Jeremiah 44:1-14

Disaster Because of Idolatry

1 This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt—in Migdol, Tahpanhes and Memphis—and in Upper Egypt:

2 “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. Today they lie deserted and in ruins

3 because of the evil they have done. They aroused my anger by burning incense to and worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors ever knew.

4 Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!’

5 But they did not listen or pay attention; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods.

6 Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out; it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins they are today.

7 “Now this is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women, the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?

8 Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made, burning incense to other gods in Egypt, where you have come to live? You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse^[a] and an object of reproach among all the nations on earth.

9 Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors and by the kings and queens of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem?

10 To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed my law and the decrees I set before you and your ancestors.

11 “Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster on you and to destroy all Judah.

12 I will take away the remnant 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, they will die by sword or famine. They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach.

13 I will punish those who live in Egypt with the sword, famine and plague, 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.”

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Jeremiah 44:1-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 44

This chapter contains a sermon of Jeremiah's to the Jews in Egypt, reproving them for their idolatry there; their answer to it, expressing their resolution to continue in their idolatrous practices; and a denunciation of judgments upon them, of which a sign is given. The sermon begins with observing to them the destruction of Jerusalem, and the causes of it, idolatry and contempt of the prophets, Jer 44:1-6; then follows an expostulation with the present Jews for doing the same things, and exposing themselves and their posterity to the same punishment, Jer 44:7-10; upon which they are threatened with the sore judgments of God that should come upon them, and cut them off in general, Jer 44:11-14; yet such were the impudence and obstinacy of this people, that they declared they would not hearken to the prophet, but persist in their idolatry; it having been better with them when they practised it than when they left it, Jer 44:15-19; to which the prophet replies by observing, that for the idolatry of their fathers their land was become a desolation and a curse, as at this day, Jer 44:20-23; and assures them that destruction would come from the Lord upon them, which he had swore to, Jer 44:24-28; and a sign of it is given; the delivery of the king of Egypt into the hand of the king of Babylon, Jer 44:29,30.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 51

1. S Deuteronomy 32:42; S Jeremiah 24:8
2. S Exodus 14:2
3. S Jeremiah 43:7,8
4. S Isaiah 19:13
5. S Isaiah 11:11; Jeremiah 46:14
6. S 2 Chronicles 34:24
7. S Jeremiah 40:5
8. S Leviticus 26:31; S Deuteronomy 29:23; S Isaiah 6:11; Jeremiah 9:11; Jeremiah 34:22
9. S Exodus 32:22
10. S Numbers 11:33
11. S Numbers 16:40
12. ver 8; S Numbers 25:3; Deuteronomy 13:6-11; Deuteronomy 29:26; Isaiah 19:1
13. S Judges 2:19; Deuteronomy 32:17; Jeremiah 19:4
14. S Jeremiah 7:13
15. S Numbers 11:29; Jeremiah 7:25; Jeremiah 25:4; Jeremiah 26:5
16. S Deuteronomy 18:9; S 1 Kings 14:24; 1 Peter 4:3
17. Daniel 9:6
18. S Jeremiah 25:4
19. S Genesis 6:5; Romans 1:18; 2 Timothy 2:19
20. ver 21; Jeremiah 1:16; Ezekiel 8:11; Ezekiel 16:18; Ezekiel 23:41
21. Jeremiah 11:8-10; S Jeremiah 25:7
22. Ezekiel 8:18; Ezekiel 20:34
23. S Leviticus 26:31,34; S Deuteronomy 29:23; Lamentations 1:13; Zechariah 7:14
24. Jeremiah 26:19
25. Jeremiah 51:22
26. S 2 Kings 21:14
27. S Isaiah 40:18-20; S Jeremiah 10:3; Romans 1:23; Jeremiah 25:6-7
28. ver 17-25; Jeremiah 41:5
29. S ver 3; S Exodus 12:12
30. S 1 Corinthians 10:22
31. S Psalms 44:13; Jeremiah 42:18
32. S Judges 2:19
33. S 2 Kings 23:11
34. 1 Kings 21:25
35. S Proverbs 31:10; S Jeremiah 6:12
36. ver 17,21; Jeremiah 11:12; Jeremiah 32:32
37. S Deuteronomy 8:3; S Matthew 23:12; Philippians 2:8
38. S Deuteronomy 6:13; S Psalms 5:7
39. S Joshua 1:7; S Jeremiah 11:8; Matthew 5:17-20; Galatians 3:19; 1 John 3:4
40. S Leviticus 18:4
41. 1 Kings 9:6-9; 2 Kings 17:17
42. Revelation 4:8
43. S 2 Chronicles 34:24; Jeremiah 21:10; Amos 9:4
44. ver 7; Jeremiah 40:15
45. S Jeremiah 42:1
46. S Isaiah 1:28
47. S Deuteronomy 28:25; S Jeremiah 29:18; Jeremiah 42:15-18
48. S Exodus 32:34; Leviticus 26:14-17
49. S Jeremiah 15:2
50. S Jeremiah 42:17
51. ver 28; Jeremiah 22:24-27; Jeremiah 49:5; Lamentations 4:15; Ezekiel 6:8; S Romans 9:27

Footnotes 1

[a]. 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.