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44 The davar that came to Yirmeyah concerning all the Yehudim which dwell in Eretz Mitzrayim, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Patros, saying,

Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os Elohei Yisroel; Ye have seen all the ra’ah that I have brought upon Yerushalayim, and upon all the towns of Yehudah; and, behold, this day they are a ruin, and no one dwelleth therein,

Because of their ra’ah (evil) which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went to burn ketoret, and to serve elohim acherim, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor avoteichem.

Howbeit I sent unto you all My avadim the Nevi’im, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this to’evah (abominable thing) that I hate.

But they paid heed not, nor inclined their ozen to turn from their ra’ah (wickedness), to burn no ketoret unto elohim acherim.

Wherefore My wrath and Mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the towns of Yehudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim; and they are become a desolate ruin, as at this day.

Therefore now thus saith Hashem Elohei Tzva’os Elohei Yisroel: Why commit ye this ra’ah gedolah against your nefashot, to cut off from you ish and isha, olel (child) and yonek (infant), out of Yehudah, to leave you no she’erit (remnant);

In that ye provoke Me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning ketoret unto elohim acherim in Eretz Mitzrayim, where ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a kelalah (curse) and a cherpah (reproach) among kol HaGoyim of ha’aretz?

Have ye forgotten the ra’ot (wickednesses) of avoteichem, and the ra’ot of the melachim of Yehudah, and the ra’ot of their nashim, and your own ra’ot, and the ra’ot of your nashim, which they have committed in Eretz Yehudah, and in the streets of Yerushalayim?

10 They are not contrite even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in My torah, nor in My chukkot, that I set before you and before avoteichem.

11 Therefore thus saith Hashem Tzva’os Elohei Yisroel: Hineni, I will set My face against you for ra’ah, and to cut off kol Yehudah.

12 And I will take the she’erit (remnant) of Yehudah, that have set their faces to go into Eretz Mitzrayim to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in Eretz Mitzrayim; they shall even be consumed by the cherev and by the ra’av (famine); they shall die, from the katon even unto the gadol, by the cherev and by the ra’av; and they shall be an object of cursing, and a horror, and a kelalah, and a cherpah.

13 For I will punish them that dwell in Eretz Mitzrayim, just as I have punished Yerushalayim, by the cherev, by the ra’av, and by the dever;

14 So that none of the she’erit (remnant) of Yehudah, which are gone into Eretz Mitzrayim to sojourn there, shall escape or survive, that they should return into Eretz Yehudah, to the which they lift up [in desire] their nefesh to return to dwell there; for none shall return but such as shall escape.

15 Then all the anashim which knew that their nashim had burned ketoret unto elohim acherim, and all the nashim that stood by, a kahal gadol (great multitude), even kol HaAm that dwelt in Eretz Mitzrayim, in Patros, answered Yirmeyah, saying,

16 As for the davar that thou hast spoken unto us b’Shem Hashem, we will not pay heed unto thee.

17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn ketoret unto the Malkat HaShomayim (the Queen of Heaven), and to pour out nesakhim (drink offerings) unto her, as we have done, we, and Avoteinu, our Melachim, and our Sarim, in the towns of Yehudah, and in the streets of Yerushalayim; for then we had plenty of lechem, and were tovim (well off), and saw no ra’ah.

18 But since we left off burning ketoret to the Malkat HaShomayim, and to pour out nesakhim unto her, we have lacked all things, and have been consumed by the cherev and by the ra’av.

19 And when we burned ketoret to the Malkat HaShomayim, and poured out nesakhim unto her, did we make for her in her image cakes, and pour out nesakhim unto her, without our anashim?

20 Then Yirmeyah said unto kol HaAm, to the gevarim, and to the nashim, and to kol HaAm which had given him that answer, saying,

21 The ketoret that ye burned in the towns of Yehudah, and in the streets of Yerushalayim, ye, and avoteichem, your melachim, and your sarim, and the am ha’aretz, did not Hashem remember them, and came it not into His mind?

22 So that Hashem could no longer bear, because of the wickedness of your doings, and because of the to’evot (abominations) which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and a ruin, and a kelalah, without an inhabitant, as at this day.

23 Because ye have burned ketoret, and because ye have sinned against Hashem, and have not obeyed the voice of Hashem, nor walked in His torah, nor in His chukkot, nor in His edot; therefore this ra’ah has happened unto you, as at this day.

24 Moreover Yirmeyah said unto kol HaAm, and to all the nashim, Hear the Devar Hashem, all Yehudah that are in the Eretz Mitzrayim,

25 Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os Elohei Yisroel, saying: Ye and your nashim have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your yad, saying, We will surely perform nedareinu (our vows) that we have vowed, to burn ketoret to the Malkat HaShomayim, and to pour out nesakhim unto her; ye will surely accomplish your nedarim (vows), and surely perform your nedarim.

26 Therefore hear ye the Devar Hashem, all Yehudah that dwell in Eretz Mitzrayim: Hineni, I have sworn biShmi HaGadol (by My great Name), saith Hashem, that Shmi shall no more be named in the mouth of any Ish Yehudah in all Eretz Mitzrayim, saying, Adonoi Hashem liveth.

27 Hineni, I will watch over them for ra’ah, and not for tovah; and Kol Ish Yehudah that are in Eretz Mitzrayim shall be consumed by the cherev and by ra’av, until there be an end of them.

28 Yet a small number that escape the cherev shall return out of Eretz Mitzrayim into Eretz Yehudah, and all the she’erit (remnant) Yehudah, that are gone into Eretz Mitzrayim to sojourn there, shall know whose davar shall stand, Mine, or theirs.

29 And this shall be the ot (sign) unto you, saith Hashem, that I will punish you in this makom, that ye may know that My Davar shall surely stand against you for ra’ah:

30 Thus saith Hashem; Hineni, I will give Pharaoh Chophra Melech Mitzrayim into the yad of his oyevim, and into the yad of them that seek his nefesh; just as I gave Tzidkiyah Melech Yehudah into the yad of Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel, his oyev, and that sought his nefesh (life).

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.