Jeremiah_Chapter 44

The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews that dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell in Mithrad, Tabineh, Noph, and the land of Bethel, saying,

This is what the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, has said: You have seen all the calamity that I have brought upon Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah. Those cities are now desolate and uninhabited.

This is because of the evil deeds of the residents, who went to burn incense and serve other gods that they, you, and your ancestors did not know, and provoked me to anger.

I have sent my servants the prophets from early morning, saying, Do not do this detestable thing that I detest.

But they did not listen, did not turn their ears, did not turn away from evil, and still burned incense to other gods.

Therefore, my anger and wrath have poured out, burning like fire in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, causing them to be desolate and desolate, just as they are today.

Now the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, says, Why have you done this great evil to harm your own lives, cutting off all your men, women, infants, and sucklings from Judah, leaving no one behind?

It is because of the work of your hands that you burned incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you went to sojourn, causing me to be angry and cutting you off, and causing you to be cursed and humiliated among all the nations under heaven.

Have you forgotten the evil deeds of your ancestors, the evil deeds of the kings of Judah and their concubines, the evil deeds of yourselves and your wives, which you have done in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

Until now, there has been no regret, no fear, and no adherence to the laws and regulations that I have set before you and your ancestors.

Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I will change my face against you and bring disaster, so that I may cut off all the people of Judah.

I will make all the remaining Jews who have decided to enter the land of Egypt and reside there completely destroyed, and they will fall in the land of Egypt and be destroyed by the sword and famine. From the smallest to the greatest, they will all die by the sword and famine, to the point of being insulted, horrified, cursed, and humiliated.

As I punish Jerusalem with the sword, famine, and plague, so will I punish the Jews who dwell in the land of Egypt.

Even those who entered the land of Egypt and settled there, including the remaining Jews, shall not escape, nor shall they be left to return to the land of Judah. They really want to return to their place of residence. Except for those who escaped, none can return.

Those who lived in the land of Egypt and knew that their wife was burning incense to other gods, along with the women standing beside them, gathered together in groups and answered Jeremiah, saying,

We will not listen to what you say to us in the name of the Lord.

We will surely fulfill all the words that come out of our mouths, burning incense and pouring out drink offerings to the queen of heaven, just as we and our ancestors, kings, and leaders have always done in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Because at that time we ate our fill and enjoyed ourselves, without seeing any disaster.

Since we stopped burning incense and pouring out offerings to the queen of heaven, we have lacked everything and perished due to famine and sword.

The woman said, “Are we separate from our husbands when we burn incense to the queen of heaven, pour out drink offerings, and make cakes of the image of the queen of heaven to offer to her?”?

Jeremiah said to all the men and women who answered him that way,

Will the Lord not remember the incense you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, along with your ancestors, kings, leaders, and the people of the land? Will the Lord not think in his heart?

The Lord will no longer tolerate the evil you have done and the detestable things you have done. Therefore, your land is desolate, a terror and a curse, with no one living there, just as it is today.

You burned incense and offended the Lord, not obeying his voice, not following his laws, regulations, and decrees. Therefore, you have suffered this calamity, just as it is today.

Jeremiah said to all the people and all the women, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord, all Judah in the land of Egypt.’.

This is what the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives say with your mouth, with your hands working, saying, We will surely fulfill our vows, burn incense to the queen of heaven, and pour out drink offerings. Now just stick to your promises and repay them.

Therefore, all Judah who live in the land of Egypt, listen to the word of the Lord. I swear by my great name, declares the Lord, that my name will no longer be called out by the mouth of one man in Judah throughout all the land of Egypt. I swear by the Lord, the living Lord.

I pay attention to them to bring disaster but not good fortune. All Judah in the land of Egypt will be destroyed by the sword and famine, until they are completely destroyed.

The number of people who escaped from the sword and returned from Egypt to the land of Judah was very small. And those who enter the land of Egypt to sojourn there, even the remaining Jews, will know whose words stand, my words? What if it’s them?

The Lord said, I will punish you in this place, and there will be a sign that you will know that my words of disaster against you will stand.

Thus says the Lord, I will deliver Pharaoh Hephrah, king of Egypt, into the hands of his enemies and those who seek his life, just as I have delivered Zedekiah, king of Judah, into the hands of his enemies and Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who seeks his life.