiah 44:5 Or incense
  3. Jeremiah 44:8 Or incense
  4. Jeremiah 44:10 Lit crushed
  5. Jeremiah 44:12 Lit faces
  6. Jeremiah 44:12 Lit be finished
  7. Jeremiah 44:12 Lit a curse-formula
  8. Jeremiah 44:14 Lit lifting up their soul

Denunciation of Persistent Idolatry

44 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews that dwelt in the land of Egypt, at Migdol, at Tah′panhes, at Memphis, and in the land of Pathros, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the evil that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah. Behold, this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, because of the wickedness which they committed, provoking me to anger, in that they went to burn incense and serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers. Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!’ But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their wickedness and burn no incense to other gods. Therefore my wrath and my anger were poured forth and kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they became a waste and a desolation, as at this day. And now thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, infant and child, from the midst of Judah, leaving you no remnant? Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live, that you may be cut off and become a curse and a taunt among all the nations of the earth? Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, the wickedness of their[a] 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 They have not humbled themselves even to this day, nor have they feared, nor walked in my law and my statutes which I set before you and before your fathers.

11 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, to cut off all Judah. 12 I will take the remnant of Judah who have set their faces to come to the land of Egypt to live, and they shall all be consumed; in the land of Egypt they shall fall; by the sword and by famine they shall be consumed; from the least to the greatest, they shall die by the sword and by famine; and they shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. 13 I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, 14 so that none of the remnant of Judah who have come to live in the land of Egypt shall escape or survive or return to the land of Judah, to which they desire to return to dwell there; for they shall not return, except some fugitives.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 44:9 Heb his