Read & explore together
Calamity for the Jews
Jeremiah 44:20–30 gives Jeremiah’s reply to the people from Judah in Egypt. He explains why calamity came, names their continuing disobedience, and announces judgement so they will know whose word stands.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
In this passage, Jeremiah speaks to men and women from Judah living in Egypt. He refers to incense once burned in Judah and Jerusalem, then calls all Judah in Egypt to hear Yahweh’s word about the vows they are still carrying out there.
Jeremiah 44:20–30Main takeaway
This passage teaches that Yahweh names Judah’s disobedience as the cause of calamity and declares that his own word will stand.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Jeremiah answers the whole groupJeremiah speaks to all the people who had answered him, including men and women. He says Yahweh remembered the incense burned in Judah and Jerusalem by the people, their fathers, kings, princes, and others in the land.
Explanation
Jeremiah speaks to all the people who had answered him, including men and women. He says Yahweh remembered the incense burned in Judah and Jerusalem by the people, their fathers, kings, princes, and others in the land. Their actions had not escaped Yahweh’s notice.
02Why the land became desolateJeremiah explains that Yahweh could no longer bear their evil doings and abominations. Their land became a desolation, an astonishment, and a curse, without inhabitant.
Explanation
Jeremiah explains that Yahweh could no longer bear their evil doings and abominations. Their land became a desolation, an astonishment, and a curse, without inhabitant. He repeats the reason plainly: they burned incense, sinned against Yahweh, and did not obey his voice or walk in his law, statutes, and testimonies.
03Judah in Egypt and their vowsJeremiah then addresses all Judah in Egypt. Yahweh says the people and their wives have spoken and acted together to fulfil vows to burn incense and pour drink offerings to the queen of the sky.
Explanation
Jeremiah then addresses all Judah in Egypt. Yahweh says the people and their wives have spoken and acted together to fulfil vows to burn incense and pour drink offerings to the queen of the sky. The line, “Establish then your vows”, repeats what they are determined to do before the judgement is stated.
04Whose word will standYahweh swears by his great name that his name will no longer be spoken in the mouth of any man of Judah in Egypt.
Explanation
Yahweh swears by his great name that his name will no longer be spoken in the mouth of any man of Judah in Egypt. He says he watches over them for evil, not good. All the men of Judah in Egypt will be consumed by sword and famine until they are all gone, and those who escape the sword will return to Judah few in number. Then the remnant will know whose word stands, Yahweh’s or theirs.
05A sign of punishmentYahweh gives a sign so the people may know that his words will surely stand against them for evil.
Explanation
Yahweh gives a sign so the people may know that his words will surely stand against them for evil. He says Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt will be given into the hand of his enemies, just as Zedekiah king of Judah was given into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01According to Jeremiah, why had the land become a desolation?
Look for the repeated reasons: burning incense, sinning against Yahweh, not obeying his voice, and not walking in his law, statutes, and testimonies.
02What do the people say they will keep doing in Egypt?
Notice that Yahweh mentions both their speech and their actions in carrying out vows to the queen of the sky.
03How does this passage contrast the people’s word with Yahweh’s word?
Compare the people’s determination to perform their vows with Yahweh’s statement that the remnant will know whose word will stand.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Jeremiah 44:20–30
20Then 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,
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, didn’t Yahweh remember them, and didn’t it come into his mind?
22Thus Yahweh 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.
23Because you have burned incense and because you have sinned against Yahweh, and have not obeyed Yahweh’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.”
24Moreover Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear Yahweh’s word, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt!
25Yahweh 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.’
26“Therefore hear Yahweh’s word, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: ‘Behold, I have sworn by my great name,’ says Yahweh, ‘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 Yahweh lives.”
27Behold, 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.
28Those 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.
29“ ‘This will be the sign to you,’ says Yahweh, ‘that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for evil.’
30Yahweh 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.’ ”