Jeremiah 44:16-30 ▼

16 “The word that you have spoken to us in the name of YHWH—we will not listen to you.

17 For we will surely do will we do every word that has gone forth from our mouth, burning incense to the queen of the heavens, and pouring out to her drink offerings, as we have done—we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem. And we were satisfied with food, and we were well, and we did not see evil.

18 And from the time we stopped burning incense to the queen of the heavens and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything, and by the sword and by the famine have been finished off!

19 And when we, burning incense to the queen of the heavens and pouring out drink offerings to her, was it not without our husbands that we made for her cakes to worship her and pour out to her drink offerings?”

20 And Jeremiah spoke to all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people answering him that word, saying:

21 “The incense that you? burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem—you?, and your? fathers, your? kings, and your? princes, and the people of the land—was it not them who YHWH remembered, and they came up upon His heart?

22 And YHWH could no longer bear it, from the face of the evil of your? deeds, and from the face of the abominations that you? have done! And your? land has become as a desolation, and as a horror, and as a curse, from there being no one dwelling there, as this day.

23 Before the face of that you? have burned incense, and that you? have sinned against YHWH, and you? have not listened to the voice of YHWH, and by His law, and by His statutes, and by His testimonies you? have not walked—upon thus this disaster has met you?, as this day.”

24 And Jeremiah said to all the people and to all the women: “Hear the word of YHWH, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt!

25 Thus says YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel, saying: You? and your? wives have indeed spoken with your? mouths, and with your? hands you? have fulfilled it, saying, ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed to burn incense to the queen of the heavens—to pour out to her drink offerings.’ You? will surely make stand your? vows, and you? will surely perform your? vows!

26 Therefore hear the word of YHWH, all Judah who are dwelling in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by My great name, says YHWH, that My name will no more be called in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, ‘By the life of the Lord YHWH!’

27 Behold, I am watching over them for evil and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will be finished off by the sword and by the famine, until they are finished off!

28 And those escaping the sword will return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah small in number, and they will know—all the remnant of Judah having gone to the land of Egypt to dwell there—whose word will stand, from Me or from them!

29 And this is a sign for you?, a declaration of YHWH, that I will visit punishment on you? in this place, so that you? may know that My words will surely stand against you? for harm,

30 thus says YHWH: Behold, I am giving Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those seeking his soul, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy and one seeking his soul!”