Jeremiah 44

1 This is the word [message, revelation] that came to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed] concerning all [every single one] the Jews [people of Judah] living [dwelling, residing] in the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] —in Migdol [tower, fortified city], Tahpanhes [filled with pity], and Memphis [Noph, capital city] —and in the land [country, territory] of Pathros [southern Egypt, a region]: word study 2 “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [army, large group], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob], says: You have seen [looked after, cared for] all the disaster [evil, moral or natural harm] that I brought [caused to come, sent] against Jerusalem [the city of peace] and all the cities [towns, places with walls] of Judah [the region of the tribe of Judah]; and behold [look, see], they lie [are, exist] today [in this day, at this time] in ruins [desolation, waste] and desolation [a place laid waste, destroyed] word study 3 because of the evil [wickedness, moral badness] they have done [committed, provoked]. They provoked [angered, stirred up] Me to anger [wrath, intense displeasure] by continuing to burn incense [offer perfumes, worship] and to serve [work for, worship] other gods [foreign deities, idols] that neither they [themselves] nor you [as individuals] nor your fathers [ancestors] ever knew [were aware of, recognized]. word study 4 Yet I sent [repeatedly, time and again] you all My servants [faithful messengers, prophets] the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not [I pray, please] do this detestable [abominable, disgusting] thing [act, abomination] that I hate [intensely dislike, despise].’ word study 5 But they did not listen [or pay attention, to hear and obey] or incline their ears [to turn and give heed]; they did not turn [to return, to change direction] from their wickedness [evil, bad or harmful behavior] or stop burning incense [to offer, to make an offering] to other gods [foreign deities, idols]. word study 6 Therefore My [intense, burning] wrath [rage, fury] and anger [wrath] poured out [like a liquid] and burned [was kindled] in the cities [towns] of Judah [the tribe, region] and in the streets [outside, outdoors] of Jerusalem [the city of peace], so that they have become [to be] the desolate [devastated, wasted] ruin [desolation] they are today [as at this day]. word study 7 So now [at this time, in this manner], this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Hosts [armies, a large group of people], the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants], says: Why are you doing [committing, making] such great [large, important] harm [evil, bad] to yourselves [your own souls, your own lives] by cutting off [destroying, removing] from Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] man [a male person, an individual] and woman [a female person, a wife], child [a young person, a minor] and infant [a baby, a young child], leaving [causing to remain] yourselves without [lacking, devoid of] a remnant [what is left, a remaining part]? word study 8 Why are you provoking [to anger, stirring up wrath] Me to anger by the work [deeds, actions] of your hands by burning incense [offering fragrant smoke] to other [foreign, pagan] gods in the land [territory, region] of Egypt, where you have gone to reside [to live, to sojourn]? As a result, you will be cut off [destroyed, severed] and will become an object of cursing [a curse, a malediction] and reproach [shame, disgrace] among all the nations [Gentiles, peoples] of the earth [the world, the terrestrial sphere]. word study 9 Have you forgotten [mislayed or been oblivious to] the wickedness [evil, moral or natural harm] of your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] and of the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] and their wives [women, female companions], as well as the wickedness [adversity, affliction] that you and your wives [female partners] committed [done, made] in the land [region, territory] of Judah [the southern kingdom of Israel] and in the streets [outside, outdoors, public areas] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah]? word study 10 To this day [even unto this day, up to now] they have not humbled [crushed, broken] themselves or shown [stood in awe of, revered] reverence [fear, awe], nor have they followed [walked in, obeyed] My instruction [law, teachings] or the statutes [ordinances, decrees] that I set [gave, established] before you and your fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. word study 11 Therefore [thus, in this manner] this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [army, a large group of people], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants], says: I will set [to put or place, to appoint] My face [presence, being in front of someone] to bring [to cause, to inflict] disaster [evil, adversity] and to cut off [to destroy, to eliminate] all [everything, the whole] Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob]. word study 12 And I will take away the remnant [what is left, surviving group] of Judah who have resolved [set their faces, determined] to go to the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] to reside [to sojourn, live as foreigners] there; they will meet their end [perish, come to destruction]. They will all fall by the sword [be killed in battle, by violence] or be consumed by famine [hunger, lack of food]. From the least [smallest, most insignificant] to the greatest [most important, prominent], they will die by sword [violent death] or famine [starvation]; and they will become an object of cursing [a curse, something detestable] and horror [shock, astonishment], of vilification [disgrace, shame] and reproach [scorn, contempt]. word study 13 I will punish [visit in judgment, oversee with discipline] those who live [dwell, reside, abide] in the land [earth, territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], just as I punished [visited, reckoned with] Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine], by sword [cutting instrument, weapon of war] and famine [hunger, lack of food, spiritual nourishment] and plague [pestilence, disease, disaster], word study 14 so that none of the remnant [surviving group, what is left] of Judah who have gone to reside [to sojourn, live as foreigners] in Egypt will escape [survive, be left] or survive [remain alive, be spared] to return [to turn back, come again] to the land [the territory, region] of Judah, where they long [have a desire, yearn] to return [to come back, turn back] and live [to dwell, reside]; for none will return [come back, turn back] except a few [some, a small number] fugitives [those who escape, survivors].” word study 15 Then all [every single one] the men who knew [were aware, had knowledge] that their wives [women, female partners] were burning [offering, making] incense to other [different, foreign] gods, and all [every] the women standing [gathered, assembled] by—a great [large, multitude] assembly—along with all [every] the people living [dwelling, residing] in the land [region, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] and in Pathros [a region in southern Egypt], said [spoken, uttered] to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed], word study 16 “As for the word [message, declaration] you have spoken to us in the name [identity, character] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], we will not listen [obey, heed] to you! word study 17 Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense [as an act of worship] to the Queen of Heaven [a female deity, Astarte] and offer drink offerings [libations, poured out liquids] to her, just as we, our fathers [ancestors], our kings [rulers], and our officials [princes] did in the cities [towns] of Judah and in the streets [public areas] of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food [bread, sustenance] and good things [prosperity, welfare], and we saw no disaster [evil, calamity]. word study 18 But from the time [since we stopped, ceased] we stopped burning incense [to offer worship, with perfumes] to the Queen [female ruler, monarch] of Heaven [the sky, the abode of God] and pouring out [to pour, to install] drink offerings [libations, ceremonial sacrifices] to her, we have lacked [been without, in need of] everything [all things, every necessity] and have been perishing [consumed, dying] by sword [cutting instrument, war] and famine [hunger, lack of food].” word study 19 “Moreover,” said the women, “when we burned [offered, made perfume to] incense to the Queen [female ruler, goddess] of Heaven [the sky, celestial realm] and poured out [libated, gave] drink offerings [sacrifices, ceremonial liquids] to her, was it without [except, beside] our husbands’ knowledge [awareness, understanding] that we made [created, fashioned] sacrificial cakes [buns, sweet breads] in her image [likeness] and poured out [libated, gave] drink offerings [sacrifices, ceremonial liquids] to her?” word study 20 Then Jeremiah [the prophet, whom Jehovah has appointed] said to all [every single one, the entire assembly] the people, both [including, as well as] men [great men] and women [females, wives], who were answering [responding, giving an answer] him, word study 21 “As for the incense [fragrant substances burned in worship] you burned in the cities [towns, populated areas] of Judah [the southern kingdom, a region of Israel] and in the streets [outside, public areas] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital]—you, your fathers [ancestors, forefathers], your kings [royal rulers], your officials [leaders, princes], and the people [nation, community] of the land [the earth, territory]—did the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] not remember [recall, bring to mind] and bring this to mind [consider, think about]? word study 22 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] could no longer [be able to] endure [tolerate, bear with] the evil [morally bad, wicked] deeds [actions, practices] and detestable [abominable, disgusting] acts [inventions, doings] you committed [made, did], and your land [country, territory] became [was made, came to be] a desolation [waste, ruin], a horror [state of shock, astonishment], and an object of cursing [curse, reviling], without [lacking, having no] inhabitant [dweller, resident], as it is [remains, continues to be] this day [time, period]. word study 23 Because you burned incense [to worship idols, as an act of false worship] and sinned [missed the mark, rebelled against God’s will] against the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], and did not obey [refused to listen, disobeyed] the voice [sound, command] of the LORD or walk [follow, live according to] in His instruction [teachings, guidance], His statutes [ordinances, laws], and His testimonies [witness, covenant promises], this disaster [evil, calamity] has befallen [happened to, come upon] you, as you see [are experiencing, witnessing] today [in this present time].” word study 24 Then Jeremiah [the prophet, whom Jehovah has appointed] said to all [every single one] the people, including [as well as] all the women, “Hear [listen and obey] the word [message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], all [every single one] those of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] who are in [dwelling, residing] the land [country, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 25 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] of Hosts [a large group of angels or heavenly beings], the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants], says: As for you [the people being addressed] and your wives [female partners], you have spoken [communicated, expressed your thoughts] with your mouths [the part of the face used for speaking] and fulfilled [completed, carried out] with your hands [the physical part used for action] your words: ‘We will surely [certainly, without a doubt] perform our vows [promises made to God] that we have made [promised, committed] to burn incense [offer a fragrant smell as an act of worship] to the Queen [a female ruler, monarch] of Heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm] and to pour out [offer, give] drink offerings [liquid sacrifices] to her.’ Go ahead [proceed, continue], then, do what you have promised [vowed, committed]! Keep [establish, fulfill] your vows [promises, commitments]! word study 26 Nevertheless [thus, in this manner], hear [listen attentively, obey] the word [message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], all [every single one] you people of Judah [the tribe of Judah, descendants of Jacob’s son] living [dwelling, residing] in Egypt [the land of the Nile, a country in northeastern Africa]: Behold [look, see], I have sworn [made a solemn vow, promised] by My great [mighty, powerful] name [identity, character], says the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], that never again [not once more, no longer] will any man of Judah [Jewish person, Israelite] living [residing, dwelling] in the land [country, territory] of Egypt [the Egyptian kingdom] invoke [call upon, mention] My name [reputation, character] or say [declare, speak], ‘As surely as [with the certainty of, just as] the Lord GOD [Adonay Yehovah, the sovereign Lord] lives [exists, is alive].’ word study 27 I am watching over them [for evil, to bring harm] for harm and not for good [or welfare, blessing], and every man [individual, person] of Judah [the tribe, God’s chosen people] who is in the land [region, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] will meet his end [be consumed, destroyed] by sword [a cutting instrument, violence] or famine [hunger, lack of food], until they are finished off [completely destroyed, annihilated, to end]. word study 28 Those who escape [survive, flee from] the sword [cutting instrument, weapon of war] will return [turn back, come again] from Egypt [the land of the Nile, a country in northeastern Africa] to Judah [the tribe, the region], few [a small number, a remnant] in number, and the whole remnant [what is left, the surviving part] of Judah who went to dwell [sojourn, live as a foreigner] in the land of Egypt will know [understand, discern] whose word [promise, declaration] will stand [be established, come to pass], Mine [from Me, of God] or theirs [from them, of men]! word study 29 This [specific, particular] will be a sign [miraculous token, wonder] to you that I will punish [visit, oversee] you in this place [location, region], declares the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], so that you may know [ascertain, understand] that My threats [words, declarations] of harm [evil, adversity] against you will surely [certainly, undoubtedly] stand [rise, be established]. word study 30 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: Behold [look, take notice], I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra [the Egyptian king] king of Egypt into the hands [power, control] of his enemies [those who oppose him] who seek [pursue, search for] his life, just as I delivered Zedekiah [Jehovah is righteous] king of Judah into the hand [power, authority] of Nebuchadnezzar [the powerful king of Babylon] king of Babylon, the enemy [adversary, one who hates] who was seeking [pursuing, searching for] his life.” word study