The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

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- Kapitel 44 -

The worde that came to Ieremiah concerning all the Iewes, which dwell in the lande of Egypt, and remained at Migdol and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the coutry of Pathros, saying,

Thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, Yee haue seene all the euill that I haue brought vpon Ierusalem, and vpon all the cities of Iudah: and beholde, this day they are desolate, and no man dwelleth therein,

Because of their wickednes which they haue comitted, to prouoke me to anger in that they went to burne incense, and to serue other gods, who they knew not, neither they nor you nor your fathers.

Howbeit I sent vnto you all my seruats the Prophets rising earely, and sending them, saying, Oh doe not this abominable thing that I hate.

But they would not heare nor incline their eare to turne from their wickednes, and to burne no more incense vnto other gods.

Wherefore my wrath, and mine anger was powred foorth and was kindled in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, and they are desolate, and wasted, as appeareth this day.

Therefore now thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, Wherfore commit ye this great euill against your soules, to cut off from you man and woman, childe and suckling out of Iudah, and leaue you none to remaine?

In that yee prouoke mee vnto wrath with the woorkes of your hands, burning incense vnto other Gods in the lande of Egypt whither yee be gone to dwell: that yee might bring destruction vnto your selues, and that ye might be a curse and a reproch among all nations of the earth.

Haue yee forgotten the wickednes of your fathers, and the wickednesse of the Kings of Iudah and the wickednesse of their wiues and your owne wickednes and the wickednes of your wiues, which they haue committed in the land of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem?

They are not humbled vnto this day, neither haue they feared nor walked in my lawe nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.

Therefore thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, Beholde, I will set my face against you to euill and to destroy all Iudah,

And I will take the remnant of Iudah, that haue set their faces to goe into the lande of Egypt there to dwell, and they shall all bee consumed and fall in the lande of Egypt: they shall euen bee consumed by the sworde and by the famine: they shall die from the least vnto the most, by the sworde, and by the famine, and they shall be a detestation and an astonishment and a curse and a reproche.

For I will visite them that dwel in the land of Egypt, as I haue visited Ierusalem, by ye sworde, by the famine, and by the pestilence,

So that none of the remnant of Iudah, which are gone into the lande of Egypt to dwell there, shall escape or remaine, that they shoulde returne into the land of Iudah to the which they haue a desire to returne to dwell there: for none shall returne, but such as shall escape.

The Stubbornness of the People

Then all the men which knewe that their wiues had burnt incense vnto other gods and all the women that stoode by, a great multitude, euen all the people that dwelt in the lande of Egypt in Pathros, answered Ieremiah, saying,

The worde that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the Name of the Lord, wee will not heare it of thee,

But wee will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth, as to burne incense vnto the Queene of heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her, as we haue done, both we and our fathers, our Kings and our princes in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem: for then had wee plentie of vitailes and were well and felt none euill.

But since wee left off to burne incense to the Queene of heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her, we haue had scarcenesse of all things, and haue beene consumed by the sworde and by the famine.

And when we burnt incense to ye Queene of heauen, and powred out drinke offerings vnto her, did wee make her cakes to make her glad, and powre out drinke offerings vnto her without our husbands?

Calamity for the Jews

Then said Ieremiah vnto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had giuen him that answere, saying,

Did not the Lord remember the incense, that yee burnt in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, both you, and your fathers, your Kinges, and your princes, and the people of the land, and hath he not considered it?

So that the Lord could no longer forbeare, because of the wickednes of your inuentions, and because of the abominations, which ye haue committed: therefore is your lande desolate and an astonishment, and a curse and without inhabitant, as appeareth this day.

Because ye haue burnt incense and because ye haue sinned against the Lord, and haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord, nor walked in his Lawe, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies, therefore this plague is come vpon you, as appeareth this day.

Moreouer Ieremiah saide vnto all the people and to all the women, Heare the word of the Lord, all Iudah that are in the land of Egypt.

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wiues haue both spoken with your mouthes, and fulfilled with your hande, saying, We will performe our vowes that we haue vowed to burne incense to the Queene of heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings to her: yee will perfourme your vowes and doe the things that yee haue vowed.

Therefore heare the word of the Lord, all Iudah that dwel in the land of Egypt. Beholde, I haue sworne by my great Name, sayeth the Lord, that my Name shall no more be called vpon by the mouth of any man of Iudah, in all the lande of Egypt, saying, The Lord God liueth.

Behold, I wil watch ouer them for euil and not for good, and all men of Iudah that are in the land of Egypt, shalbe consumed by the sword, and by the famine, vntill they be vtterly destroied.

Yet a small nomber that escape the sworde, shall returne out of the lande of Egypt into the lande of Iudah: and all the remnant of Iudah that are gone into the lande of Egypt to dwell there, shall know whose words shall stad, mine or theirs.

And this shall be a signe vnto you, saith the Lord, whe I visit you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for euill.

Thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will giue Pharaoh Hophra King of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seeke his life: as I gaue Zedekiah King of Iudah into the hand of Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel his enemie, who also sought his life.

The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews who lived in the land of Egypt, who lived at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Memphis, and in the country of Pathros, saying,

“The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have seen all the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, and on all the cities of Judah. Behold, today they are a desolation, and no man dwells in them,

because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, to serve other gods that they didn’t know, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers.

However I sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, “Oh, don’t do this abominable thing that I hate.”

But they didn’t listen and didn’t incline their ear. They didn’t turn from their wickedness, to stop burning incense to other gods.

Therefore my wrath and my anger was poured out, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as it is today.’

“Therefore now the LORD, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Why do you commit great evil against your own souls, to cut off from yourselves man and woman, infant and nursing child out of the middle of Judah, to leave yourselves no one remaining,

in that you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have gone to live, that you may be cut off, and that you may be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?

Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

They are not humbled even to this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.’

“Therefore the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, even to cut off all Judah.

I will take the remnant of Judah that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to live there, and they will all be consumed. They will fall in the land of Egypt. They will be consumed by the sword and by the famine. They will die, from the least even to the greatest, by the sword and by the famine. They will be an object of horror, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach.

For I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence;

so that none of the remnant of Judah, who have gone into the land of Egypt to live there, will escape or be left to return into the land of Judah, to which they have a desire to return to dwell there; for no one will return except those who will escape.’”

The Stubbornness of the People

Then all the men who knew that their wives burned incense to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, even all the people who lived in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,

“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the LORD’s name, we will not listen to you.

But we will certainly perform every word that has gone out of our mouth, to burn incense to the queen of the sky and to pour out drink offerings to 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 we had plenty of food, and were well, and saw no evil.

But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of the sky, and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.”

The women said, “When we burned incense to the queen of the sky and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her, without our husbands?”

Calamity for the Jews

Then Jeremiah said to all the people—to the men and to the women, even to all the people who had given him an answer, saying,

“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, didn’t the LORD remember them, and didn’t it come into his mind?

Thus the LORD could no longer bear it, because of the evil of your doings and because of the abominations which you have committed. Therefore your land has become a desolation, an astonishment, and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is today.

Because you have burned incense and because you have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the LORD’s voice, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil has happened to you, as it is today.”

Moreover Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear the LORD’s word, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt!

The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it, saying, “We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of the sky, and to pour out drink offerings to her.” “‘Establish then your vows, and perform your vows.’

“Therefore hear the LORD’s word, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: ‘Behold, I have sworn by my great name,’ says the LORD, ‘that my name will no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “As the Lord GOD lives.”

Behold, I watch over them for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until they are all gone.

Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah few in number. All the remnant of Judah, who have gone into the land of Egypt to live there, will know whose word will stand, mine or theirs.

“‘This will be the sign to you,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for evil.’

The LORD says, ‘Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life.’”