The big picture
Jeremiah 44 opens in verse 1 with “The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 15 with “Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all…”, and closes in verse 30 with “Thus saith the LORD ; Behold, I will give Pharaoh-hophra king of Egypt into the hand of…” Repeated or prominent terms include Judah, land, LORD, Egypt, incense. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 30Jeremiah 44:1-8
1–8: The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in…
Jeremiah 44:1–8 opens with “The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which…” and reaches “In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 44 develops its own movement around Judah, land, LORD, Egypt, incense, with particular weight carried by dwell, gods, incense.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at…” Naming Egypt and Jeremiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.” The line’s distinctive content terms include burn, gods, hearkened. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Therefore now thus saith the LORD , the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Jeremiah 44:1-8
King James Version1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,
2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,
3Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.
4Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.
5But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
6Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.
7Therefore now thus saith the LORD , the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;
8In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?
Jeremiah 44:9-16
9–16: Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of…
Jeremiah 44:9–16 opens with “Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and…” and reaches “As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD , we will not hearken unto…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 44 develops its own movement around Judah, land, LORD, Egypt, incense, with particular weight carried by land, Judah, Egypt.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a…” Naming Egypt and Jeremiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Jeremiah 44:9-16
King James Version9Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?
10They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.
11Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.
12And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.
13For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:
14So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape.
15Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
16As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD , we will not hearken unto thee.
Jeremiah 44:17-24
17–24: We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth…
Jeremiah 44:17–24 opens with “But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto…” and reaches “Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD …” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 44 develops its own movement around Judah, land, LORD, Egypt, incense, with particular weight carried by incense, LORD, drink.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven…” Naming Jerusalem and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD , and have not obeyed the voice of the…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Jeremiah 44:17-24
King James Version17But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
18But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
19And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?
20Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,
21The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?
22So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.
23Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD , and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD , nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.
24Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD , all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:
Jeremiah 44:25-30
25–30: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your…
Jeremiah 44:25–30 opens with “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with…” and reaches “Thus saith the LORD ; Behold, I will give Pharaoh-hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 44 develops its own movement around Judah, land, LORD, Egypt, incense, with particular weight carried by Egypt, Judah, land.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD , all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Jeremiah 44:25-30
King James Version25Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.
26Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD , all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD , that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.
27Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.
28Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs.
29And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the LORD , that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil:
30Thus saith the LORD ; Behold, I will give Pharaoh-hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 44:1 begins with “The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the…”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 44:15 forms a natural hinge: “Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people…”
The final note
Jeremiah 44:30 leaves the reader with “Thus saith the LORD ; Behold, I will give Pharaoh-hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Judah, land, LORD, Egypt, incense, evil help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What demonstrates change more clearly than a general apology?
Judah offers to bear the loss personally so Benjamin can return to their father.
What old event gives this choice its weight?
Judah helped sell Joseph in chapter 37 and then allowed Jacob to mourn a supposedly dead son.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.