Jeremiah 44 commentary

JEREMIAH 44 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Disaster Because of Idolatry
1 This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the
Jews living in Lower Egypt—in Migdol,
Tahpanhes and Memphis—and in Upper Egypt:
BARNES, "Migdol - Magdolum, a strong fortress on the northern boundary of
Egypt.
CLARKE, "The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews -
Dahler supposes this discourse to have been delivered in the seventeenth or eighteenth
year after the taking of Jerusalem.
Which dwell at Migdol - A city of Lower Egypt, not far from Pelusium.
Tahpanhes - Daphne Pelusiaca, the place to which the emigrant Jews first went.
Noph - ‫מפס‬ Maphes, Targum. Memphis. a celebrated city of Middle Egypt, and the
capital of its district.
The country of Pathros - A district of Upper Egypt, known by the name of the
Thebais. See Bochart, Lib. Phaleg, lib. iv., c. 22. Thus we find that the Jews were
scattered over the principal parts of Egypt.
GILL, "The word which came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which
dwell in the land of Egypt,.... Or, "unto all the Jews" (t); the word came to him, that
it might be delivered to them; or, "against all the Jews" (u); they having gone into Egypt
contrary to the will of God, and committing idolatry; and the word or sermon is full of
threatenings and judgments denounced upon them:
which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of
Pathros: this prophecy was delivered after the Jews were come to Tahpanhes, or
Daphne; see Jer_43:7; and had divided themselves, and were settled in different parts of
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the kingdom: some continued at Tahpanhes, where were the king's court and palace:
others went to Migdol, a place near the Red sea, just at the entrance into Egypt, from the
land of Canaan, Exo_14:2; called, by Herodotus, Magdolus (w); and by Adrichomius (x)
said to be distant about a mile and a quarter from Pelusium, or Sin, the strength of
Egypt, Eze_30:15; others took up their residence at Noph, generally thought to be the
city of Memphis. The Targum calls it Mappas; the same which is now called Grand
Cairo; or, however, this city is near the place where Memphis stood: others dwelt in the
country of Pathros, which perhaps had its name from Pathrusim, a son of Mizraim,
Gen_10:13. It is thought by Bochart and others to be the country of Thebais in Egypt, the
same with the Nomos Phanturites, or Phaturites, of Pliny (y); and in this country
Jeremiah seems to have been when this word came to him, Jer_44:15; and from hence
sent or carried it to the other places: saying; as follows:
HENRY 1-2, "The Jews in Egypt were now dispersed into various parts of the
country, into Migdol, and Noph, and other places, and Jeremiah was sent on an errand
from God to them, which he delivered either when he had the most of them together in
Pathros (Jer_44:15) or going about from place to place preaching to this purport. He
delivered this message in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, and in it,
I. God puts them in mind of the desolations of Judah and Jerusalem, which, though
the captives by the rivers of Babylon were daily mindful of (Psa_137:1), the fugitives in
the cities of Egypt seem to have forgotten and needed to be put in mind of, though, one
would have thought, they had not been so long out of sight as to become out of mind
(Jer_44:2): You have seen what a deplorable condition Judah and Jerusalem are
brought into; now will you consider whence those desolations came? From the wrath of
God; it was his fury and his anger that kindled the fire which made Jerusalem and the
cities of Judah waste and desolate (Jer_44:6); whoever were the instruments of the
destruction, they were but instruments: it was a destruction from the Almighty.
JAMISON, "Jer_44:1-30. Jeremiah reproves the Jews for their idolatry in Egypt,
and denounces God’s judgments on them and Egypt alike.
Migdol — meaning a “tower.” A city east of Egypt, towards the Red Sea (Exo_14:2;
Num_33:7).
Noph — Memphis, now Cairo (Jer_2:16).
Pathros — Upper Egypt (Isa_11:11).
K&D, ""The word that came to Jeremiah regarding all the Jews who were living in
the land of Egypt, who dwelt in Migdol, in Tahpanhes, in Noph, and in the land of
Pathros." From this heading we perceive that those who (according to Jer_43:1-13) had
gone to Egypt, had settled there in various parts of the country, and that the following
denunciations, which at the same time form his last prophecy, were uttered a long time
after that which is given in Jer_43:8-13 as having been delivered at Tahpanhes. The date
of it cannot, indeed, be determined exactly. From the threatening that King Hophra shall
be delivered over to the power of Nebuchadnezzar (Jer_44:24-30), only this much is
clear, that Egypt was not yet occupied by the Chaldeans, which, as we have shown above
(p. 353), did not take place before the year 572. But it by no means follows from this that
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Jeremiah did not utter these words of threatening till shortly before this event. He may
have done so even five or ten years before, in the period between 585 and 580, as we
have already observed on p. 12. The Jews had settled down, not merely in the two
northern frontier towns, Migdol (i.e., Magdolo, Μαγδώλος, according to the Itiner.
Anton., twelve Roman miles from Pelusium, Copt. Meschtôl, Egypt. Ma'ktr, the most
northerly place in Egypt; see on Eze_29:10) and Tahpanhes (i.e., Daphne, see on Jer_
43:7), but also in more inland places, in Noph (i.e., Memphis, see on Jer_2:16) and the
land of Pathros (lxx Παθούρης, Egypt. Petorees, i.e., Southland, viz., Upper Egypt, the
Thebais of the Greeks and Romans; see on Eze_29:14). The word of the Lord runs as
follows: -
CALVIN, "Jeremiah had already prophesied against the Jews, who had taken
refuge in Egypt, as though there would be for them in that rich and almost
unassailable land a safe and quiet retreat. But he now speaks against them for
another reason, and denounces on them something more grievous than before, even
because they had not only gone into Egypt against God’s will, but when they came
there they polluted themselves with all kinds of superstition. God, no doubt,
designed, in due time, to prevent this, when he forbade them to go into Egypt; for he
knew how prone they were to idolatry, and to false and adulterous modes of
worship. He was therefore unwilling that they should dwell in that land, where they
might learn to pervert his worship. And this had happened, as it appears from the
present prophecy. As then they had cast aside every shame, and given themselves up
to the superstitions of the heathens, the Prophet again testified, that God would take
vengeance on them. But we shall see that he had to do with refractory men; for
without shewing any respect for him, they attacked him with impetuous fury. The
sum of what is said then is, that the Jews who dwelt in Egypt were unworthy of any
pardon, because they had, as it were, designedly rejected the favor of God, and their
obstinacy had become altogether hopeless. We shall now consider the words:
A word is said to have been given to Jeremiah to all the Jews But God spoke to
Jeremiah not in the same way as to the Jews; for he committed to him the words
which he commanded him to deliver to others. Then the word was directly given to
Jeremiah only; but as Jeremiah was God’s interpreter to the people, the word is said
to be given in common to all, which yet at first, as it has been stated, was committed
to Jeremiah alone. For he did not favor the Jews with such an honor as to speak to
them, but he sent the Prophet as his messenger. He said then to the Jews who dwelt
in Egypt, and afterwards he mentions certain places, first Migdol, then Tahpanhes,
and thirdly, Noph. The first name some have rendered Magdal. That city was not so
much known at the time when Egypt flourished, but it has been mentioned by
heathen writers. Of Tahpanhes we spoke yesterday. Noph has been called Memphis;
and it is generally agreed that what the Hebrews called Noph was that noble and
celebrated city Memphis, which, as they suppose at this day, is called Cairo, Le
Caire. He lastly mentions the country of Pathros, which is supposed by some to have
been near Pelusia. But on such a matter as this I bestow no great labor; for even
heathen writers have regarded this as an obscure country, of no importance.
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Pathros is elsewhere mentioned as a city, and some think it to have been Petra of
Arabia. But the Prophet no doubt refers here to the country in which Memphis and
other cities were situated, in which the Jews dwelt.
But he says these things for this reason, because a question might have been raised,
“As the Jews dwelt in Egypt, so large was the land, that the Prophet could not have
announced the commands of God to all. This, then, was the reason why he intimates
that. they were not dispersed everywhere throughout Egypt, from one end to the
other, but that they were in one part only, and that they were so collected that his
word might come to all. This, then, was the reason why he mentioned the places
where the Jews sojourned.
Verse 2
He now begins with reproof, because they were so stupid as not to remember the
vengeance which God had executed on themselves and on the whole nation. They
had been left alive for this end, that they might acknowledge God’s judgment, and
thus return to a right mind. Here, then, the Prophet upbraids them with their
insensibility, that they had profited nothing under the scourges of God. They
commonly say that fools, when they are beaten, become wise. As then the Jews had
not repented, after having been so grievously chastised, it was a proof of extreme
perverseness; for if the remnant had a grain of a sound mind, they would have been
humbled at least by the final destruction of their nation, and when the city and the
temple were demolished. Since then they followed the same wicked courses, for
which God had inflicted so grievous a punishment, it was evident that they were
wholly irreclaimable and destitute of reason and judgment. This is the import of all
the words of the Prophet which we have read.
He says first, Ye have seen what great evils I brought on you and the land. “Then ye
know that you have justly suffered all the evils which have happened to you; for ye
have not sinned through want of knowledge, but when I had sedulously warned you
by my Prophets, ye continued ever obstinate; ye have therefore fully deserved such
punishments. Now when God spared you, and wished that a small number should
remain, to preserve as it were a seed, how is it that these evils which are still as it
were before your eyes, are not remembered by you?” We now then understand the
design of the Prophet.
But it may be well to examine every part; Ye have seen, he says, all the evil which I
have brought (evil here means calamity) on Jerusalem, and on all the cities of
Judah; and, behold, they are now a waste, and no one dwells there. There is here an
emphatical comparison between Jerusalem and Memphis, between the cities of
Judah and Heliopolis and the whole country of Pathros. If then God had not. spared
the holy city which he had chosen, if he had not spared the cities of Judah which
were under his protection, how foolish it was for the Jews to think that they would
be safe in the cities of Egypt? By what privilege could these be secure, since the cities
of Judah had been reduced to a waste? We now then perceive why the Prophet
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mentioned Jerusalem and the cities of Judah; it was, that he might expose the
stupidity of the Jews, because they thought, themselves safe in Egypt, a land which
God had ever held in abomination.
COFFMAN, "Verse 1
JEREMIAH 44
JEREMIAH'S FINAL PROPHECY
Other prophecies of Jeremiah appear in subsequent chapters; but this chapter is
generally viewed as containing the final prophecy, chronologically, that came
through this great sixth century B.C. servant of God. Right up to the very end, his
life apparently continued to be an almost unending series of tragedies.
"The exact date of this chapter cannot be determined; but it came a long time after
the events recorded in the preceding chapter."[1] This conclusion is drawn from the
fact that the Jewish immigrants as seen in this chapter were living in various cities
from one end of Egypt to the other, indicating the passage of considerable time.
Chapter divisions are: (1) Jeremiah warned the Jews that disobedience would bring
upon them the same fate that befell Jerusalem (Jeremiah 44:1-7); (2) he declared
that idolatry would destroy them (Jeremiah 44:8-10); (3) sword, famine and
pestilence are threatened (Jeremiah 44:11-14); (4) the people declare that they will
continue to worship the Queen of Heaven (Jeremiah 44:15-19); (5) Jeremiah refutes
their false arguments (Jeremiah 44:20-23); (6) Jeremiah gave a sign that God would
keep his word (Jeremiah 44:24-30).
Jeremiah 44:1-7
DESTRUCTION - THE PRICE OF DISOBEDIENCE
"The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews that dwelt in the land of
Egypt, that dwelt at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Memphis, and in the country
of Pathros, saying, Thus saith Jehovah 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, because of their
wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to
burn incense, and to serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor ye, nor
your fathers. Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early
and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate. But they
hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no
incense to other gods. Wherefore my wrath and my anger are poured forth, and was
kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted
and desolate, as it is this day. Therefore now thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts,
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the God of Israel: Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your own souls, to cut
off from you man and woman, infant and suckling, out of the midst of Judah, to
leave you none remaining."
The scene of this paragraph was at Pathros, in the southern end of Egypt, where,
apparently, the Jews had gathered from all over Egypt to attend a festival honoring
the Queen of Heaven. The women seem to have been taking the leading part in it.
Into that wicked company Jeremiah came, challenging them to repent and turn to
God, citing Jerusalem and the cities of Judah in their state of devastation as their
certain penalty if they continued in their wickedness.
"Migdol... Tahpanhes... Memphis... Pathros ..." (Jeremiah 44:1). "The first three
are in Lower Egypt, near Cairo; Pathros signifies Upper Egypt, all the way to
Aswan."[2]
"No man dwelleth therein ..." (Jeremiah 44:2). Jeremiah had prophesied that this
desolation would overtake Jerusalem (Jeremiah 24:8-10); and that fact should have
conditioned some of the people, at least, to believe the prophet; but it did not.
"They hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness ..."
(Jeremiah 44:5). "Israel's refusal to `walk in' the law and the statutes of Yahweh is
a central theme in Jeremiah."[3] In this very last message of the great prophet, how
wonderful it is to see that not a syllable has disappeared from his prophecies. In
spite of the rebellious hatred of his own people, Jeremiah has been true to God all
the way. The message here at the end is what it always was, "Repent or Perish." It is
still the message of God, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish!" (Luke
13:5).
COKE, "Jeremiah 44:1. At Tahpanhes, &c.— That is to say, At Daphne, and at
Memphis, and in the country of Thebais. Migdol was also called Magdolus. Migdol
is mentioned Exodus 14:2 as situate near the Red Sea. But I do not take this to be
the place here intended. ‫מגדל‬ Migdol properly signifies a tower, and may, in all
probability, have been given as a name to different cities in Egypt, where there was
a distinguished object of that kind. The city of Magdolus is mentioned by
Herodotus, Hecataeus, and others, and placed by Antoninus at the entrance of
Egypt from Palestine, about twelve miles from Pelusium. This was too far distant
from the Red Sea, to be in the route of the Israelites; but its situation in the
neighbourhood of Tahpanhes, or Daphne, and its distance from Judaea, favour the
supposition of its being the Migdol here spoken of. For then, as Bochart observes,
we shall find the four places mentioned exactly in the order of their respective
distances from that country; first, Migdol, or Magdolus; secondly, Tahpanhes, or
Daphne; thirdly, Noph, or Memphis; and lastly, the district of Pathros, or Thebais.
See Bochart Phaleg. lib. 4: cap. 27.
WHEDON, " Jeremiah’s Last Prophecy.
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JUDAH’S PRESENT DESOLATION THE RESULT OF IDOLATRY, Jeremiah
44:1-7.
1. Which dwell at Migdol — Literally, tower. Not the “Migdol” of Exodus 14:2, but
the fortress situated on the northern boundary of Egypt, twelve Roman miles from
Pelusium. From this heading it appears that the Jews had settled in various parts of
the land of Egypt; so that probably considerable time separates this chapter from
the last. For Noph and Tahpanhes, see Jeremiah 2:16; Jeremiah 43:7. Pathros was
Upper Egypt — the Thebais of the Greeks and Romans.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:1 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 country of Pathros, saying,
Ver. 1. The word that came to Jeremiah.] No word of comfort - how could it be, as
long as they lived in open rebellion against the Lord? - but all of reproof and
threatening. For what reason? they were obdurate and obstinate, and did daily
proficere in peius, grow worse and worse.
Which dwell at Migdol.] To these chief cities Jeremiah resorted to speak unto them.
Noph, alias Moph [Hosea 9:6] is held to be Memphis, now Alcair.
EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY, "THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN
Jeremiah 44:1-30
"Since we left off burning incense and offering libations to the Queen of Heaven,
we have been in want of everything, and have been consumed by the sword and the
famine."- Jeremiah 44:18
THE Jewish exiles in Egypt still retained a semblance of national life, and were
bound together by old religious ties. Accordingly we read that they came together
from their different settlements-from Migdol and Tahpanhes on the northeastern
frontier, from Noph or Memphis on the Nile south of the site of Cairo, and from
Pathros or Upper Egypt-to a "great assembly, no doubt a religious festival. The list
of cities shows how widely the Jews were scattered throughout Egypt."
Nothing is said as to where and when this "great assembly" met; but for Jeremiah,
such a gathering at all times and anywhere, in Egypt as at Jerusalem, became an
opportunity for fulfilling his Divine commission. He once again confronted his
fellow countrymen with the familiar threats and exhortations. A new climate had
not created in them either clean hearts or a right spirit.
Recent history had added force to his warnings. He begins therefore by appealing to
the direful consequences which had come upon the Holy Land, through the sins of
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its inhabitants:-
"Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities
of Judah.
Behold, this day they are an uninhabited waste,
Because of their wickedness which they wrought to provoke Me to anger,
By going to burn incense and to serve other gods whom neither they nor their
fathers knew."
The Israelites had enjoyed for centuries intimate personal relations with Jehovah,
and knew Him by this ancient and close fellowship and by all His dealings with
them. They had no such knowledge of the gods of surrounding nations. They were
like foolish children who prefer the enticing blandishments of a stranger to the
affection and discipline of their home. Such children do not intend to forsake their
home or to break the bonds of filial affection, and yet the new friendship may wean
their hearts from their father. So these exiles still considered themselves
worshippers of Jehovah, and yet their superstition led them to disobey and
dishonour Him.
Before its ruin Judah had sinned against light and leading:-
"Howbeit I sent unto you all My servants the prophets,
Rising up early and sending them, saying,
Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate.
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ears, so as to turn from their evil,
That they should not burn incense to other gods.
Wherefore My fury and my anger was poured forth."
Political and social questions, the controversies with the prophets who contradicted
Jeremiah in the name of Jehovah, have fallen into the background; the poor
pretence of loyalty to Jehovah which permitted His worshippers to degrade Him to
the level of Baal and Moloch is ignored as worthless: and Jeremiah, like Ezekiel,
finds the root of the people’s sin in their desertion of Jehovah. Their real religion
was revealed by their heathenish superstitions. Every religious life is woven of many
diverse strands; if the web as a whole is rotten, the Great Taskmaster can take no
account of a few threads that have a form and profession of soundness. Our Lord
declared that He would utterly ignore and repudiate men upon whose lips His name
was a too familiar word, who had preached and cast out devils and done many
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mighty works in that Holy Name. These were men who had worked iniquity, who
had combined promising externals with the worship of "other gods," Mammon or
Belial or some other of those evil powers, who place
"Within His sanctuary itself their shrines,
Abominations; and with cursed things His holy rites and solemn feasts profane;
And with their darkness dare affront His light."
This profuse blending of idolatry with a profession of zeal for Jehovah had
provoked the Divine wrath against Judah: and yet the exiles had not profited by
their terrible experience of the consequences of sin; they still burnt incense unto
other gods. Therefore Jeremiah remonstrates with them afresh, and sets before their
eyes the utter ruin which will punish persistent sin. This discourse repeats and
enlarges the threats uttered at Bethlehem. The penalties then denounced on
disobedience are now attributed to idolatry. We have here yet another example of
the tacit understanding attaching to all the prophet’s predictions. The most positive
declarations of doom are often warnings and not final sentences. Jehovah does not
turn a deaf ear to the penitent, and the doom is executed not because He exacts the
uttermost farthing, but because the culprit perseveres in his uttermost wrong. Lack
of faith and loyalty at Bethlehem and idolatry in Egypt were both symptoms of the
same deep-rooted disease.
On this occasion there was no rival prophet to beard Jeremiah and relieve his
hearers from their fears and scruples. Probably indeed no professed prophet of
Jehovah would have cared to defend the worship of other gods. But, as at
Bethlehem, the people themselves ventured to defy their aged mentor. They seem to
have been provoked to such hardihood by a stimulus which often prompts timorous
men to bold words. Their wives were specially devoted to the superstitious burning
of incense, and these women were present in large numbers. Probably, like Lady
Macbeth, they had already in private
"Poured their spirits in their husbands’ ears,
And chastised, with the valour of their tongues,
All that impeded."
those husbands from speaking their minds to Jeremiah. In their presence, the men
dared not shirk an obvious duty, for fear of more domestic chastisement. The
prophet’s reproaches would be less intolerable than such inflictions. Moreover the
fair devotees did not hesitate to mingle their own shrill voices in the wordy strife.
These idolatrous Jews-male and female-carried things with a very high hand
indeed:-
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"We will not obey thee in that which thou hast spoken to us in the name of Jehovah.
We are determined to perform all the vows we have made to burr incense and offer
libations to the Queen of Heaven, exactly as we have said and as we and our fathers
and kings and princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem."
Moreover they were quite prepared to meet Jeremiah on his own ground and argue
with him according to his own principles and methods. He had appealed to the ruin
of Judah as a proof of Jehovah’s condemnation of their idolatry and of His power to
punish: they argued that these misfortunes were a Divine spretae injuria formae, the
vengeance of the Queen of Heaven, whose worship they had neglected. When they
duly honoured her, -
"Then had we plenty of victuals, and were prosperous and saw no evil; but since we
left off burning incense and offering libations to the Queen of Heaven, we have been
in want of everything, and have been consumed by the sword and the famine."
Moreover the women had a special plea of their own:-
"When we burned incense and offered libations to the Queen of Heaven, did we not
make cakes to symbolise her and offer libations to her with our husbands’
permission?"
A wife’s vows were not valid without her husband’s sanction, and the women avail
themselves of this principle to shift the responsibility for their superstition on the
men’s shoulders. Possibly too the unfortunate Benedicts were not displaying
sufficient zeal in the good cause, and these words were intended to goad them into
greater energy. Doubtless they cannot be entirely exonerated of blame for tolerating
their wives’ sins, probably they were guilty of participation as well as connivance.
Nothing, however, but the utmost determination and moral courage would have
curbed the exuberant religiosity of these devout ladies. The prompt suggestion that,
if they had done wrong, their husbands are to blame for letting them have their own
way, is an instance of the meanness which results from the worship of "other gods."
But these defiant speeches raise a more important question. There is an essential
difference between regarding a national catastrophe as a Divine judgment and the
crude superstition to which an eclipse expresses the resentment of an angry god. But
both involve the same practical uncertainty. The sufferers or the spectators ask
what god wrought these marvels and what sins they are intended to punish, and to
these questions neither catastrophe nor eclipse gives any certain answer.
Doubtless the altars of the Queen of Heaven had been destroyed by Josiah in his
crusade against heathen cults; but her outraged majesty had been speedily avenged
by the defeat and death of the iconoclast, and since then the history of Judah had
been one long series of disasters. Jeremiah declared that these were the just
retribution inflicted by Jehovah because Judah had been disloyal to Him; in the
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reign of Manasseh their sin had reached its climax:-
"I will cause them to be tossed to and fro among all the nations of the earth, because
of Manasseh ben Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem."
[Jeremiah 15:4]
His audience were equally positive that the national ruin was the vengeance of the
Queen of Heaven. Josiah had destroyed her altars, and now the worshippers of Istar
had retaliated by razing the Temple to the ground. A Jew, with the vague
impression that Istar was as real as Jehovah, might find it difficult to decide
between these conflicting theories.
To us, as to Jeremiah, it seems sheer nonsense to speak of the vengeance of the
Queen of Heaven, not because of what we deduce from the circumstances of the fall
of Jerusalem, but because we do not believe in any such deity. But the fallacy is
repeated when, in somewhat similar fashion, Protestants find proof of the
superiority of their faith in the contrast between England and Catholic Spain, while
Romanists draw the opposite conclusion from a comparison of Holland and
Belgium. In all such cases the assured truth of the disputant’s doctrine, which is set
forth as the result of his argument, is in reality the premiss upon which his
reasoning rests. Faith is not deduced from, but dictates an interpretation of history.
In an individual the material penalties of sin may arouse a sleeping conscience, but
they cannot create a moral sense: apart from a moral sense the discipline of rewards
and punishments would be futile:-
"Were no inner eye in us to tell,
Instructed by no inner sense,
The light of heaven from the dark of hell,
That light would want its evidence."
Jeremiah, therefore, is quite consistent in refraining from argument and replying to
his opponents by reiterating his former statements that sin against Jehovah had
ruined Judah and would yet ruin the exiles. He spoke on the authority of the "inner
sense," itself instructed by Revelation. But, after the manner of the prophets, he
gave them a sign-Pharaoh Hophra should be delivered into the hand of his enemies
as Zedekiah had been. Such an event would indeed be an unmistakable sign of
imminent calamity to the fugitives who had sought the protection of the Egyptian
king against Nebuchadnezzar.
We have reserved for separate treatment the question suggested by the referents to
the Queen of Heaven. This divine name only occurs again in the Old Testament in
Jeremiah 7:18, and we are startled, at first sight, to discover that a cult about which
all other historians and prophets have been entirely silent is described in these
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passages as an ancient and national worship. It is even possible that the "great
assembly" was a festival in her honour. We have again to remind ourselves that the
Old Testament is an account of the progress of Revelation and not a history of
Israel. Probably the true explanation is that given by Kuenen. The prophets do not,
as a rule, speak of the details of false worship; they use the generic "Baal" and the
collective "other gods." Even in this chapter Jeremiah begins by speaking of "other
gods," and only uses the term "Queen of Heaven" when he quotes the reply made to
him by the Jews. Similarly when Ezekiel goes into detail concerning idolatry
[Ezekiel 8:1-18] he mentions cults and ritual which do not occur elsewhere in the
Old Testament. The prophets were little inclined to discriminate between different
forms of idolatry, just as the average churchman is quite indifferent to the
distinctions of the various Nonconformist bodies, which are to him simply
"dissenters." One might read many volumes of Anglican sermons and even some
English Church History without meeting with the term Unitarian. It is easy to find
modern parallels-Christian and heathen-to the name of this goddess. The Virgin
Mary is honoured with the title Regina Caeli, and at Mukden, the Sacred City of
China, there is a temple to the Queen of Heaven. But it is not easy to identify the
ancient deity who bore this name. The Jews are accused elsewhere of worshipping
"the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven," and one or other of these
heavenly bodies-mostly either the moon or the planet Venus-has been supposed to
have been the Queen of Heaven.
Neither do the symbolic cakes help us. Such emblems are found in the ritual of
many ancient cults: at Athens cakes shaped like a full moon were offered to the
moon goddess Artemis; a similar usage seems to have prevailed in the worship of the
Arabian goddess Al-Uzza, whose star was Venus, and also in connection with the
worship of the sun.
Moreover we do not find the title "Queen of Heaven" as an ordinary and well-
established name of any neighbouring divinity. "Queen" is a natural title for any
goddess, and was actually given to many ancient deities. Schrader finds our goddess
in the Atarsamain (AtharAstarte) who is mentioned in the Assyrian descriptions as
worshipped by a North Arabian tribe of Kedarenes. Possibly too the Assyrian Istar
is called Queen of Heaven.
Istar, however, is connected with the moon as well as with the planet Venus. For the
present, therefore we must be content to leave the matter an open question, but any
day some new discovery may solve the problem. Meanwhile it is interesting to notice
how little religious ideas and practices are affected by differences in profession. St.
Isaac the Great, of Antioch, who died about A.D. 460, tells us that the Christian
ladies of Syria-whom he speaks of very ungallantly as "fools"-used to worship the
planet Venus from the roofs of their houses, in the hope that she would bestow upon
them some portion of her own brightness and beauty. This experience naturally led
St. Isaac to interpret the Queen of Heaven as the luminary which his countrywomen
venerated.
12

The episode of the "great assembly" closes the history of Jeremiah’s life. We leave
him (as we so often met with him before) hurling ineffective denunciations at a
recalcitrant audience. Vagrant fancy, holding this to be a lame and impotent
conclusion, has woven romantic stories to continue and complete the narrative.
There are traditions that he was stoned to death at Tahpanhes, and that his bones
were removed to Alexandria by Alexander the Great; that he and Baruch returned
to Judea or went to Babylon and died in peace; that he returned to Jerusalem and
lived there three hundred years, -and other such legends. As has been said
concerning the Apocryphal Gospels, these narratives serve as a foil to the history
they are meant to supplement: they remind us of the sequels of great novels written
by inferior pens, or of attempts made by clumsy mechanics to convert a bust by
some inspired sculptor into a full-length statue.
For this story of Jeremiah’s life is not a torso. Sacred biography constantly
disappoints our curiosity as to the last days of holy men. We are scarcely ever told
how prophets and apostles died. It is curious too that the great exceptions-Elijah in
his chariot of fire and Elisha dying quietly in his bed-occur before the period of
written prophecy. The deaths of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, Peter, Paul, and
John, are passed over in the Sacred Record, and when we seek to follow them
beyond its pages, we are taught afresh the unique wisdom of inspiration. If we may
understand Deuteronomy 34:1-12 to imply that no eye was permitted to behold
Moses in the hour of death, we have in this incident a type of the reticence of
Scripture on such matters. Moreover a moment’s reflection reminds us that the
inspired method is in accordance with the better instincts of our nature. A death in
opening manhood, or the death of a soldier in battle or of a martyr at the stake,
rivets our attention; but when men die in a good old age, we dwell less on their
declining years than on the achievements of their prime. We all remember the
martyrdoms of Huss and Latimer, but how many of those in whose mouths Calvin
and Luther ave familiar as household words know how those great Reformers died?
There comes a time when we may apply to the aged saint the words of Browning’s
"Death in the Desert":-
"So is myself withdrawn into my depths,
The soul retreated from the perished brain
Whence it was wont to feel and use the world
Through these dull members, done with long ago."
And the poet’s comparison of his soul to
"A stick once fire from end to end
Now, ashes save the tip that holds a spark"
13

Love craves to watch to the last, because the spark may
"Run back, spread itself
A little where the fire was
And we would not lose
The last of what might happen on his face."
Such privileges may be granted to a few chosen disciples, probably they were in this
case granted to Baruch; but they are mostly withheld from the world, lest blind
irreverence should see in the aged saint nothing but
"Second childishness, and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything."
PETT, "Verse 1
Superscription.
‘The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews who dwelt in the land of
Egypt, who dwelt at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph (Memphis), and in the
country of Pathros, saying,
This is the opening superscription to this new prophecy, separating it from what has
gone before. It informs us that what follows is YHWH’s word to all Jews who have
taken refuge in Egypt. It covers the whole of chapter 44. The opening prophecy is
directed at the remnant who have escaped from Judah as previously described, who
settled at Tahpanhes, whilst the concluding prophecy is directed at all Jewish
refugees throughout Egypt. Whether the latter include any or all of the former we
are nowhere told, but there would certainly be many Jewish refugees in Egypt who
had not come with those who had arrived with Jeremiah.
With regard to the central section it is difficult to know who quite is involved in the
worship described there, whether those living in Pathros, or Jews from all over
Egypt gathered in Pathros for a festival, but either way they are seen as typical of
most of the Judeans in Egypt. As always there would be a few exceptions, such as
Jeremiah and Baruch.
It is apparent from this word here that there were at this time colonies of Jews in
different parts of Lower Egypt. Migdol (‘tower or fortress’) is mentioned in Exodus
14:2 and was on the Israelite route out of Egypt. It was therefore close to the
borders. Noph is identical with Memphis (mentioned in Jeremiah 2:16; Isaiah 19:13;
14

Ezekiel 30:13; Ezekiel 30:16). Tahpanhes was also a border city. The position of ‘the
country of Pathros’ is uncertain. That it covers a large area comes out in its use
elsewhere. It may thus have included a number of communities of ‘Jews’. The name
means ‘the Southland’ and it may therefore indicate Upper Egypt, the long Nile
valley extending north to south between Cairo and Aswan. It is attested in Assyrian
inscriptions as Paturisi. In Isaiah 11:11 we find the description ‘from Mizraim
(Egypt), from Pathros and from Cush’, and this would appear to confirm this
conclusion as it would appear to indicate Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt and North
Africa (Northern Sudan). Interestingly an inscription of Esarhaddon, king of
Assyria, also speaks of him as ‘king of Musur, Paturisi and Cush’, which parallels
Isaiah’s description. For further mention of Pathros/Pathrusim see also Genesis
10:14; Ezekiel 29:14; Ezekiel 30:14. ‘The country of Pathros’ would therefore
possibly include the Jewish military colony at Elephantine, on an island in the Nile
not far from Syene (Aswan - Ezekiel 29:10; Ezekiel 30:6), that is if, as is probable, it
existed at that time.
Verses 1-30
The Word Of YHWH Comes Against All His People Who Have Taken Refuge In
Egypt In The Past Because Instead Of Learning Their Lesson From What Has
Happened To Jerusalem They Have Turned To Other Gods, Something Which
They Brazenly Boast About. Therefore Because Of This YHWH’s Judgment Will
Come On Egypt And His People Will Be Caught Up In It And Will Suffer
Accordingly (Jeremiah 44:1-30).
This is a new word of YHWH not directly connected with what has gone before,
although clearly coming after the fall of Jerusalem. It was given in the time of
Pharaoh Hophra (Jeremiah 44:30), and therefore prior to 570 BC. It commences
with the words ‘the word that came to Jeremiah --’ and can be divided up into four
sections:
1. YHWH’s word against His people warning of His coming judgment because they
have not heeded what He has done against Jerusalem. The remnant who have
escaped to Egypt will be destroyed (2-14).
2. The people’s defence to the charge and their response to Jeremiah’s words
(15-19).
3. Jeremiah’s immediate reply reminding them that YHWH had seen what they and
their fathers had done and had acted in judgment on them by desolating their land
and making it a spectacle to the world (20-23).
4. A further word confirming YHWH’s judgment on all Jews living in Egypt
because they have turned to other gods and are trusting in Pharaoh Hophra as their
deliverer (24-39).
15

While not stated in the text we can make a contrast here between the refugees here
in Egypt and the exiles over in Babylon. These in Egypt have become involved in the
worship of other gods, incorporating YHWH into a syncretistic basically
polytheistic religion, and refusing to listen to Jeremiah’s pleas, whilst many of those
in Babylon will purify their faith, thanks in large measure to Ezekiel, and be ready
to return to their land when the time is ripe.
PULPIT, "Jeremiah's debate with the Jewish fugitives in Pathros; his last prophecy.
Jeremiah 44:1-14
Accusation brought against the obstinately idolatrous people.
Jeremiah 44:1
Which dwell; rather, which dwelt. It appears from this verse that the Jewish
fugitives had separated in Egypt, some going to the two northern frontier cities,
Migdol (on which see R.S. Poole, 'The Cities of Egypt,' Jeremiah 8:1-22.) and
Tahpanhes or Daphnae, others further south to Noph, i.e. Memphis, or, less
probably, Napata (see on Jeremiah 2:16), and Pathros (i.e. Upper Egypt; comp.
Isaiah 11:11).
2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of
Israel, says: You saw the great disaster I brought
on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah.
Today they lie deserted and in ruins
CLARKE, "No man dwelleth therein - The desolation of the land of Judea must
have been exceedingly great when this, in almost any sense, could be spoken of it.
GILL, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,.... In which manner the
prophecies of this book are frequently prefaced; see Jer_42:15;
16

ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all
the cities of Judah; they saw it with their bodily eyes; they could not but serve it in
their minds; nay, had an experimental knowledge of it; they suffered it in part
themselves, and must be convicted in their own consciences that it was from the hand of
the Lord:
and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein; lie
waste, at this very time; the walls are broken down the houses are demolished; the goods
in them carried off; no inhabitants left, or very few, to rebuild the cities, till the land, and
dwell therein.
JAMISON, "evil ... upon Jerusalem — If I spared not My own sacred city, much
less shall ye be safe in Egypt, which I loathe.
K&D, "The warning and threatening. - "Thus saith Jahveh of hosts, the God of Israel:
Ye yourselves have been all the evil which I have brought on Jerusalem, and on all the
cities of Judah; and, behold, they are a desolation this day, and there is no inhabitant
in them; Jer_44:3. Because of their wickedness which they have done, by provoking me
through going to burn incense, (and) to serve other gods whom they knew not,
(neither) they (nor) ye, nor your fathers. Jer_44:4. And I sent unto you all my servants
the prophets, rising early and sending (them), to say, Do not this abominable thing
which I hate. Jer_44:5. But they did not hear, nor inclined their ear to turn from their
wickedness, by not burning incense to other gods. Jer_44:6. Therefore my wrath and
mine anger poured itself out, and burned up the cities of Judah and the streets of
Jerusalem; so that they have become a desolation and a waste, as at this day. Jer_
44:7. Now therefore thus saith Jahveh of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do ye great evil
against your souls, by cutting off from yourselves man and women, child and suckling,
out of the midst of Judah, so leaving no remnant for yourselves; Jer_44:8. Through
provoking me by the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of
Egypt, whither ye have gone to sojourn, that ye might bring destruction on yourselves,
and that ye might become a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?
Jer_44:9. Have ye forgotten the evil deeds of your fathers, and the evil deeds of the
kings of Judah, and the evil deeds of their wives, and your own evil deeds, and the evil
deeds of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and on the streets of
Jerusalem? Jer_44:10. They have not been contrite to this day, and are not afraid, nor
do they walk in my law, and in my statutes, which I have set before you and before
your fathers. Jer_44:11. Therefore thus saith Jahveh of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold,
I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah. Jer_44:12. And I will
take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go to the land of Egypt in order
to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed; in the land of Egypt shall they fall, by
sword and famine shall they be consumed; small and great, by sword and famine shall
they die, and they shall become an execration and an astonishment, and a curse and a
reproach. Jer_44:13. And I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I
punished Jerusalem, by sword, and famine, and pestilence. Jer_44:14. There shall not
be one escaped or left to the remnant of Judah that came to sojourn there in the land of
Egypt, so as to return to the land of Judah, whither they long to return and dwell; for
they shall not return except as escaped ones."
17

Jer_44:2-6
In order to make an impression on the people by his warning against idolatry,
Jeremiah begins his address with a reference to the great calamity which the fathers
have brought on the kingdom of Judah through their continued idolatry (Jer_44:2-6).
"Ye have seen all the evil," etc.; all the cities are laid waste and depopulated, because
their inhabitants have roused the anger of the Lord, and have not let themselves be
dissuaded by the admonitions of the prophets whom God has sent. "This day," i.e., now,
at present. On Jer_44:3, cf. Jer_11:17; Jer_19:4; Jer_32:32, etc.; and as to the meaning
of ‫ר‬ ֵ‫טּ‬ ַ‫,ק‬ see on Jer_1:16. In Jer_44:3 the address becomes more direct, through the
change into the second person, "ye;" the audience then present only continue these sins
of their fathers. On Jer_44:4, cf. Jer_7:25; Jer_25:4, etc. ‫ר‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ‫דּ‬ ‫ה‬ ָ‫ב‬ֵ‫תֹּע‬ ַ‫ה‬ ‫זּאת‬ ַֹ‫,ה‬ "the thing
of this abomination," which is equivalent to "this abominable idolatry." ‫ר‬ ָ‫ב‬ ָ‫דּ‬ serves to
render the subject more prominent, as in Jdg_19:24. On Jer_44:6, cf. Jer_42:18; Jer_
7:20. The wrath of God burned in the cities, for the fire of destruction was a
manifestation of the divine wrath. As to ‫ם‬ ‫י‬ַ‫כּ‬ ‫ֶה‬‫זּ‬ ַ‫,ה‬ see on Jer_11:5.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:2 Thus 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,
Ver. 2. Ye have seen all the evils that I have brought upon Jerusalem.] And should
have been warned by this exemplum terrificum, dreadful instance of mine
indignation. They that will not take example, are worthily made examples.
PETT, "Verses 2-14
1). YHWH’s Word Against His People Warning Of His Coming Judgment Because
They Have Not Heeded What He Has Done Against Jerusalem. The Remnant Who
Have Escaped To Egypt Will Be Destroyed (2-14).
These words were seemingly delivered in the land of Pathros, where Jeremiah was
apparently visiting the Jewish settlers (Jeremiah 44:15). Whether in fact it was a
gathering of Jews from all over Egypt for a special festival we are not told, although
it is quite possible, for his words have very much in mind those who had arrived
with him from Judah, which suggests that they were present. At this time YHWH
makes clear to the Jews through Jeremiah that they have made a foolish choice in
coming to Egypt, a choice based, it will become apparent, on their disillusionment
with Him, although really resulting from hearts set on idolatry and lacking in trust.
He points out that they are simply behaving as their fathers have always done and
must therefore expect similar judgments to those which came on their fathers.
Jeremiah 44:2-3
18

‘Thus says YHWH of hosts, the God of Israel. You have seen all the evil that I have
brought on Jerusalem, and on all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day 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, and to
serve other gods, which they did not know, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers.’
This verse sums up YHWH’s charge against Israel and is introduced under His full
grand title, ‘YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel’ which will be repeated three times
for emphasis (see Jeremiah 44:7; Jeremiah 44:11). Jeremiah wants them to
recognise the greatness of their God. The verse points out that it was because His
people had burned incense to and worshipped other gods not previously known to
them or their fathers, that He had brought down His judgments on Jerusalem and
on all the cities of Judah, making them a desolation, and uninhabited, because of
their wickedness in doing so. He had indeed borne long with them and had given
them ample opportunity to repent, but they had simply seen this as giving them
licence to continue in their false ways. Thus all that had come upon them was
because of their polytheism, and thereby their rejection of Him as their only God,
thus breaching the first two stipulations in the covenant (the first two
commandments), and thereby rejecting the whole.
3 because of the evil they have done. They aroused
my anger by burning incense to and worshiping
other gods that neither they nor you nor your
ancestors ever knew.
BARNES, "In that they went to burn incense, and to serve - Or, by going to
burn incense to serve thereby other gods.
GILL, "Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke
me to anger,.... The cause of this desolation was the wickedness they were guilty of;
whereby they provoked the anger of God to bring this destruction on them. Sin is always
provoking unto God; and though it may not be done on purpose to provoke him, which it
sometimes seems to be; yet it eventually does, and is always the cause of punishment:
God never punishes man without a cause, or for anything but sin:
19

in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods: the particular
wickedness they were guilty of, and which was the cause of their ruin, was burning
incense to idols, and worshipping them, than which nothing is more provoking to God:
and it was an aggravation of their sin, that they were gods
whom they knew not, neither they, you, nor your fathers; what they were; from
whence they were; their original, and perhaps not their names; however, did not know
that they were gods; nor could they prove them to be such; nay, might know that they
were not: and now, since this was the sin which brought on the destruction they were
eyewitnesses of, it should have been a caution to them that they went not into the same
idolatrous practices, which yet they did not avoid; taking no warning from such awful
instances of the divine displeasure.
HENRY, " He puts them in mind of the sins that brought those desolations upon
Judah and Jerusalem. It was for their wickedness. It was this that provoked God to
anger, and especially their idolatry, their serving other gods (Jer_44:3) and giving that
honour to counterfeit deities, the creatures of their own fancy and the work of their own
hands, which should have been given to the true God only. They forsook the God who
was known among them, and whose name was great, for gods that they knew not,
upstart deities, whose original was obscure and not worth taking notice of: “Neither they
nor you, nor your fathers, could give any rational account why the God of Israel was
exchanged for such impostors.” They knew not that they were gods; nay, they could not
but know that they were no gods.
JAMISON, "they went — implying perverse assiduity: they went out of their way to
burn incense (one species of idolatry put for all kinds), etc.
CALVIN, "He afterwards adds, For the evil which they did to provoke me. He
refers to the sins by which the Jews had provoked the wrath of God; for the people
whom Jeremiah addressed had relapsed into those superstitions which had been the
cause of their ruin. Had the Prophet spoken generally and said, that it was strange
that the Jews had forgotten the punishment which had been inflicted by God on the
whole nation, his doctrine would not have been so impressive. But when he now
points out as by the finger how they had procured for themselves such calamities, he
presses and urges them more forcibly to acknowledge their madness, because they
thus continually provoked God, and sinned not through ignorance, but offended
him by the same sins for which yet they had suffered punishment so grievous and
dreadful. This is the reason why the Prophet says, For the evil which they did to
provoke me, even to go, he says, to offer incense and to serve alien gods. To go here
intimates the care and diligence they exercised in false worship. God had shewn to
the Jews a certain way in his Law which they ought to have followed: had they then
continued in the doctrine of the Law, they would have kept in the right way, and
gone forward to the right end. But they are said to go, because they disregarded the
Law and went here and there, as those who wander at random, and know not where
20

they are going. There is then to be understood a contrast between going and
remaining under the teaching of the Law. To go, in short, is to weary one’s self by
an erratic course, when the word of God is neglected, and the way which it points
out is forsaken. This is one thing.
Then he adds, to offer incense and to serve alien gods. In cense here is mentioned as
a particular thing, then that which is general is added; for incense, as it is well
known, was an evidence of worship. Then the Prophet under one thing condemns
the idolatry of his own nation. But at length he shews that they were given to other
abominations, that they had devoted themselves to the false worship of alien gods.
This passage, and those which are like it, are entitled to particular notice; for we
hence learn that men depart from God and alienate themselves from the true
worship of him, whenever they mingle with it something of their own, and dream of
this and that according to their own will, the very thing intended, as we have said,
by going as used by the Prophet. As soon, then, as men devise for themselves some
new modes of worship, it is the same thing as though they turned backward or
willfully wandered, for they keep not in the right and legitimate way. We also learn
from the second clause that idolaters in vain adduce pretences to excuse themselves.
For if they transfer to another what peculiarly belongs to God, and what he claims
for himself, it is more than a sufficient proof of idolatry; and incense, as I have said,
was a symbol of divine worship. As then they offered incense to their idols, they
robbed the true God of his own honor, and chose new gods, and adorned them with
the rights of the only true God.
In vain, then, and foolishly do the Papists at this day seek evasions when we object
to them and say, that gross idolatries prevail among them: “He! it is not our
intention to transfer the worship which peculiarly belongs to the only true God to
saints, to images; but we apply all this to God.” Since they burn incense to saints,
images, and pictures, since they offer incense even to the dead, there is surely no
further need of disputing the point; and when they try to evade whatever they can
bring forward, it is confuted by this one expression of the Prophet, for when he
speaks of incense, he condemns the Jews for their idolatry.
But as I have said, he speaks afterwards generally, and says, and to serve alien gods.
Then it follows, whom they knew not, neither ye nor your fathers Here the Prophet
amplifies the sin of his own nation, because they had devoted their attention to
unknown gods. There is here again a contrast to be understood, that is, between
God, who had revealed himself by his Law, by his Prophets, by so many miracles
and blessings, and the fictitious gods, who had, without thought and without
judgment, been invented and contrived by the Jews. Now, it was an evidence of a
base and an intolerable ingratitude, that the Jews should have forsaken the true
God after he had made himself known to them. For had the Law never been given,
had God suffered them, as other nations, to be entangled in their own errors, their
offense would have been lighter. But God had made himself to be so familiarly
known to them, that he was pleased to give them his Law, to be a certain rule of
21

religion; he had also exercised his miraculous powers among them. As, then, the
knowledge of the true God had been made so remarkably clear to them, how great
and how base was their ingratitude to reject him and to depart from him, in order to
run after idols! when they contrived for themselves vain gods and nothing but
fictions! Had any one inquired what sort of god was Baal, or what were their
Baalim, they would have said, that they had Baalim as their patrons, who obtained
favor for them with the supreme God. But whence had they derived their vain
notion? It was nothing but superstition founded on no reason.
This ought to be carefully observed; for at this day were any one to ask the Papists
by what right they have devised for themselves so various and so many modes of
worship: devotion alone they say will suffice, or a good intention. Let us then know
that religion, separated from knowledge, is nothing but the sport and delusion of
Satan. It is hence necessary that men should with certainty know what god they
worship. And Christ thus distinguishes the true worship of God from that of vain
idols,
“We know,” he says, speaking of the Jews, “whom we worship.” (John 4:22)
He then says that the Jews knew, even those who worshipped God according to
what the Law prescribes, — he says that they knew whom they worshipped. He then
condemns all good intentions in which the superstitious delight themselves, for they
know not whom they worship. And I have said that religion ought not to be
separated from knowledge; but I call that knowledge, not what is innate in man, or
what is by diligence acquired, but that which is delivered to us by the Law and the
Prophets.
We now, then, understand why the Prophet says that the Jews devoted themselves to
alien gods, whom they had not known, nor their fathers.
4 Again and again I sent my servants the
prophets, who said, ‘Do not do this detestable
thing that I hate!’
CLARKE, "O, do not this abominable thing - A strong specimen of affectionate
22

entreaty. One of the finest figures of poetry, when judiciously managed, the
anthropopathia, the ascribing human passions to God, is often used by this prophet: so
God is said to grieve, to mourn, to have his bowels moved with compassion, to repent, to
be angry, etc. Here he is represented as tenderly expostulating: O, do not; or, I entreat
you, do not that abominable thing which I hate.
1. Do it not: your God commands.
2. O, do it not: your Father entreats.
3. It is an abominable thing, and should not be done.
4. I hate it, and on that account ye should abstain from it.
GILL, "Howbeit, I sent unto you all my servants the prophets,.... As many as
he raised up, and employed in the work and service of prophesying; and these were
many; and as many as they were, he sent them to them, one after another, to warn them
of their sin and danger; but all to no purpose; which was a further aggravation of their
wickedness: nay, though he was
rising early, and sending them; was very early in his messages to them; gave them
timely warning, and let slip no opportunity of admonishing them; and this he did
constantly; see Jer_7:13;
saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate; all sin is abominable in
itself, and hateful to God, especially idolatry; and therefore should not be done; it should
be abominable to men, and hateful to them, because it is so to God; and after such a
remonstrance as this, to commit it must be very aggravating and provoking.
HENRY, " He puts them in mind of the frequent and fair warnings he had given them
by his word not to serve other gods, the contempt of which warnings was a great
aggravation of their idolatry, Jer_44:4. The prophets were sent with a great deal of care
to call to them, saying, Oh! do not this abominable thing that I hate. It becomes us to
speak of sin with the utmost dread and detestation as an abominable thing; it is certainly
so, for it is that which God hates, and we are sure that hid judgment is according to
truth. Call it grievous, call it odious, that we may by all means possible put ourselves and
others out of love with it. It becomes us to give warning of the danger of sin, and the fatal
consequences of it, with all seriousness and earnestness: “Oh! do not do it. If you love
God, do not, for it is provoking to him; if you love your own souls do not, for it is
destructive to them.” Let conscience do this for us in an hour of temptation, when we are
ready to yield. O take heed! do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates; for, if
God hates it, though shouldst hate it. But did they regard what God said to them? No:
“They hearkened not, nor inclined their ear (Jer_44:5); they still persisted in their
idolatries; and you see what came of it, therefore God's anger was poured out upon
them, as at this day. Now this was intended for warning to you, who have not only heard
the judgments of God's mouth, as they did, but have likewise seen the judgments of his
hand, by which you should be startled and awakened, for they were inflicted in terrorem,
that others might hear and fear and do no more as they did, lest they should fare as they
23

fared.”
CALVIN, "Now follows a circumstance by which their impiety was still further
enhanced, that God had sent them Prophets who stretched forth their hands to them
to draw them from their errors. For had they never been warned, their
condemnation would have been just; for God had once shewn to them by his Law
what was right. The teaching, then, of the Law ought to have been sufficient for all
ages. But when God had never ceased to send Prophets, one after another, it was a
sign of hopeless obstinacy to reject so many and so constant warnings. God then
added this circumstance that it might appear that the Jews were wholly inexcusable,
and worthy of a hundred and of a thousand deaths, because they had so perversely
despised all the means of salvation.
But God says, that he had sent to them all his servants What is universal has its own
peculiar importance; for if one or two Prophets had been sent, the Jews would have
been proved guilty; for the law does not require more than two or three witnesses to
condemn those who have done wrong. (Deuteronomy 17:6.) But God shews here that
there had been a vast number of those, through whom, had they been believed, the
Jews might have been preserved in safety. They might, then, have been proved
guilty, not only by three or four witnesses, but even by a great number; for the
Prophets had continually succeeded one another. And thus had been fulfilled what
God had promised in the Law,
“A Prophet will I raise up from the midst of thy brethren, him shalt thou hear; and
every one who will not hear that Prophet shall be cut off from his people.”
(Deuteronomy 18:18)
For God shews in his proclaimed Law, that this would be one of his chief blessings,
ever to keep the Jews in the knowledge of their duty, by never leaving them destitute
of Prophets and faithful teachers, here then he shews that he had ever really
performed what he had promised by Moses; for he does not say that he had only
sent a few, but, as I have said, that there had been a copious abundance; for in every
age there were several Prophets, and some, when it became necessary, succeeded
others. But what had been the fruit? He afterwards complains that all the Prophets
had been rejected.
But to render their sin still more heinous, he says, rising up early and sending Of
this kind of speaking an explanation has been elsewhere given. (Jeremiah 7:13;
Jeremiah 11:7) It is a metaphorical language; for God rises not nor does he change
places; but here he applies to himself what peculiarly belongs to men. For he who is
attentive to business, does not wait till the sun rises, but anticipates the morning
dawn. So also the Prophet says, that God had been vigilant, for he had been
solicitous concerning the wellbeing of the people.
We further learn from this mode of speaking how invaluable is the benefit which
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God bestows when he raises up honest and faithful teachers; for it is the same as
when the head of a family rises early from his bed, calls up his children, and takes
care of them. Let us, then, know that teaching, when it is communicated to us, is an
evidence of God’s paternal solicitude, because he would not have us to perish, but
comes down to us and sees what is needful, as though he were present with us, and
as a father towards his children, he takes care of us and of our affairs. This is the
meaning.
He now adds the substance of his message, Do not the thing of this abomination
which I hate God intimates, in short, that it had not been through him that the Jews
did not return from their errors to the right way, because he had stretched forth his
hand to them, and had, as it were, sup-pliantly requested them to provide better for
themselves, and not knowingly and willfully to seek their own destruction, having
acted as though he were a husband, who, being anxious to preserve the fidelity of his
wife, might thus say to her, —“Behold, thou knowest that I cannot endure unchaste-
ness; beware, then, lest thou shouldest prostitute thyself to adulterers.” So God
shews here that he had testified by all his servants, that all kinds of idolatry were
displeasing to him, in order that the Jews might keep themselves from idolatry.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets,
rising early and sending [them], saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I
hate.
Ver. 4. Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants.] Here the badness of men and
goodness of God come equally to be considered.
Saying, O do not this abominable thing which I hate.] It were happy if this saying of
God were always shrilly sounding in our ears, whenever we are about to do
anything that is evil; it would surely be a notable retentive from vice.
MACLAREN, "GOD’S PATIENT PLEADINGS
Jeremiah 44:4.
The long death-agony of the Jewish kingdom has come to an end. The frivolous
levity, which fed itself on illusions and would not be sobered by facts, has been
finally crushed out of the wretched people. The dreary succession of incompetent
kings-now a puppet set up by Egypt, now another puppet set up by Babylon, has
ended with the weak Zedekiah. The throne of David is empty, and the long line of
kings, which numbered many a strong, wise, holy man, has dwindled into a couple
of captives, one of them blind and both of them paupers on an idolatrous monarch’s
bounty. The country is desolate, the bulk of the people exiles, and the poor handful,
who had been left by the conqueror, flitting like ghosts, or clinging, like domestic
animals, to their burnt homes and wasted plains, have been quarrelling and fighting
among themselves, murdering the Jewish ruler whom Babylon had left them, and
then in abject terror have fled en masse across the border into Egypt, where they
25

are living wretched lives. What a history that people had gone through since they
had lived on the same soil before! From Moses to Zedekiah, what a story! From
Goshen till now it had been one long tragedy which seems to have at last reached its
fifth act. Nine hundred years have passed, and this is the issue of them all!
The circumstances might well stir the heart of the prophet, whose doleful task it had
been to foretell the coming of the storm, who had had to strip off Judah’s delusions
and to proclaim its certain fall, and who in doing so had carried his life in his hand
for forty years, and had never met with recognition or belief.
Jeremiah had been carried off by the fugitives to Egypt, and there he made a final
effort to win them back to God. He passed before them the outline of the whole
history of the nation, treating it as having accomplished one stadium-and what does
he find? In all these days since Goshen there has been one monotonous story of vain
divine pleadings and human indifference, God beseeching and Israel turning away-
and now at last the crash, long foretold, never credited, which had been drawing
nearer through all the centuries, has come, and Israel is scattered among the people.
Such are the thoughts and emotions that speak in the exquisitely tender words of
our text. It suggests-
I. God’s antagonism to sin.
It is the one thing in the universe to which He is opposed. Sin is essentially
antagonism to God. People shrink from the thought of God’s hatred of sin, because
of-
An underestimate of its gravity. Contrast the human views of its enormity, as shown
by men’s playing with it, calling it by half-jocose names and the like, with God’s
thought of its heinousness.
A false dread of seeming to attribute human emotions to God. But there is in God
what corresponds to our human feelings, something analogous to the attitude of a
pure human mind recoiling from evil.
The divine love must necessarily be pure, and the mightier its energy of forth-going,
the mightier its energy of recoil. God’s ‘hate’ is Love inverted and reverted on itself.
A divine love which had in it no necessity of hating evil would be profoundly
immoral, and would be called devilish more fitly than divine.
II. The great purpose of the divine pleadings.
To wean from sin is the main end of prophecy. It is the main end of all revelation.
God must chiefly desire to make His creatures like Himself. Sin makes a special
revelation necessary. Sin determines the form of it.
26

III. God’s tender and unwearied efforts.
‘Rising early’ is a strong metaphor to express persistent effort. The more obstinate is
our indifference, the more urgent are His calls. He raises His voice as our deafness
grows. Mark, too, the tenderness of the entreaty in this text, ‘Oh, do not this
abominable thing that I hate!’ His hatred of it is adduced as a reason which should
touch any heart that loves Him. He beseeches as if He, too, were saying, ‘Though I
might be bold to enjoin thee’ that which is fitting, ‘yet for love’s sake I rather
beseech thee.’ The manifestation of His disapproval and the appeal to our love by
the disclosure of His own are the most powerful, winning and compelling
dehortations from sin. Not by brandishing the whip, not by a stern law written on
tables of stone, but by unveiling His heart, does God win us from our sins.
IV. The obstinate resistance to God’s tender pleadings.
The tragedy of the nation is summed up in one word, ‘They hearkened not.’
That power of neglecting God’s voice and opposing God’s will is the mystery of our
nature. How strange it is that a human will should be able to lift itself in opposition
to the Sovereign Will! But stranger and more mysterious and tragic still is it that we
should choose to exercise that power and find pleasure, and fancy that we shall ever
find advantage, in refusing to listen to His entreaties and choosing to flout His
uttered will.
Such opposition was Israel’s ruin. It will be ours if we persist in it. ‘If God spared
not the natural branches, neither will He spare thee.’
PETT, "Jeremiah 44:4
‘In spite of the fact that I sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early
and sending them, saying, “Oh, do not this abominable thing which I hate.”
YHWH stresses the efforts that He had made in seeking to guide them onto the right
path. He had sent to them ‘all His servants the prophets’. And He had acted with the
great determination in order to do it in that He had ‘risen up early’ to do it,
something which reflects the importance He had placed on what He was about to do.
The language is typically Jeremaic (Jeremiah 7:25; Jeremiah 26:5; Jeremiah 29:19;
Jeremiah 35:15). It emphasises the great concern and effort that He had exerted in
order to help them, commencing right from the beginning (‘early’), and
continuingly revealed in the ongoing nature of his activity (‘all the prophets’),
having in mind all the true prophets, both well known and little known, who had
prophesied since the time of Moses. And all had brought one message to them, ‘Do
not do this abominable thing (worship other gods) which I hate,’ a breaking of the
first and second commandments (words of the covenant).
‘My servants the prophets.’ A phrase found seven times in Jeremiah, twice in 2
27

Kings, once in Ezekiel and once in Zechariah. It reflects the fact that the prophets
were peculiarly YHWH’s servants, acting as His mouthpiece. But ‘Allmy servants
the prophets’ is found only here and in Jeremiah 7:25; Jeremiah 35:15, and is thus
strictly Jeremaic, whilst the phrase as connected with ‘rising up early’ is found only
in Jeremiah 7:25; Jeremiah 26:5; Jeremiah 29:19; Jeremiah 35:15 and here.
BI, "Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.
The thing which God hates
I. What sin itself is.
II. God hates it.
1. Because it is contrary to His own nature.
2. Because it is unnatural in His creatures.
3. Because it transgresses holy, just, and good laws.
4. Because it defiles and injures the entire human nature. It brings a withering curse
upon every stage of life, and upon every development of life, and upon every phase of
life, and upon every department of life.
5. Because it makes men curses to each other.
6. Because it ignores or it rejects the Divine government.
7. Because wherever sin exists, except as it is checked by God’s mercy, it has the
dominion.
8. Because wherever it is introduced, it spreads.
9. Sin requires God to inflict upon men of every class and kind, that which He
assures us, upon His oath, He has no pleasure in.
10. Their continuing in sin tramples under foot the blood of Jesus. (S. Martin.)
The popular estimate of sin
I. What is sin? Theology is determined by the answer. “Sin is only negation as cold is the
negation of heat; darkness, of light; disease, of health.” So we are told. Well, I know that
I shiver to-night under the “negation” of heat. I grope under the negation of light, and
feel a very positive “thorn in the flesh.” Away with this juggling of words! Sin is a fact
and must be dealt with.
II. What do you mean by the new life? If Sin be easy to control, no helplessness is felt, no
great change of being is accepted, no outside help is needed. If you fancy that one bad
deed is cancelled by another good one, and that you are “all right at heart,” although
often wrong in action, you will not seek salvation.
III. What disclosure does Scripture make? “An abominable thing.” What does sin
propose to do? It defies God and would usurp His throne were it possible. The smallest
infringement of the principle of honesty in social life breaks up the confidence of man in
man and introduces destructive tendencies. The greater the transgression, the more
destructive are the results.
IV. What about the remedy of sin? We know not all the counsels of God, but we know
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enough of the covenant He made with His Son Jesus Christ to say that by His vicarious
atonement we are freed from the penalty of sin, and by the washing of regeneration and
the renewal of the Holy Ghost we are made pure—the past and future are covered by His
meritorious work. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
God’s expostulation with sinners
I. The description of sin here given by God.
1. We call those objects abominable which excite in us the sensations of loathing and
abhorrence. That such is the nature of sin, even in its most agreeable forms, may be
learned from the various figures under which it is represented in the Word of God.
Whatever is revolting in corruption, loathsome in uncleanness, or hideous in
deformity, is there brought forward, in order to give us some idea of its abominable
nature.
2. It must be considered not only as loathsome to God, but as exciting in Him the
desire of its destruction, and an inclination to execute vengeance upon all to whom it
is an object of delight. From an abominable object we naturally turn away; but what
we hate we seek to destroy.
(1) Sin is hateful to God, as it is the very reverse of His nature.
(2) Sin is hateful to God, as it is a transgression of His law.
(3) Sin is hateful to God, as it opposes His designs.
(4) Sin is hateful to God, as it is an expression of enmity in the heart against His
very being.
II. The manner in which God beseeches us to abstain from sin.
1. We are naturally prone to wickedness.
2. God hath designs of mercy towards our guilty race.
3. The salvation of sinners is accomplished in a way perfectly consistent with their
freedom as moral agents.
4. God is deeply concerned for the salvation of sinners.
III. Some considerations that ought to induce us to hearken to the voice of God, and do
what He requires.
1. It is God why, expostulates with you,. and beseeches you to abstain from sin.
2. The extreme folly of sin is another consideration, that may induce you to abstain
from it.
3. The fatal consequences of continuing in sin, especially after we haven been called
to repentance, is a consideration that ought to induce you to hear, and do what the
Lord requires. (G. Campbell.)
Argument against sinning
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I. God denounces sin with abhorrence. He calls it “an abominable thing.” Sin is
represented in the Bible as a loathsome, odious, revolting, execrable thing. All kinds of
sin are an abomination. “Lying lips” (Pro_12:22). “Pride” (Pro_16:5). “Wicked thoughts”
(Pro_15:26). “Wickedness in all its forms” (Pro_15:9). Sin is essentially an abomination.
Three things show this:—
1. The misrepresenting conduct of the sinner. Sin has a self-hiding, self-
dissimulating instinct.
2. The universal conscience of mankind. Injustice, falsehood, self-seeking impiety,
with all their kindred sins, the conscience of the world abhors.
3. The history of the Divine conduct towards our world.
(1) Look at the judicial inflictions recorded in the Bible: expulsion from Eden,
the deluge, the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, the destruction of Jerusalem, &c.
(2) Merciful interpositions. How has mercy wrought, through all past ages, to
sweep abominations from the world! through patriarchs, prophets, apostles, holy
ministers, and Christ Himself. He came to “put away sin:”
II. God hates sin with intensity. He says, “I hate it.” The Infinite heart revolts from it
with ineffable detestation.
1. He hates it, for it is deformity, and He is the God of beauty. How offensive to the
artist of high aesthetic taste and culture, are figures introduced into the realm of art,
unscientific in their proportions, and unrefined in their touch!
2. He hates it, for it is confusion, and He is the God of order. “Order,” says the poet,
“is Heaven’s first law.”
3. He hates it, for it is misery, and He is the Cod of love. Every sin has in it the sting
of the serpent, which, if not extracted, will rankle with fiery anguish in the soul for
ever. God hates this evil, for He desires the happiness of His creatures.
III. God prohibits sin with earnestness. “Oh, do not this abominable thing.” What
depths of fervid loving solicitude are in this “Oh!”
1. Do it not; you are warring against your own highest interest.
2. Do it not; you are warring against the well-being of the creation.
3. Do it not; you are warring against Me. Every sin is a war against My ideas, My
feelings, My plans, My institutions. (Homilist.)
Life’s lameness: the character of sin
The church bells were ringing out a merry peal of welcome as a bride and bridegroom
left the church after the marriage service. The bride was given some flowers as she
passed to her carriage, and a small drop of water fell from a flower on to the bride’s light
dress. Soon after, a slight stain was noticed there, and the remark was made: “A spot of
sin as small as this would shut either of us out of heaven.” That remark was perfectly
true. A little speck of dust on the lens of a telescope will mar its powers of vision. A tiny
hair in the mainspring of a watch will suffice to stop the machinery, So one little sin,
secretly cherished and wilfully indulged, will choke up our soul s communion with God
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and destroy our spiritual comfort. What, then, is sin? Sin is rebellion against God. Self-
love is the secret of sin. The hidden principle of all sin is rejection of the will of God.
None of God’s commands are grievous, and therefore the question of our obedience is
made to turn precisely on the will of God. God alone is independent. He has made us for
Himself; and the more we seek to bring our wills into subjection to His, and our lives
into complete dependence upon Him, the happier and the holier shall we become. As a
train was speeding along the railroad in the north of England the other day, a spark from
the engine set fire to a shrub in a plantation near the line, and then the fire spread to a
forest, where it raged for two days, doing immense damage. Who would have thought
that such a result would arise, from a little spark? Yet so it is in the world of life—great
results spring from the most trivial causes. Our hearts are, like those dry trees, ready to
burst into a blaze when touched by the spark of sin. Therefore we must beware of sin.
When Canova, the great Italian sculptor, was about to commence his famous statue of
the great Napoleon, his keenly observant eye detected a tiny red line running through
the upper portion of the splendid block of marble which had been brought from Paros at
enormous cost. Others saw no flaw, but the great sculptor detected it, and he refused to
lay chisel upon it. The very perfection he aimed at compelled him to reject the marble
block. Now if there is a flaw in your life, others may not see it, but God most assuredly
will. And that there is such a flaw God declares. His Word asserts, “All have sinned”
(Rom_3:23). “There is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Psa_14:3). During a naval
engagement off Copenhagen, Admiral Parker signalled the ships to cease action. Nelson
did not wish to retire his ship. When informed of the Admiral’s signal, he looked through
the telescope with his blind eye, and exclaimed, “I see no such signal” He persistently
deceived himself in order that he might continue the fight. “If we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1Jn_1:8). But we deceive no one else. It
is no excuse for a man to say he does not steal, does not lie, does not swear, does not
covet. Neglect of known duty is sin. Man has a duty to God (Mat_22:37). Not to love God
is sin. And the Bible not only charges man with not loving God, but it speaks of man as
being in a state of “enmity against God” (Rom_8:7). Therefore he cannot restore himself.
It is a stormy night by the sea-shore. The wind is howling and moaning, and ever and
anon with boisterous gusts threatening violence to the shipping in the harbour. The sea
is lashed into a seething foam. On the beach are scattered groups of people—men
hurrying to and fro with excited determination, and women wringing their hands in
mute agony and mingled prayer. You look out to sea. In the darkness of the night you
can see nothing, but you can tell by the whirr and rush of the rocket apparatus, by the
cries of the life boatmen, that a vessel is in danger. You know there is a ship in distress
by these signs, though you may not know the extent or reality of her danger. So, when I
see the Lord Jesus Christ leaving His throne in glory, living a life of anguish, and dying a
cruel death, I learn that sin is a terrible reality. Oh, what a hideous, fiendish monster is
sin, when it turns its cursed enmity against the blessed Son of God, and imbrues its cruel
hands in His precious blood! The Emperor Arcadius and his wife Eudoxia had a very
bitter feeling towards St. John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople. One day, in a fit
of anger, the Emperor said to some of his courtiers, “I would I were avenged of this
bishop!” Several then proposed how this should be done. “Banish him and exile him to
the desert,” said one. “Put him in prison,” said another. “Confiscate his property,” said a
third. “Let him die,” said a fourth. Another courtier, whose vices Chrysostom had
reproved, said maliciously, “You all make a great mistake. You will never punish him by
such proposals. If banished the kingdom, he will feel God as near to him in the desert as
here. If you put him in prison and load him with chains, he will still pray for the poor
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and praise God in the prison. If you confiscate his property, you merely take away his
goods from the poor, not from him. If you condemn him to death, you open heaven to
him. Prince, do you wish to be revenged on him? Force him to commit sin. I know him;
this man fears nothing in the world but sin.” Is there no lesson here for you and me? (A.
Finlayson.)
Divine pleading
If anyone suffers very keenly from nervous exhaustion, it seems sometimes almost
impossible for him to bear the noise of a child who persists in running heavily overhead.
He will adopt a pleading rather than an angry tone: “My child, do not do this again; I
cannot bear it.” Let us think of God’s holy nature as more sensitive to sin than the most
highly-strung nerves to noise, and hear Him saying, whenever we are on the point of
committing sin, “Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.” (F. B. ,Meyer, B. A.)
5 But they did not listen or pay attention; they did
not turn from their wickedness or stop burning
incense to other gods.
CLARKE, "But they hearkened not -
1. They disregarded the authority of their God.
2. They were not moved by the entreaties of their most affectionate Father.
3. In abominations they delighted. And,
4. They loved that which God hated; and, apparently, because he hated it.
GILL, "But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear,.... To the prophets sent
unto them; to God by the prophets; to the words of his mouth, particularly to the above
pathetic expostulation with them; at least, if they heard the words said, they did not
attend unto them; they had not such an effect upon them, nor were they wrought upon
by them, so as
to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods; to turn from
their sins in general, and from their idolatry in particular; one instance of which is given,
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and which is put for the whole of idolatrous worship.
CALVIN, "And he adds, But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn
from their wickedness, to burn no incense to alien gods Here God charges the Jews
with irreclaimable obstinacy, for the teaching of the Law did not retain them in
obedience, nor did they attend to it, though often and at different times warned and
admonished by the Prophets. And their perverseness he still more clearly sets forth
by the second clause, when he says that they did not incline their ear Had he said,
“They have not hearkened, ” it would have been quite sufficient; but when he adds,
“They have not inclined their ear,” he expresses, as I have said, something worse
than contempt, even that they designedly rejected the teaching of the Prophets, that
they disdained to hear the Prophets or to listen to their admonitions, but became
willingly deaf, nay, closed up their ears, as rebels do, who are said elsewhere to
harden their heart. We now then understand the import of this verse.
‘But they did not listen, nor did they incline their ear to turn from their wickedness,
to burn no incense to other gods.’
Yet in spite of all God’s efforts His people had refused to listen. They had refused to
hear His constant pleas that they turn from their wickedness in burning incense to
other gods, and had blatantly continued to do so. And with their worship had gone
their morals.
6 Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out; it
raged against the towns of Judah and the streets
of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins
they are today.
GILL, "Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth,.... Like melted
metal, scalding lead, liquefied pitch, or anything of a bituminous and sulphurous nature,
which spreads, is consuming, and very intolerable; see Jer_42:18;
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and was kindled in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem;
which, like a fire, burnt up and destroyed these cities, and particularly the large and
spacious city of Jerusalem:
and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day; now lie in ruins, as may be seen
by everyone; the thing is notorious; this is their present case; they are become desolate,
and so continue.
CALVIN, "Now he adds, On this account has my wrath and my fury been poured
forth, and has burned through the cities of Judah, and through the streets of
Jerusalem; and this day they are a waste and a desolation The word ‫,שממה‬ shimme,
sometimes means amazement, as it has been before stated; but when it is connected
with ‫,חרבה‬ cherebe, as here, it means desolation. As at this day; a dreadful waste was
then at that time apparent, he again refers to this truth, that the Jews ought to have
been so touched by that remarkable and memorable instance of God’s displeasure,
as not to abandon themselves afterwards to new idolatries; they ought to have
remembered so recent an example of punishment. As, then, they still persevered in
their hardness, it was an evidence of extreme impiety. The Prophet says that the
perverseness of the Jews had not been unpunished, for God’s wrath had been
poured forth against the cities of Judah, nay, against Jerusalem itself, the sanctuary
of God, so that all things had been reduced to desolation. The Jews then ought, on
the one hand, seriously to have considered how inexcusable had been their impiety
in having so perversely despised God; and then they ought on the other hand, to
have entertained fear and dread, since they saw that God had taken such vengeance
on those who had despised his teaching and violated his worship.
‘For which reason my wrath and my 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 it is this day.’
This indeed was why Jerusalem and Judah were in the condition that they were at
that time, wholly in ruins, and why His anger had been poured forth on them, and
had been kindled ‘in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem’. This was
why their cities were wasted and desolate. It was because they had followed and
worshipped other gods, gods of nature, who demanded nothing of them morally and
were seen as largely controlled by their ritual activities.
7 “Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the
God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster
34

on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men
and women, the children and infants, and so leave
yourselves without a remnant?
CLARKE, "This great evil against your souls - Will not self-interest weigh with
you? See what ruin your conduct has brought upon your country. Your fathers
sinned as you are doing; and where are they now? Either destroyed, or in captivity.
And you are now taking the same way to your own destruction.
GILL, "Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel,....
The same epithets as before, Jer_44:2; with an addition, that his words might carry
more weight with them:
wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls; the sin of idolatry, which is a
great evil; a sin against God; a giving the glory to another, that belongs to him and
not only so, but is against the souls of men; pernicious and ruinous to them, which
brings destruction, even eternal wrath and damnation, on them; and this is an
interesting argument why it should not be committed; nay, it was not only against
God, and against themselves, but against their families, and the interest of them:
to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you
none to remain; not that they did this great evil or committed idolatry with this
intention, to ruin their families and posterity; but so it was eventually; hereby they
provoked the Lord to anger, to cut off the men that offered incense to idols; and the
women their wives, whom they allowed so to do; and their children, who were
brought up in the same practices; so that they would have none to succeed them, to
bear their name, and inherit their land; unless God should be merciful, and not deal
according to their deserts; for such was the nature of their crime, as to deserve an
utter extirpation of them.
JAMISON, "now — after so many warnings.
commit ... this ... evil against your souls — (Jer_7:19; Num_16:38; Pro_8:36). It is
not God whom you injure, but yourselves.
K&D 7-14, "Jer_44:7-14
In Jer_44:7-10 follows the application of what has been said to those present, who
are asked how they come to continue in the old sins, to their own destruction, "doing
evil in regard to your souls," i.e., for the injury, destruction of your souls, yourself;
35

cf. Jer_26:19, where ‫ל־נ‬ַ‫'ﬠ‬ stands for ‫ל־נ‬ ֶ‫.'א‬ This is immediately afterwards more
exactly specified by '‫ית‬ ִ‫ר‬ ְ‫כ‬ַ‫ה‬ְ‫ל‬ ‫,וגו‬ to exterminate the whole of you, without an
exception. As to the enumeration "man and woman," etc., cf. 1Sa_15:3; 1Sa_22:19.
The infs. ‫י‬ִ‫נ‬ ֵ‫יס‬ ִ‫ﬠ‬ ְ‫כ‬ַ‫ה‬ְ‫ל‬ and ‫ר‬ֵ‫טּ‬ַ‫ק‬ְ‫ל‬ are used as gerundives: "inasmuch as (through this that)
ye provoke me." For the expression "the works of your hands," see on Jer_1:16. In
Jer_44:8, an object must be supplied from Jer_44:7 for the expression ‫ן‬ַ‫ﬠ‬ ַ‫מ‬ְ‫ל‬ ‫ית‬ ִ‫ר‬ ְ‫כ‬ַ‫ה‬
‫ֶם‬‫כ‬ָ‫ל‬; for, to take ‫ֶם‬‫כ‬ָ‫ל‬ (with Hitzig) in a reflexive sense is a very harsh construction.
On '‫ָה‬‫ל‬ָ‫ל‬ ְ‫ק‬ִ‫ל‬ ‫,וגו‬ cf. Jer_42:18; Jer_26:6. The answer to the question now asked follows
in Jer_44:9 and Jer_44:10, in the form of the further question, whether they have
forgotten those former sins, and that these sins have been the cause of the evil which
has befallen the land. The interrogation expresses the reproach that they have been
able to forget both, as is evidenced by their continuance in sin. In Jer_44:9, the
expression "the evil deeds of his wives" (‫יו‬ ָ‫ָשׁ‬‫נ‬) is remarkable. Hitzig and Nägelsbach,
following Kimchi, refer the suffix to the kings, since there was always but one king
at a time. But this is an unnatural explanation; the suffix refers to Judah as a
nation, and is used in order to comprehend the wives of the fathers and of the kings
together. It is quite arbitrary in Ewald and Graf to change ‫יו‬ ָ‫ָשׁ‬‫נ‬ to ‫יו‬ ָ‫ר‬ ָ‫,שׂ‬ following the
lxx τῶν ἀρχόντων ὑμῶν; for these translators have mutilated the text by the
omission of the following ‫ת‬ ֵ‫א‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫ֶם‬‫כ‬‫י‬ ֵ‫ת‬ֹ‫ע‬ ָ‫.ר‬ ‫ות‬ֹ‫ע‬ ָ‫ר‬ ‫יו‬ ָ‫ָשׁ‬‫נ‬ is not merely conserved, but even
required, by ‫ת‬ ֵ‫א‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫ת‬ֹ‫ע‬ ָ‫ר‬ ‫ֶם‬‫כ‬‫י‬ ֵ‫שׁ‬ְ‫.נ‬ But the prophet gives special prominence to the evil
deeds of the wives, since it was they who were most zealous in worshipping the
queen of heaven; cf. Jer_44:15 and Jer_44:19. ‫ֹא‬‫ל‬ ‫אוּ‬ ְ‫ֻכּ‬‫ד‬, "they have not been
crushed," viz., by repentance and sorrow for these sins. The transition to the third
person is not merely accounted for by the fact that the subject treated of is the sins
of the fathers and of the present generation, - for, as is shown by the expression "till
this day," the prophet has chiefly his own contemporaries in view; but he speaks of
these in the third person, to signify the indignation with which he turns away from
men so difficult to reform. On the expression, "they had not walked in my law," cf.
Jer_26:4; Jer_9:12. For this the Lord will punish them severely, Jer_44:11-14. All
those who have fled to Egypt, with the intention of remaining there, will be quite
exterminated. On "Behold, I will set my face," etc., cf. Jer_21:10. "For evil" is more
exactly defined by "to cut off all Judah," i.e., those of Judah who are in Egypt, not
those who are in Babylon. This limitation of the words "all Judah" is necessarily
required by the context, and is plainly expressed in Jer_44:12, where "Judah" is
specified as "the remnant of Judah that were determined to go to Egypt." ‫י‬ ִ‫תּ‬ַ‫ח‬ַ‫ָק‬‫ל‬ has
the meaning of taking away, as in Jer_15:15. ‫מּוּ‬ ַ‫ת‬ ְ‫ו‬ are to be taken by themselves; and
‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ֶ‫א‬ ְ‫בּ‬ ‫ם‬ִ‫י‬ ַ‫ר‬ ְ‫צ‬ ִ‫,מ‬ as is shown by the accents, is to be attached to what follows, on which,
too, the emphasis is placed; in like manner, '‫ב‬ ֶ‫ר‬ֶ‫ח‬ַ‫בּ‬ are to be attached to the
succeeding verb. The arrangement of the words, like the accumulation of sentences
all expressing the same meaning, reveals the spirit of the address in which God vents
His wrath. On "they shall become an execration," etc., see Jer_42:18. In Jer_44:13,
Jer_44:14, the threatened extermination is further set forth. Those who dwelling
Egypt shall be punished with sword, famine, and plague, like Jerusalem. The
inhabitants of Egypt generally are meant; and by the judgment which is to fall on
that country, the remnant of Judah there shall be so completely destroyed, that none
shall escape. The leading member of the sentence is continued by ‫ָשׁוּב‬‫ל‬ ְ‫,ו‬ "and that
36

they should return to the land of Judah, after which their soul longs, that they may
live there." A reason is further assigned, and with this the address, reduced within
becoming limits, concludes: "for there shall return none except (‫י‬ ִ‫כּ‬ ‫ם‬ ִ‫)א‬ fugitives,"
i.e., except a few individual fugitives who shall come back. This last clause shows
that we are not to understand the declaration "none shall escape" in the strictest
meaning of the words. Those who escape and return to Judah shall be so few, in
comparison with those who shall perish in Egypt, as to be quite inconsiderable. Cf.
the like instance of a seeming contradiction in Jer_44:27, Jer_44:28. On ‫א‬ ָ‫שּׂ‬ִ‫נ‬ ‫ת־‬ ֶ‫א‬
‫ם‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ַפ‬‫נ‬, cf. Jer_22:27.
CALVIN, "He then adds, Why then do ye now this great evil against your own
souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, from the midst of
Judah, that nothing may remain for you? he re at length the passage is finished; for
what we have hitherto read would have kept the reader in suspense, had not this
been added. He then says, “Since the sin of your fathers ought to have been detested
by you, and since God’s judgment had been dreadful, and that punishment ought at
this day to fill, you with fear, how is it, that ye seek to bring on yourselves again the
vengeance of God?” Why then, he says, now, etc. This now is emphatical, that is,
after so many and so remarkable examples, after so many admonitions, after the
most grievous punishment inflicted on the obstinate. He says, against your own
souls; and by this he touched them very sharply, reminding them that what they
were doing would be to their ruin, as though he had said, that God would receive no
loss from their wickedness, but that they would become the authors of their own
destruction, he indeed intimates, as I have already said, that their impiety would not
be without its punishment; but he shews at the same time that God could, if he
thought proper, look down with indifference on their impieties; for he would remain
perfect even if they were the worst. For when God is robbed by men of his just and
legitimate worship, there is nothing taken away from his greatness; for he ever
remains the same, and is neither advanced nor diminished through the will of men.
Then the Prophet shews that the Jews were acting madly for their own ruin, when
he says, that they did evil against their own souls
And this he explains more fully by adding, To cut off man and woman, child and
suckling, from the midst of Judah He intimates that God still manifested his mercy,
while there was any remnant. They might have remained in Judea, even in their
own inheritance; and the country might have been inhabited till the time of seventy
years had elapsed, which God had fixed for the exile. Now the Prophet shews that
they fought as it were against the goodness of God, for they sought to extinguish
their own name, so that nothing should remain of that people, to whom God had still
left some seed, that they might not wholly perish.
TRAPP, "Verse 7
Jeremiah 44:7 Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of
37

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;
Ver. 7. Wherefore commit you this evll against your souls?] This land desolating,
soul destroying sin of idolatry.
PETT, "Jeremiah 44:7-8
‘Therefore now thus says YHWH, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: “For what
reason do you commit this great evil against your own souls, to cut off from you
man and woman, infant and suckling, out of the midst of Judah, to leave you none
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 are gone to sojourn, that you
may be cut off, and that you may be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of
the earth?” ’
And now these people were doing the very same thing. They were burning incense to
other gods in the land of Egypt, something which was a great evil against their own
souls, and could only result in them also being cut off. They were acting just like
their fathers had done. The impression given is that these were gods of Egypt to
which they had turned in hopes of improving their situation. They were therefore on
their way to suffering the Levitical and Deuteronomic curses outlined in Leviticus
26; Deuteronomy 28, which would result in them being cut off and becoming a curse
and a reproach among all the peoples of the world.
8 Why arouse my anger with what your hands
have made, burning incense to other gods in
Egypt, where you have come to live? You will
destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse[a]
and an object of reproach among all the nations
on earth.
BARNES, "Cut yourselves off - Rather, cut (them, Jer_44:7) off from you.
38

GILL, "In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands,....
Their sinful actions, particularly their idolatry, by worshipping images, the works of
men's hands; and though it was the queen of heaven they worshipped, which their hands
made not, yet it was before images they did that; besides, the things they did to her were
the worlds of their hands, as sacrificing, pouring out drink offerings, and as follows:
burning incense; which they did, not only to her, but
to other gods in the land of Egypt; where they were very numerous:
whither ye be gone to dwell; against the express will and command of God:
that ye might cut yourselves off; as from the worship of God, so from being his
people, and from being under his care and protection, and from all privileges temporal
and spiritual:
and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the
earth? not that this was their view, end, and design, but this was the event so it was,
that they were looked upon as an accursed people of God and man, and their names were
taken up for a proverb and a reproach everywhere.
HENRY 8-10, "He reproves them for, and upbraids them with, their continued
idolatries, now that they had come into Egypt (Jer_44:8): You burn incense to other
gods in the land of Egypt. Therefore God forbade them to go into Egypt, because he
knew it would be a snare to them. Those whom God sent into the land of the Chaldeans,
though that was an idolatrous country, were there, by the power of God's grace, weaned
from idolatry; but those who went against God's mind into the land of the Egyptians
were there, by the power of their own corruptions, more wedded than ever to their
idolatries; for, when we thrust ourselves without cause or call into places of temptation,
it is just with God to leave us to ourselves. In doing this, 1. They did a great deal of injury
to themselves and their families: “You commit this great evil against your souls (Jer_
44:7), you wrong them, you deceive them with that which is false, you destroy them, for
it will be fatal to them.” Note, In sinning against God we sin against our own souls. “It is
the ready way to cut yourselves off from all comfort and hope (Jer_44:8), to cut off your
name and honour; so that you will, both by your sin and by your misery, become a curse
and a reproach among all nations. It will become a proverb, As wretched as a Jew. It is
the ready way to cut off from you all your relations, all that you shave have joy of and
have your families built up in, man and woman, child and suckling, so that Judah shall
be a land lost for want of heirs.” 2. They filled up the measure of the iniquity of their
fathers, and, as if that had been too little for them, added to it (Jer_44:9): “Have you
forgotten the wickedness of those who are gone before you, that you are not humbled for
it as you ought to be, and afraid of the consequences of it?” Have you forgotten the
punishments of your fathers? so some read it. “Do you not know how dear their idolatry
cost them? And yet dare you continue in that vain conversation received by tradition
from you fathers, though you received the curse with it?” He reminds them of the sins
and punishments of the kings of Judah, who, great as they were, escaped not the
judgments of God for their idolatry; yea, and they should have taken warning by the
39

wickedness of their wives, who had seduced them to idolatry. In the original it is, And of
his wives, which, Dr. Lightfoot thinks, tacitly reflects upon Solomon's wives, particularly
his Egyptian wives, to whom the idolatry of the kings of Judah owed its original. “Have
you forgotten this, and what came of it, that you dare venture upon the same wicked
courses?” See Neh_13:18, Neh_13:26. “Nay, to come to your own times, Have you
forgotten your own wickedness and the wickedness of your wives, when you lived in
prosperity in Jerusalem, and what ruin it brought upon you? But, alas! to what purpose
do I speak to them?” (says God to the prophet, Jer_44:10) “they are not humbled unto
this day, by all the humbling providences that they have been under. They have not
feared, nor walked in my law.” Note, Those that walk not in the law of God do thereby
show that they are destitute of the fear of God.
JAMISON, "in ... Egypt — where they polluted themselves to ingratiate themselves
with the Egyptians.
ye be gone — not compelled by fear, but of your own accord, when I forbade you, and
when it was free to you to stay in Judea.
that ye might cut yourselves off — They, as it were, purposely courted their own
ruin.
CALVIN, "I was in the last Lecture obliged to cut short the subject of the Prophet;
for this verse depends on the foregoing, and is to be read together with it. The
Prophet asked why the Jew’s willingly cut off from themselves every hope of safety,
and were seeking their own ruin. He now expresses the matter more fully, even that
they were provoking God’s wrath by their superstitions. He then points out the
cause of all evils, — the pollution of God’s true worship by idolatries.
We here see that there is no end of sinning, when men despise God and allow
themselves every license in doing evil: God was unwilling that the Jews should go to
Egypt; for he had promised to cherish them as it were under his own wings; and
thus he intended to shew them mercy, so that they might remain in safety, though in
a country then miserable and desolate. But against his command they went into
Egypt. When they came there, in order to gain favor with the Egyptians, they
polluted themselves with vain superstitions. They might in the land of Judah have
worshipped God in purity without any danger. Distrusting the favor of God they
fled into Egypt; and the fear of men led them to deny their religion. We hence see
how one evil proceeds from another; when the Jews coveted the favor of that
heathen nation, they polluted themselves with many ungodly superstitions.
This is the sin which the Prophet now refers to, — To provoke me, he says, by the
works of your hands There is here to be understood a contrast between the works
which God had commanded, and those which men had devised for themselves. The
altar and the whole Temple were indeed works done by the hand and art of men;
but as God had commanded the altar to be made and the Temple to be built, the
Temple was not, properly speaking, a human but a divine work, it having been
commanded. But whatever men devise of themselves for the purpose of worshipping
God, is what is called the work of their hands; for they invent things themselves, and
40

follow only their own fancies; they attend not to what pleases God, but give license
to their own imaginations, so that according to their own will they mingle together
any sort of worship they please. This, then, is the reason, and according to this sense
it is, that the Prophet says, that the Jews provoked God by the works of their hands:
they corrupted his lawful worship and departed from true religion, when they
attached themselves to heathen Actions and corruptions.
He then adds, To offer incense to alien gods Under one particular thing, as it has
been already said, the Prophet includes what is general, for the Jews did not only sin
by offering incense, but also through various other superstitions. But by stating a
part for the whole, he clearly intimates that they denied the true God when they
worshipped idols. And then he adds, in the land of Egypt, into which ye have
entered, that ye might dwell there. he takes away the excuse which they might have
made, that they were constrained by fear, because they were unhappy exiles, and
saw that their own religion would not be tolerated by that proud nation. The
Prophet says that they had come into Egypt when God commanded them to remain
in the land of Judah. That plea, then, could not have been admitted, that being
terrified by danger they sought to please the Egyptians, for they brought themselves
into that bondage, when they might have been at liberty in the land of Judah to
worship God in purity. This is the reason why he says that they came into Egypt to
sojourn there.
He at length adds, to cut you off. The construction is indeed different, but the
meaning is clear. He intimates, in short, as he said in the last verse, that they
willingly, and as it were designedly, rushed headlong into their own ruin. He then
adds, and ye shall be a curse and a reproach among all nations By which words he
means that their destruction would be memorable; and this was harder than if their
memory was buried with their life. But the Prophet says that their death would be
such an example as that they would be deemed execrable by all. In short, he declares
that they would be exposed to all kinds of reproaches even after their death. It
follows, —
COFFMAN, "Verse 8
GOD'S HATRED OF IDOLATRY
"In that ye provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, burning incense to
other gods in the land of Egypt whither ye are gone to sojourn; that ye may be cut
off, and that ye may be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?
Have 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 committed in the land of Judah, and in the
streets of Jerusalem? They are not humbled, even unto this day, neither have they
feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before your fathers."
"The wickedness of their wives ... of your wives ..." (Jeremiah 44:9). The mention of
41

the wives of their kings as being leaders in wickedness brings to mind the hundreds
of wives and concubines of Solomon who demanded and received the building of
pagan temples for themselves in Israel; and it will be remembered that Jezebel the
wife of Ahab brought with her from Sidon an entire institution of pagan priests of
Baal.
"My law.., and my statutes ..." (Jeremiah 44:10) We have often noted that the long
shadow of the Pentateuch falls over every single subsequent word in the Holy Bible;
and here we have specific reference to it.
"Ye provoke me... burning incense to other gods ..." (Jeremiah 44:8). What is wrong
with burning a little incense to some pagan god? However innocent and harmless it
may sound to some ears, there are the most shameful implications in such actions, as
we shall note further under Jeremiah 44:15.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:8 In 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?
Ver. 8. In that ye provoke me to wrath.] This is a most pithy and piercing sermon all
along, not unlike that preached by Stephen, for the which he was stoned, [Acts 7:54;
Acts 7:57-58] and likely enough that this was Jeremiah’s last sermon also.
9 Have you forgotten the wickedness committed
by your ancestors and by the kings and queens of
Judah and the wickedness committed by you and
your wives in the land of Judah and the streets of
Jerusalem?
BARNES, "The wickedness of their wives - Many accept the reading of the
Septuagint: the “wickedness of your princes.” “The kings, the princes, the people,” and
finally “their wives,” is a summary enumeration of all classes, by whose united
persistence in sin the ruin of their country had been consummated.
42

CLARKE, "Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers - It seems that
the women were principal agents in idolatrous practices; for the queens - the wives, of
rulers and of common people, burnt incense to the queen of heaven, (the moon), Jer_
44:17, and poured out drink-offerings to her.
GILL, "Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers,.... And what
judgments it brought upon them; meaning not their more remote ancestors in the
wilderness, and the idolatry they committed, and the punishment inflicted upon them
for it; but more near, such who lived a little before the destruction of Jerusalem, and
whose sins had brought on that; and therefore could not be easily forgotten by them; or,
if they were forgotten, it argued great stupidity:
and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives;
by whom they were drawn into idolatry, particularly Solomon; and it is in the original
text, "the wickedness of his wives" (z); and Dr. Lightfoot thinks respect is had to
Solomon's wives; but it may be understood distributively of everyone of their wives, as
Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it (a):
and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which you
have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? where
they had built altars, and worshipped strange gods, they, and their wives, as well as
those who were carried captive; and which were the cause of all those evils that came
upon them; these, being recent things, could not be forgotten by them; or however
should have been remembered, and that so as to have deterred them from going into
such practices again, as they now did in Egypt.
JAMISON, "Have you forgotten how the wickednesses of your fathers were the
source of the greatest calamities to you?
their wives — The Jews’ worldly queens were great promoters of idolatry (1Ki_
11:1-8; 1Ki_15:13; 1Ki_16:31).
the land of Judah — They defiled the land which was holy unto God.
CALVIN, "The Prophet now sets forth how extremely shameful was the
insensibility of the Jews, in not acknowledging that God had most severely and
grievously punished the superstitions to which they had previously been addicted.
At the same time, if we regard the word used, he seems not to understand
punishments by evils, but raffler the wicked deeds by which they had provoked
God. And this ought to be observed, for some interpreters give this rendering,
“Have you forgotten your evils and those of your fathers;” that is, how severely God
had afflicted you? But there is no doubt but that the Prophet means by ‫,רעות‬ rout,
their sins, by which they had exposed themselves to God’s judgment; for it
immediately follows, which they did, or committed, in the land of Judah, and in the
43

streets of Jerusalem But though he means by this word the sins of the people, there
is yet no doubt but that he includes also the punishments by which they ought to
have known that the impiety in which they continued most obstinately had
displeased God.
When therefore the Prophet says, Have ye forgotten your evils and those of your
fathers? he takes it for granted that it was sufficiently known that God had taken
vengeance on them for their sins; for he does not address the Jews in their
prosperity, but when they were fugitives from their own land and under the curse of
heaven. As, then, they were evidently condemned by God, the Prophet justly asks
them, “Have ye forgotten that you have been condemned for the sins of your fathers
and those of your kings, even for those which they had committed?” This he asked,
because it was a horrid stupidity, that though the city had been overthrown and the
temple burnt, they did not yet leave off their superstitions, especially when so
singular a vengeance of God ought to have retained their posterity in fear and
obedience even for ten ages. Thus we see that punishment is linked with sins.
He says, of the kings of Judah and of their wives The relative is singular, “his
wives;” but no doubt it refers to the people. Some read, “of every one of them;” but
there is no need, it being a singular number, referring to a collective noun, Judah.
he afterwards adds, which they did This ought not to be confined to the women,
(nor is it suitable,) but it refers to all the Jews as well as to kings of Judah, and also
to the women, — which then they did in the land of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem
When he mentions the streets of Jerusalem, he exaggerates their wickedness. For we
know that city to have been as it were the earthly sanctuary of God. It, was then a
most disgraceful impiety to pollute that place which God had consecrated for
himself. The whole land of Judah was indeed under his authority and power, but he
had favored the city, and especially Mount Sion, with singular privileges. Then the
Prophet amplifies the greatness of their sin, when he says that Jerusalem had been
polluted by their superstitions.
WHEDON." PERSISTENCE IN IDOLATRY WILL BRING ONLY RUIN,
Jeremiah 44:8-14.
9. Wickedness of their wives — Literally, his “wives.” The singular is difficult of
explanation, and the translators have made a very natural, though unwarranted,
change. The LXX has for “his wives” “your princes,” and Ewald accepts this as the
true reading. Taking the Hebrew text, however, as it stands, it is probably best to
refer the pronoun his to Judah as a nation. As to “the wickedness of his wives,” see
Jeremiah 44:15; Jeremiah 44:19. The worship of the queen of heaven was peculiarly
a feminine idolatry.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:9 Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the
wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own
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wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the
land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?
Ver. 9. Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers?] Mira hic verborum
apparet emphasis. What a powerful and pressing discourse is this! Sed surdis
fabulam, but they were as a stake in the water that stirreth not.
“Have you 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 committed in the land of Judah, and in the
streets of Jerusalem?”
He calls on them to consider the past. Have they forgotten how their fathers and
their fathers’ wives had behaved, and how the kings of Judah had behaved? Have
they forgotten how they themselves had behaved, and their wives? It was because of
their wickedness practised openly in the land of Judah and in the streets of
Jerusalem that all God’s judgments had come upon them (Jeremiah 7:18). That was
why they were in the position that they were at this very day.
PULPIT, "Jeremiah 44:9
Have ye forgotten, etc.? The prophet wonderingly asks if they have forgotten the
sins of their forefathers and the consequent calamities. No other explanation of this
present idolatry seems possible; and yet how passing strange is it! Their wives. The
Hebrew has "his wives," i.e. according to Kimchi and Hitzig, the wives of each of
the kings (sometimes great patrons of idolatry). But it is better to adopt, with Ewald,
Graf, and Dr. Payne Smith, the reading of the Septuagint, "his princes."
10 To this day they have not humbled themselves
or shown reverence, nor have they followed my
law and the decrees I set before you and your
ancestors.
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GILL, "They are not humbled even unto this day,.... Not contrite under a sense of
their sins, nor truly penitent for them; not humbled before God nor man, so as to
acknowledge them, mourn over them, and forsake them. The Targum is,
"they cease not unto this day;''
that is, from committing the same things; which shows they had no true humiliation and
contrition for them. This is to be understood, not of the Jews in Babylon only, but chiefly
of those in Egypt; there being a change of person from you to they; the Lord not
vouchsafing to speak to them who were so obdurate and impenitent, but of them, and to
some other, as the prophet, concerning them:
neither have they feared; the Lord; neither his goodness nor his judgments; or
served and worshipped him with reverence and godly fear, as became them:
nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you, and before
your fathers; a full proof this that they neither had true repentance for their sins, nor
the fear of God in their hearts; for, had they, these would have led them to obedience to
the divine will.
JAMISON, "They ... you — The third person puts them to a distance from God on
account of their alienating themselves from Him. The second person implies that God
formerly had directly addressed them.
humbled — literally, “contrite” (Psa_51:17).
neither ... feared — (Pro_28:14).
CALVIN, "He afterwards mentions how great had been the perverseness of that
people, They are not humbled, he says, to this day, though they had been most
severely smitten by the rods of God. Even fools, when smitten, become wise, as the
old proverb says. As the Jews then had been so grievously chastised by God’s hand,
and had experienced extreme rigor, ought they not to have considered what they
had deserved? But the Prophet shews that their wickedness was past remedy, for
though broken down they were not yet humbled, like those who are of a perverse
disposition, who could not be reformed were they broken down a hundred times.
Then the Prophet upbraids the Jews with their obstinacy, for not even the greatest
calamity had brought them to obedience.
They were not then humbled to that day, nor did they fear Fear ought also to be
referred here to the calamities which they had experienced, for God had sufficiently
shewn that he had been grievously offended with their impiety. As then God’s
dreadful judgment had been made conspicuous to all, the Prophet here condemns
their dullness, because they had not been brought back to a sound mind so as to fear
God. He now adds another instance of obstinacy, that they had not walked in the
Law of God and in his commandments. Then he shows that their obstinacy was
twofold, that they had profited nothing by his teaching, and that they had
disregarded his punishments. The Law itself was to them a rule according to which
they were to worship God, nor ought they to have sought elsewhere what they were
46

to do. As, then, they had in the Law a revelation as to true religion, it was an
intolerable contempt to depart from it of their own accord, and to abandon
themselves to all kinds of errors. But the Prophet shews that they had been
extremely unteachable, because they had not only cast aside every regard for the
Law, but they had also despised God’s hand, and refused to be corrected by any
punishments.
That he might shew still further that they had sinned through sheer wickedness, he
says, They have not walked in my Law nor in my statutes This second clause seems
to be superfluous; but the Prophet here commends the clear teaching of the Law, as
though God had said that he had not only shewn in a brief manner what was true
and right, but that he had also by many statutes taught the Jews, so that they had no
pretext for their ignorance. And he confirms the same thing in other words, when he
says that he had put these statutes before their face; for by these words he intimates
that there is nothing obscure in the Law, and that the Jews therefore had not gone
astray through want of knowledge; for men always extenuate by evasions their sins,
when their impiety is condemned. The Prophet then says that the Jews were
inexcusable, because the rule of true religion had been set before their eyes.
Now this passage testifies that the teaching of the Law is not doubtful, as some
profane men say, who hold that Scripture may be turned anyhow like a nose of wax.
But God declares that he had not spoken ambiguously. Since, then, the Prophet
affirms that the Law had been set before the eyes of the Jews, that they might surely
know the will of God, we ought to maintain at this day, that in the Gospel, clearly
discovered to us by the coming of Christ, there is nothing obscure, but that the
treasures of all knowledge have been made known to us, as far as it is necessary, so
that they who now go astray in vain pretend that they do so because the will of God
is hid from them; for in no other way can they err than by dissembling and willfully
closing their eyes, lest the brightness of the sun should reach them. Let us yet know
that the more plainly God is made known to us, the more grievously we sin when we
turn aside from his true worship and service; for he has omitted nothing in his word
which is necessary in order to worship him acceptably. Since, then, we have before
our eyes the rule of a godly life, except we follow it this reproof belongs to us, that
God has set before our eyes his statutes. It now follows, —
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:10 They 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.
Ver. 10. They are not humbled.] Not tamed, not affected with attrition, much less
with contrition for their sins. This I tell thee, Jeremiah, for to them I am weary with
talking to so little purpose. Plectuntur sed non flectuntur: corripiuntur sed non
corriguntur.
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“They are not humbled even to this day, nor have they feared, nor walked in my
law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.”
Note the change of person as YHWH comments on them to Jeremiah. They have
taken such little notice of their past that even at this very time they were not
humbled, nor did they fear, or walk in His Law, or in His statutes, which He had set
before both them and their fathers. All His judgments have failed to move them. For
in spite of their apparent change of heart revealed when they had called on
Jeremiah to discover YHWH’s word for them (Jeremiah 42:2-6), they have
subsequently ignored that word and gone their own way.
11 “Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the
God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring
disaster on you and to destroy all Judah.
BARNES, "All Judah - i. e., all Judah in Egypt, yet even there with exceptions (see
Jer_44:14, Jer_44:28), while Judah in Babylon was entirely exempt from this
denunciation.
GILL, "Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,.... Because of
these sins of idolatry, impenitence, and disobedience:
I will set my face against you for evil; to bring the evil of punishment upon them,
for the evil of sin committed by them: this the Lord determined with himself, and
resolved to do; which the phrase, "setting his face against them", is expressive of, by
way of retaliation for their setting their faces to go down to Egypt, as well as of his wrath
and indignation against them:
and to cut off all Judah; not the whole tribe of Judah; not those that were in Babylon,
which were by far the greatest number of that tribe; but those that were in Egypt.
HENRY 11-14, "He threatens their utter ruin for their persisting in their idolatry
now that they were in Egypt. Judgment is given against them, as before (Jer_42:22),
that they shall perish in Egypt; the decree has gone forth, and shall not be called back.
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They set their faces to go into the land of Egypt (Jer_44:12), were resolute in their
purpose against God, and now God is resolute in his purpose against them: I will set my
face to cut off all Judah, Jer_44:11. Those that think not only to affront, but to confront,
God Almighty, will find themselves outfaced; for the face of the Lord is against those
that do evil, Psa_34:16. It is here threatened concerning these idolatrous Jews in Egypt,
1. That they shall all be consumed, without exception; no degree nor order among them
shall escape: They shall fall, from the least to the greatest (Jer_44:12), high and low,
rich and poor. 2. That they shall be consumed by the very same judgments which God
made use of for the punishment of Jerusalem, the sword, famine, and pestilence, Jer_
44:12, Jer_44:13. They shall not be wasted by natural deaths, as Israel in the wilderness,
but by these sore judgments, which, by flying into Egypt, they thought to get out of the
reach of. 3. That none (except a very few that will narrowly escape) shall ever return to
the land of Judah again, Jer_44:14. They thought, being nearer, that they stood fairer
for a return to their own land than those that were carried to Babylon; yet those shall
return, and these shall not; for the way in which God has promised us any comfort is
much surer than that in which we have projected it for ourselves. Observe, Those that
are fretful and discontented will be uneasy and fond of change wherever they are. The
Israelites, when they were in the land of Judah, desired to go into Egypt (Jer_42:22), but
when they were in Egypt they desired to return to the land of Judah again; they lifted up
their soul to it (so it is in the margin), which denotes an earnest desire. But, because they
would not dwell there when God commanded it, they shall not dwell they were they
desire it. If we walk contrary to God, he will walk contrary to us. How can those expect to
be well off who would not know when they were so, though God himself told them?
JAMISON, "Behold, I will set my face against you for evil — (See on Lev_
17:10).
and to cut off all Judah — that is, all the idolaters; Jer_44:28 shows that some
returned to Judea (compare Jer_42:17).
CALVIN, "He again denounces punishment on the obstinate; nor is it a wonder that
these threatenings were so often repeated, since he had to do with men so ferocious
and refractory. The reason then why he denounced on them God’s judgment, was
because they boldly derided him; and it will become more evident from what follows
how necessary was such vehemence.
COFFMAN, "Verse 11
SWORD; PESTILENCE AND FAMINE THREATENED
"Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: 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 sojourn there, and they shall all
be consumed; in the land of Egypt shall they fall; they shall 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. For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I
49

have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; so that
none of the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there,
shall escape, or be left to return into the land of Judah, to which they have a desire
to return to dwell there: for none shall return save such as shall escape."
The thrust of this paragraph is the emphasis on the hopelessness of any of the
Jewish sojourners in Egypt of having any part whatever in the future plans of God
for the salvation of all mankind. All of the sacred promises to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob were at this point to be severed completely from the Jewish remnant in Egypt,
and would rest solely with the captives in Babylon.
The reasons for this are easy to see. The temptations to idolatry in Egypt would be
stronger than Israel would resist. As for God's eternal purpose of human
redemption, it was of no further concern to those selfish sensualists sojourning in
Egypt. They still dreamed of going back to Judah, but they were in Egypt forever.
‘Therefore thus says YHWH of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I will set my face
against you for evil, even to cut off all Judah.” ’
YHWH now turns back to addressing the people. Therefore let them be sure of this,
He YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel would ‘set His face’ against them with a
miserable end in view, the cutting off of all Judah. Their God Who had once
delivered them from Egypt and its gods, but Who had acted so powerfully in the
past against them and their fathers because of their evil ways, would now act
equally powerfully against them at this time.
12 I will take away the remnant of Judah who
were determined to go to Egypt to settle there.
They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the
sword or die from famine. From the least to the
greatest, they will die by sword or famine. They
will become a curse and an object of horror, a
curse and an object of reproach.
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GILL, "And I will take the remnant of Judah,.... Such as remained of that tribe in
the land of Judea after the captivity: and not all of them, but such
that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there: who
were bent upon going thither, notwithstanding all the remonstrances made to them to
the contrary; and were gone thither, and were now actually sojourners there: this
describes such persons who wilfully, and of their own accord, went thither; and excepts
those who were over-persuaded or over-powered to go along with them:
and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; not by natural
death, one after another; but by the judgments of God, as follows:
they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine; by the sword of
the king of Babylon; and by famine, occasioned by a foreign army and sieges:
they shall die; from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the
famine; which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and to express the universality of
the destruction; that it should reach to persons of every age, state and condition, rank
and degree, young and old, high and low, rich and poor:
and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse,
JAMISON, "And I will take the remnant of Judah,.... Such as remained of that
tribe in the land of Judea after the captivity: and not all of them, but such
that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there: who
were bent upon going thither, notwithstanding all the remonstrances made to them to
the contrary; and were gone thither, and were now actually sojourners there: this
describes such persons who wilfully, and of their own accord, went thither; and excepts
those who were over-persuaded or over-powered to go along with them:
and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; not by natural
death, one after another; but by the judgments of God, as follows:
they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine; by the sword of
the king of Babylon; and by famine, occasioned by a foreign army and sieges:
they shall die; from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the
famine; which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and to express the universality of
the destruction; that it should reach to persons of every age, state and condition, rank
and degree, young and old, high and low, rich and poor:
and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse,
and a reproach; See Gill on Jer_42:18.
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CALVIN, "And first, indeed, the Prophet briefly shews that all those would perish
who had yet falsely imagined that they could not otherwise be safe than by fleeing
into Egypt. Then Jeremiah here reproves and condemns their false and vain
confidence. And then he explains the manner when he says, I will take away all the
remnant of Judah, who have set their face to come to Egypt, etc. By these words and
the following, God intimates that the Jews had in vain sought hiding-places in
Egypt, because there he would inflict on them the punishment which they had
deserved. He names the sword and the famine; the third kind he omits here, but he
will mention it presently. Then he says that they were to perish, partly by the sword
and partly by famine, and in order to speak more emphatically, he uses different
words, They shall be consumed by famine, they shall fall by the sword, they shall all
be consumed, and then he says, from the least to the greatest.
At length he adds, And they shall be a curse. We have said elsewhere that the word
‫,אלה‬ ale, sometimes means a curse, though it properly signifies an oath; and the
reason is, because men in swearing often introduce a curse, “Let God curse me,” —
“Let me perish.” Then he says, that the Jews would become an example of a curse;
for in making an oath this would be the common form, “Let God destroy me as he
destroyed the Jews.” He afterwards adds, an astonishment, because all would be
horrified at the very sight of their calamity. It follows in the last place, a curse and a
reproach, of which we have spoken before. Let us now proceed, —
WHEDON, " 12. They shall all be consumed — The original is emphatic by
repetition. The exact translation is: —
They shall all be consumed,
In the land of Egypt they shall fall,
By sword and famine shall they be consumed;
Small and great, by sword and famine shall they die.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:12 And 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.
Ver. 12. That have set their faces.] I also will set my face against such, [Jeremiah
44:11] and they shall all be consumed and fall. Oh what work hath sin made in the
world!
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“And I will take the remnant of Judah, who have set their faces to go into the land
of Egypt to sojourn there, and they will all be consumed. In the land of Egypt will
they fall. 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, and they will be
an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.”
For He would take all the remnant of Judah who had ‘set their faces’ to go to live in
the land of Egypt and ensure that they were consumed by famine and sword, the
very two enemies that they had been seeking to avoid by coming to Egypt. ‘Here at
least’, they had thought, ‘we need fear neither famine nor sword’. But let them be
sure of this. From the least to the greatest of them they would die by that very sword
and by famine, and become an execration and an astonishment in the eyes of all
people. They would become a curse and a reproach. For this language compare
Jeremiah 42:18; Jeremiah 18:16; Leviticus 26:25-26; Leviticus 26:32; Leviticus
26:36-38; Deuteronomy 28:37. Note the play on the fact that YHWH had set His face
against them because they had set their face towards Egypt.
13 I will punish those who live in Egypt with the
sword, famine and plague, as I punished
Jerusalem.
GILL, "For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt,.... Or "visit"; in a
way of wrath and vengeance; meaning not the native inhabitants of Egypt; though these
should be punished, and in whose punishment the Jews would be involved; but here it
means the Jews that dwelt in Egypt, who went thither contrary to the will of God, and
there settled:
as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the
pestilence; signifying that the same punishment that came upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and other cities of Judea, should come upon these Jews in Egypt, and as sure
as they came upon them; even those which they thought to have escaped, by leaving
Judea, and going to Egypt.
HENRY, "
JAMISON, "
K&D, "
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CALVIN, "He confirms in this verse what he had said in the last, that he would
again take vengeance on impiety, as he had done previously. The Jews were before
visited with a very grievous calamity, when inebriated with prosperity; but now,
when God would have shaken from off them their torpor, the Prophet justly
reminds them of the calamities which they had suffered: As, then, I visited
Jerusalem, so will I visit those who dwell in Egypt But the argument is also from the
greater to the less; for if God had not spared the holy city, in which he had chosen a
habitation, how should he spare Egypt? for Egypt was not worthy that God should
regard it. We know that it was a profane and an accursed land. It was, then, the
greatest madness for the Jews to hope to be safe in Egypt, when they could not have
been so in the holy land, which was God’s sanctuary, which was their heritage,
which was even God’s rest.
We now see the object of the Prophet; for he set before · them the ruin of the city
and of the land of Judah, that they might know that they could not escape the hand
of God while they dwelt in Egypt contrary to his command, for God would be a
severer judge to them there than he had been before in the land of Judah. It
follows, —
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:13 For 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:
Ver. 13. For I will punish them.] Let them never think that they shall one day be
settled again in their own country; they could easily come down into Egypt.
“ Sed revocare gradum,” &c. “Hic labor,” &c.
I will watch them for ever going back again; let them set their hearts at rest for that
matter, it will never be.
“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,”
For in committing the same sins as those in Jerusalem by turning to other gods, the
gods of Egypt, they were deserving of the same punishment. They equally therefore
would suffer sword, famine and contagious disease, as indeed Jeremiah had
previously prophesied (compare Jeremiah 42:17).
14 None of the remnant of Judah who have gone
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to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to
the land of Judah, to which they long to return
and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”
BARNES, "Literally, “And there shall not be to the remnant of Judah, which are
going to sojourn there in the land of Egypt, one that escapes or remains etc.” The word
rendered “escapes” means one who slips away, saves himself by a stealthy flight Gen_
14:13; the word “remains,” one who survives when all the rest perish Job_18:19. Of all
those now going down to Egypt none shall return to Judaea except a few miserable
fugitives, who shall steal away as men who flee in battle 2Sa_19:3. For really years
Jewish settlers had gone to Egypt in great numbers, and these old settlers would be
treated in the same way as the Egyptians, but these fugitives, with no knowledge of the
Egyptian language or ways, would have no friends in the country to aid them, and would
also be recognized by the Chaldaeans as inveterate enemies, and mercilessly slain.
GILL, "So that none of the remnant of Judah,.... Which were left in the land of
Judea after the captivity:
which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or
remain; escape either the sword, or the famine, or the pestilence, or remain in the land
of Egypt, or in the land of the living; so general should be the destruction:
that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a
desire to return there; or, "have lift up their souls (b) to return there": most earnestly
desire it, and have raised hopes and expectations of it; for it seems that those Jews that
went into Egypt did not go with a design to settle there for ever; but to return to their
own land, when there should be better times, and more safety and security there;
particularly when they thought the affair of the death of Gedaliah would be no further
inquired into:
for none shall return but such as shall escape; out of the hands of Johanan, and
the rest of the captains; and should get out of the land of Egypt before the Chaldeans
came into it. Some understand this of those that should escape out of Babylon; that none
should return to Judea but those of that captivity, who should be released by the
proclamation of Cyrus. Jarchi interprets it of Jeremiah and Baruch, whom
Nebuchadnezzar removed to Babylon, when Egypt fell into his hands, in the twenty
seventh year of his reign, as is related in the Jewish chronicles (c).
JAMISON, "none ... shall escape ... that they should return, etc. — The Jews
had gone to Egypt with the idea that a return to Judea, which they thought hopeless to
their brethren in Babylon, would be an easy matter to themselves in Egypt: the exact
reverse should happen in the case of each respectively. The Jews whom God sent to
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Babylon were there weaned from idolatry, and were restored; those who went to Egypt
by their perverse will were hardened in idolatry, and perished there.
have a desire — literally, “lift up (their) soul,” that is, their hopes (compare Jer_
22:27, Margin; Deu_24:15, Margin).
none shall return but such as shall escape — namely, the “small number” (Jer_
44:28) who were brought by force into Egypt, as Jeremiah and Baruch, and those who,
in accordance with Jeremiah’s advice, should flee from Egypt before the arrival of the
Chaldeans (see on Jer_42:17). Calvin less probably refers the words to the return of the
exiles in Babylon, which the Jews in Egypt regarded as hopeless.
CALVIN, "The Prophet seems to be inconsistent with himself; for at the beginning
of the verse he says that there would be no residue, but at the end he adds an
exception, that there would be few alive, who would flee, and, by some miracle,
escape from death. Some take this view, that none of the ungodly despisers would
remain, but that some would yet be preserved alive, even those who had been drawn
there against their own will, such as Jeremiah, Baruch, and such as were like them.
But this explanation may seem forced at the first view; and yet if the Prophet is
speaking of the Jews who had fled into Egypt, it is necessary so to take it; otherwise
there would be a manifest inconsistency and contradiction. But we may also refer
what he says at the end of the verse to the exiles in Babylon; for they who had
concealed themselves in Egypt thought that it was all over with all others, because
they had been led away into a distant country. As, then, a return to their country
was closed up against them, they thought that they themselves would become the
sole heirs of the land; for as Egypt was not far from the land of Judah, a return was
easy, and also free, because they had made a treaty with the Egyptians; and further,
they had gone to them as friends to partake of their hospitality. They, then, who
dwelt in Egypt thought that the land of Judah would be their own.
But God says that none would return into that land except those who should escape,
even those to whom permission to return would be given at the end of their captivity
and exile. I take then the word ‫,פלטים‬ pelethim, at the end of the verse, as referring
to the remnant which God would at length gather, when liberty to return was
granted to the Jews by the edict of Cyrus, at the end of the seventy years, which the
Prophet had before mentioned. And this seems to me a simpler meaning, that. is,
that none would remain of that remnant which had gone down to Egypt, who came,
as it is expressed, to sojourn in the land of Egypt and to return to the land of Judah,
for this was their purpose. (132)
He then adds, To which they lift up their souls to return there The Prophet here
exposes the confidence by which the Jews still deceived themselves; for the lifting up
of which he speaks, means to aspire or to hope, and denotes pride and presumption.
So by saying that they lifted up their souls, he reproves them, because they were still
inflated with a foolish hope, and persuaded themselves that a return would soon be
open for them, as the land was without any possessors. As, then, they were
56

cherishing themselves with such delusions, they were to know that they were never
to return there, They shall not return, he says. And then follows an exception,
Except those who escape, even those of whom the Jews in Egypt despaired, who
thought that they did well, and had taken a prudent counsel, because they had for a
time a quiet hiding-place in Egypt. It now follows, —
And those who shall escape the sword
(who shall have returned from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah)
shall be few in number;
but all the remnant of Judah, who have gone to the land of Egypt to sojourn there,
shall know the word, which shall stand, what is from me or from them.
— Ed.
COKE, "Jeremiah 44:14. So that none, &c.— Houbigant renders the last clause,
Nor shall they return, except a few who shall escape. It is evident from Jeremiah
44:28 that some Jews were to escape the general destruction in Egypt, and to return
into their own country, although but a few; and the same thing is implied in the
latter sentence of this verse. But the former part of this verse excludes out of the
number of escapers every individual of those that were called properly, the remnant
of Judah, those that had set their faces to enter Egypt to sojourn there in opposition
to the express command of God, upon a presumption that they knew better than
God how to consult their own restoration. The few then who were destined to
escape, and to return back to the land of Judah, were to be such as had come into
the land of Egypt in a less offensive manner, and happened to be there when the
storm burst upon them.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:14 So 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.
Ver. 14. For none shall return, but such as shall escape,] sc., From these fighters
against God, Johanan and his complices. The Talmudists tell us - but who told
them? - that Nebuchadnezzar, at his conquest of Egypt, sent back into Judea
Jeremiah and Baruch, &c.
“So that none of the remnant of Judah, who are gone into the land of Egypt to
sojourn 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 none shall return save such as shall
escape.”
And His purpose was that none of the remnant who had escaped from Judah and
had gone into the land of Egypt to settle there, would escape the coming judgments,
57

or would survive in order to be able to return to the land of Judah in spite of their
desire to do so, that is apart from a few refugees.
‘Save such as shall escape.’ The idea is that judgment will be so severe that only a
very few will somehow survive by the skin of their teeth.
So the same judgments that had come on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah
because of their disobedience, were now to be visited on these rebels because of their
disobedience. It should be noted that this was not simply because they had sought
refuge in Egypt, but because that seeking of refuge had been a renunciation of the
God of Jeremiah, and because the consequences of their doing was now being
revealed in their continuing disobedience, something revealed by the way in which
they had quickly and eagerly turned to the gods of the land of Egypt. It was their
motives which had been wrong from the start as YHWH well knew, and it had
brought them to this.
15 Then all the men who knew that their wives
were burning incense to other gods, along with all
the women who were present—a large assembly—
and all the people living in Lower and Upper
Egypt, said to Jeremiah,
BARNES, "none ... shall escape ... that they should return, etc. — The Jews
had gone to Egypt with the idea that a return to Judea, which they thought hopeless to
their brethren in Babylon, would be an easy matter to themselves in Egypt: the exact
reverse should happen in the case of each respectively. The Jews whom God sent to
Babylon were there weaned from idolatry, and were restored; those who went to Egypt
by their perverse will were hardened in idolatry, and perished there.
have a desire — literally, “lift up (their) soul,” that is, their hopes (compare Jer_
22:27, Margin; Deu_24:15, Margin).
none shall return but such as shall escape — namely, the “small number” (Jer_
44:28) who were brought by force into Egypt, as Jeremiah and Baruch, and those who,
in accordance with Jeremiah’s advice, should flee from Egypt before the arrival of the
Chaldeans (see on Jer_42:17). Calvin less probably refers the words to the return of the
exiles in Babylon, which the Jews in Egypt regarded as hopeless.
58

CLARKE, "Then all the men - and all the women - We have not seen the
women in determined rebellion before. Here they make a common cause with their
idolatrous husbands.
GILL, "Then all the men which knew that their wires had burnt incense
unto other gods,.... Which was a rite God appointed to be used in his worship; and is
here put for the whole of religious worship, which was given to idols by the Jewish
women; this their husbands knew of, and winked at, and did not restrain them from it,
as they should; they seem to be themselves irreligious persons, a sort of atheists, who
had no regard for the true God, nor any other gods, and cared not who were worshipped:
and all the women that stood by; the wives of the men that stood by their husbands,
and other women that stood and heard Jeremiah's sermon, and were conscious to
themselves of being guilty of what they were charged with by him:
a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt,
in Pathros; in that part of Egypt so called, which was Thebais: here it seems Jeremiah
was with that part of the people that took up their residence there; and by this it appears
there was a large number of them, men and women, and who were all become idolaters,
or connivers at, and encouragers of, such as were: these
answered Jeremiah, saying, one in the name of the rest made a reply, as follows:
HENRY 15-17, "We have here the people's obstinate refusal to submit to the power
of the word of God in the mouth of Jeremiah. We have scarcely such an instance of
downright daring contradiction to God himself as this, or such an avowed rebellion of
the carnal mind. Observe,
I. The persons who thus set God and his judgments at defiance; it was not some one
that was thus obstinate, but the generality of the Jews; and they were such as knew
either themselves or their wives to be guilty of the idolatry Jeremiah had reproved, Jer_
44:15. We find, 1. That the women had been more guilty of idolatry and superstition than
the men, not because the men stuck closer to the true God and the true religion than the
women, but, I fear, because they were generally atheists, and were for no God and no
religion at all, and therefore could easily allow their wives to be of a false religion, and to
worship false gods. 2. That it was consciousness of guilt that made them impatient of
reproof: They knew that their wives had burnt incense to other gods, and that they had
countenanced them in it, and the women that stood by knew that they had joined with
them in their idolatrous usages; so that what Jeremiah said touched them in a sore
place, which made them kick against the pricks, as children of Belial, that will not bear
the yoke.
II. The reply which these persons made to Jeremiah, and in him to God himself; it is in
effect the same with theirs who had the impudence to say to the Almighty, Depart from
us; we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
1. They declare their resolution not to do as God commanded them, but what they
59

themselves had a mind to do; that is, they would go on to worship the moon, here called
the queen of heaven; yet some understand it of the sun, which was much worshipped in
Egypt (Jer_43:13) and had been so at Jerusalem (2Ki_23:11), and they say that the
Hebrew word for the sun being feminine it may not unfitly be called the queen of heaven.
And others understand it of all the host of heaven, or the frame of heaven, the whole
machine, Jer_7:18. These daring sinners do not now go about to make excuses for their
refusal to obey, nor suggest that Jeremiah spoke from himself and not from God (as
before, Jer_43:2), but they own that he spoke to them in the name of the Lord, and yet
tell him flatly, in so many words, “We will not hearken unto thee; we will do that which
is forbidden and run the hazard of that which is threatened.” Note, Those that live in
disobedience to God commonly grow worse and worse, and the heart is more and more
hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Here is the genuine language of the rebellious
heart: We will certainly do whatsoever thing goes forth out of our own mouth, let God
and his prophets say what they please to the contrary. What they said many think who
yet have not arrived at such a degree of impudence as to speak it out. It is that which the
young man would be at in the days of his youth; he would walk in the way of his heart
and the sight of his eyes, and would have and do every thing he has a mind to, Ecc_11:9.
2. They give some sort of reasons for their resolution; for the most absurd and
unreasonably wicked men will have something to say for themselves, till the day comes
when every mouth shall be stopped.
(1.) They plead many of those things which the advocates for Rome make the marks of
a true church, and not only justify but magnify themselves with; and these Jews have as
much right to them as the Romanists have. [1.] They plead antiquity: We are resolved to
burn incense to the queen of heaven, for our fathers did so; it is a practice that pleads
prescription; and why should we pretend to be wiser than our fathers? [2.] They plead
authority. Those that had power practised it themselves and prescribed it to others: Our
kings and our princes did it, whom God set over us, and who were of the seed of David.
[3.] They plead unity. It was not here and there one that did it, but we, we all with one
consent, we that are a great multitude (Jer_44:15), we did it. [4.] They plead
universality. It was not done here and there, but in the cities of Judah. [5.] They plead
visibility. It was not done in a corner, in dark and shady groves only, but in the streets,
openly and publicly. [6.] They plead that it was the practice of the mother-church, the
holy see; it was not now learned first in Egypt, but it had been done in Jerusalem. [7.]
They plead prosperity: They had we plenty of bread, and of all good things; we were
well and saw no evil. All the former pleas, I fear, were too true in fact; God's witnesses
against their idolatry were few and hid; Elijah though that he was left alone: and this last
might perhaps be true as to some particular persons, but, as to their nation, they were
still under rebukes for their rebellions, and there was no peace to those that went out or
came in, 2Ch_15:5. But, supposing all to be true, yet this does not at all excuse them
from idolatry; it is the law of God that we must be ruled and judged by, hot the practice
of men.
JAMISON, "their wives — The idolatry began with them (1Ki_11:4; 1Ti_2:14).
Their husbands’ connivance implicated them in the guilt.
K&D 15-19, "The answer of the people to this threatening address. - Jer_44:15.
"Then all the men who knew that their wives burned incense to other gods, and all the
60

women standing [there], a great multitude, and all the people who dwelt in the land of
Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, Jer_44:16. [As for] the word which
thou hast spoken unto us in the name of Jahveh, we will not hearken unto thee: Jer_
44:17. But we will certainly perform every word that has proceeded out of our own
mouth, by burning incense to the queen of heaven, and pouring out libations to her, just
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 filled with bread, and became prosperous,
and saw no evil. Jer_44:18. But since we ceased to offer incense to the queen of heaven,
and to pour out libations to her, we have been in want of everything, and are consumed
by sword and famine. Jer_44:19. And when we [women] have been burning incense to
the queen of heaven, and poured out libations to her, have we made cakes to her
without our husbands, making an image of her, and offering libations to her?" To the
word of the prophet the men and women oppose their pretended experience, that the
adoration of the queen of heaven has brought them comfort and prosperity, while the
neglect of this worship, on the other hand, has brought want and misfortune. No doubt
they inferred this, by the argument post hoc, ergo propter hoc, from the fact that, after
idolatry had been rooted out by Josiah, adversity had befallen the land of Judah; while,
up till that time, the kingdom of Judah had been independent, and, for more than a
century before, had been spared the suffering of misfortune. Thus, through their
blindness, peculiar to the natural man, they had overlooked the minor transient evils
with which the Lord visits His people when they sin. Not till near the end of Josiah's
reign did misfortune fall on Judah: this was when the Egyptian army, under Pharaoh-
Necho, marched through Palestine; Josiah was slain in the battle he had lost, the land
was laid waste by the enemy, and its inhabitants perished by sword and famine. In Jer_
44:15, those who are represented speaking are all the men who knew of their wives'
idolatry, i.e., who permitted it, and all the women, "a great company," i.e., gathered
together in great numbers, and all the rest of the people who lived in Egypt. The
specification "in Pathros" is not in apposition to the words "in the land of Egypt," but
belongs to the verb ‫ֲנוּ‬‫ע‬ַ‫יּ‬ַ‫ו‬; it tells where the gathering took place, viz., in a district of
Upper Egypt. From the presence of a large number of women, we may conclude that the
assembly was a festival in honour of the queen of heaven. The former portion of Jer_
44:16 forms an absolute clause, from ‫ר‬ ָ‫ב‬ ָ‫דּ‬ ַ‫ה‬ to ‫ֵשׁם‬ ְ‫,בּ‬ "as regards the word which...we will
not listen to thee," i.e., with regard to this word we obey thee not. The expression, "the
word which has gone forth out of our mouth," points to the uttering of vows: cf. Num_
30:13; Deu_23:24. '‫ר‬ ָ‫ב‬ ָ‫דּ‬ ַ‫ל־ה‬ָ‫כּ‬ means "all that we have uttered as a vow," every vow to
offer incense, etc., i.e., to present meat and drink offerings to the queen of heaven, - that
shall we keep, fulfil, as we and our fathers have done in the land of Judah. On this mode
of worship, cf. Jer_7:17., and the remarks there made. "And we were satisfied with
bread," i.e., in consequence of this worship we had amply sufficient food. Towbiym
‫ים‬ ִ‫ב‬ ‫,ט‬ "good," well, comfortable; cf. Jer_22:16. ‫ן‬ ִ‫מ‬ ‫ז‬ ָ‫,א‬ "from that time" = since. ‫נוּ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ַ‫תּ‬ is
for ‫ֹנוּ‬‫מּ‬ ַ‫,תּ‬ from ‫ם‬ ַ‫מ‬ ָ‫,תּ‬ as in Num_17:1-13 :28; cf. Ewald, §197, a. To this statement on the
part of the men, the women further add, Jer_44:19, that they do not engage in this
sacrificial worship or prepare the sacrificial cakes without their husbands, i.e., without
their knowledge and approval. This is put forward by the women in the way of self-
vindication; for, according to the law, Num_30:9., the husband could annul, i.e., declare
not binding, any vow which had been made by his wife without his knowledge. Although
it is women who are speaking, the masc. ‫ים‬ ִ‫ר‬ ְ‫טּ‬ ַ‫ק‬ ְ‫מ‬ is used as being the gender which most
61

commonly occurs; it also pretty often stands for the feminine. The inf. constr. ֵ‫סּ‬ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫וּל‬
(with ְ‫)ל‬ is here employed, in conformity with later usage, instead of the inf. abs., for the
finite verb, by way of continuation; cf. Ewald, §351, c, where, however, many passages
have been set down as falling under this rule that demand a different explanation. The
meaning of ‫ה‬ ָ‫ב‬ ִ‫ֲצ‬‫ע‬ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫ל‬ is disputed; the final ‫ה‬ is a suffix, written with Raphe, though
Mappik also occurs in some MSS. The Hiphil of this verb is found elsewhere only in Psa_
78:40, and there in the signification of vexing, grieving, like the Piel in Isa_63:10; Psa_
66:6. Ewald translates "in order to move her," i.e., make her well-disposed, - but quite
arbitrarily, for to provoke is the very opposite of rendering propitious. The verb ‫ב‬ֵ‫צּ‬ ִ‫ע‬ also
signifies "to form, shape," Job_10:8; and in this sense the Hiphil is used here, "in order
to put them into shape," i.e., to form the moon-goddess (queen of heaven) in or on the
sacrificial cakes (Kimchi, Raschi, Dahler, Maurer, Graf, etc.). The sacrificial cakes (‫ים‬ִ‫ָנ‬‫וּ‬ַ‫,כּ‬
see on Jer_7:18) probably had the form of a crescent, or even of the full moon, like the
σελῆναι of the Greeks, which used to be offered in Athens at the time of the full moon in
the month of Munychion, to Artemis, as goddess of the moon; cf. Hermann,
gottesdienstliche Alterthümer der Griechen, 2 Ausg. S. 146, Anm. 13, u. S. 414.
CALVIN, "Here is more fully seen the irreclaimable obstinacy of that nation; for
Jeremiah had given them more than sufficient evidences of his integrity. They ought
then to have been fully convinced that he was a true Prophet of God. Though they
had disregarded him for forty years and more, he had yet given full proof of his
legation when he had constantly, even to the last, prophesied of the destruction of
the city and the Temple. They had, then, learnt by their own calamities that
Jeremiah was an instrument of the Holy Spirit, and a true interpreter of God’s will.
And it hence appears how blind they were when they rejected all his admonitions,
and counted his threatenings as fables. Thus, as in a mirror, the Holy Spirit of God
sets before us how great the madness of men is when Satan once takes possession of
their minds. But let us, at the same time, learn that this is the reward rendered to
obstinacy, when God’s Prophets are despised. It was, indeed, a monstrous and most
disgraceful thing, when they dared so insolently to repudiate the holy Prophet,
while, at the same time, they had been reduced to the greatest extremities, and when
spoiled of all things, had fled into Egypt, and lived there, as we have seen, in a
servile and miserable condition. Inasmuch, then, as they were still ferocious and still
arrogant towards God’s Prophet, it hence appears that they were untamable.
He then says, that all the men to whom the impiety of their wives was known,
answered Jeremiah By these words the Prophet intimates that the beginning of
idolatry was from the women. Things then had not as yet gone so far that all the
men openly worshipped idols; but the women had taken this liberty, and the men
readily indulged them. But why then did the Prophet before reprove them, as
though they all made incense to idols? We doubtless learn from this passage, that
they are not only guilty before God who openly do what is wicked, but also those
who by connivance tolerate them; for the men ought to have interfered so as to
restrain their wives from polluting themselves with ungodly superstitions; but this
62

they patiently endured. Then their consent was the same as the deed, as we may
rightly conclude from the words of the Prophet. He then says, that the men offered
incense, not indeed openly and with their own hands, but that they knew of their
wives, and that this impiety was done by the women with their consent. The rest I
cannot now finish, I will proceed with it to-morrow.
COFFMAN, "Verse 15
JUDAH'S NEW GOD; THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN
"Then all the men who knew that their wives burned incense to other gods, and all
the women that stood by, a great assembly, even all the people that dwelt in the land
of Egypt, in Pathros, and answered Jeremiah, saying, As for the word that thou hast
spoken unto us in the name of Jehovah, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will
certainly perform every word that is gone forth out of our 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. But since we left off burning incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and
pouring out drink-offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been
consumed by the sword and by the famine. And 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
husbands?"
The capital letters for QUEEN OF HEAVEN in the above paragraph are a variation
from our text. This is to emphasize the adoption of a new god by the Jewish
sojourners in Egypt.
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN
There was nothing either honorable or innocent in the worship of this ancient sex-
goddess by God's people. Who was the Queen of Heaven? She is identified primarily
with Ashteroth, Astarte, Ishtar, Venus, Aphrodite and other female goddesses of
antiquity. She was worshipped as the goddess of fertility and was the female
equivalent of Baal.
"The immoral rites of the worship of this deity entered Canaan from Babylon, long
before God sent the children down into Canaan to extirpate it and replace it with
the knowledge of the true God."[4]
The type of sexual orgies that went along with such worship is clearly visible in
Numbers 25, in which event Israel demonstrated their preference for that kind of
worship over that which God had commanded, a preference which they maintained
down to the events of this chapter.
63

"The Israelites turned to the worship of the Queen of Heaven as Ashteroth soon
after their arrival in Canaan; it was depraved in the extreme; it was rife in the times
of Samuel (1 Samuel 7:3-4); after Saul's death, his armour was placed in the temple
of Ashteroth at Beth-shan (1 Samuel 21:10); and Solomon gave it royal sanction (2
Kings 23:13)."[5] "In the times of Jeremiah, prior to the exile, the Chosen People
had given themselves over to the worst and vilest forms of heathen worship in their
worship of the Queen of Heaven."[6] Furthermore, it appears from the events in
these last two chapters that it was Israel's desire to continue uninterruptedly their
worship of this vile goddess that sparked their willingness to go back to Egypt.
"All the women that stood by ..." (Jeremiah 44:15). "This was probably an
idolatrous festival (to the Queen of Heaven) in which the women were taking a
leading part."[7] With regard to the part which the women played in such a festival,
Numbers 25 gives the daughters of Moab as examples! Cheyne agreed that, "This
special mention of the women suggests that the occasion of the gathering was a
festival in honor of the Queen of Heaven."[8]
"Since we left off burning incense to the Queen of Heaven ..." (Jeremiah 44:18).
This appears to be a reference to that period in the days of Josiah the king, whose
widespread reforms had, for a season, suppressed the shameful paganism which had
taken the land. "They senselessly attributed the disasters to Judah to Josiah's
reforms, claiming that idolatry had done more for them than had the Lord."[9] Not
once did the people connect their disasters with their sins! Nothing is more blinding
than infidelity; and the type of theological acrobat that can suppose sin to be a
better benefactor than the righteousness of God is here revealed to have been a very
ancient specimen, the prototype of many such theological gymnasts in our own
day."
Like the harlot in Hosea, Israel "Did shamefully, and said, I will go after my lovers,
that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink"
(Hosea 2:5); and she did not know that it was her God who gave all those things she
desired.
As the women concluded this shocking reply to Jeremiah, that said, in effect, "And
don't think for a minute that we do all this without our husbands consent!"
"Did we (do all this) ... without our husbands ..." (Jeremiah 44:19)? "Vows taken by
women, in order to be valid, were required by the Law of Moses to be with their
husband's consent (Numbers 30:7-16)";[10] and it is certainly amazing that these
women here seem to have been boasting that they had engaged in this shameful
worship "according to law." Indeed, indeed! This is the key to the error in their
thinking that they could do all of those sinful things and yet keep on worshipping
God! The result was a kind of syncretism, much like that which Jezebel attempted to
set up between Christianity and paganism in Thyatira (Revelation 2:20-14).
"Did we make cakes to worship her ...?" (Jeremiah 44:19) "The cakes were made in
64

the form of a crescent, representing the moon,"[11] believed to have been especially
sacred to the Queen of Heaven.
This worship of the Queen of Heaven had all kinds of astrological connotations,
similar to that of practically all of the mythological gods and goddesses of antiquity.
They were severally identified with the sun, the moon, and the stars, and with
certain planets in particular. When Stephen referred to the Israelites having
worshipped "the host of heaven" (Acts 7:42), the reference was precisely to these
ancient deities.
WHEDON, "Verse 15
REPLY OF THE JUDAHITES, THAT THEY WERE PROSPEROUS EVEN
WHEN IDOLATROUS, Jeremiah 44:15-19.
15. Had burned — Rather, burned, or were burning. The practice was even then
going on.
A great multitude — It would seem probable that this was at a great religious feast
or convocation, which accounts for a great congregation of women.
Answered Jeremiah, saying — The substance of this answer is, that worship of the
queen of heaven, had in their experience been associated with prosperity, but the
leaving off of this worship had been followed by calamity.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:15 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 that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
Ver. 15. Then all the men which knew that their wives had burnt incense.] And by
suffering them so to do had consented to what they had done; for qui non, cum
potest, prohibet, iubet.
And all the women that stood by.] Mulieres quicquid volunt valde volunt. Women,
as they have less of reason than men, so more of passion, being wilful in their way,
and oft carrying their men along with them. (a)
“ Sicut ferrum trahit magnes:
Sic masculum suum trahit Agnes. ”
Answered Jeremiah, saying.] One of the women speaking for the rest; and that
might well be one of Zedekiah’s daughters, the men conniving, and well content
therewith. See Jeremiah 44:19.
{a} Omne malum ex Gynaecio, All evil is from the women’s apartments.
65

PETT, "Verses 15-19
2). The People’s Defence To The Charge And Their Response To Jeremiah’s Words
(15-19).
The people’s defence is now blatantly stated, and confirms all that Jeremiah has
said. As far as they were concerned their ways had prospered when they had
worshipped ‘meleketh hashamayim’ (the queen of heaven or the handiwork of
heaven) and other gods. Since being turned to the sole worship of YHWH by Josiah
things had only gone wrong (they overlooked the years of prosperity and
independence under Josiah and the fact that after he had died public worship went
back to its syncretism). As far as they were concerned it was that that had brought
on them famine and sword. It should be noted that this was not a total rejection of
YHWH, He was after all the God of Israel, but it was a claim that He was only one
among others, and that in their view the help of more than one God was needed. But
it was a very weak argument, ignoring the facts and only convincing to themselves
because they wanted to be convinced.
Reference to meleketh hashamayim is found only here and in Jeremiah 7:18. It is
often equated with malkath hashamayim (‘the queen of Heaven’, the moon) but may
rather signify ‘the heavenly handiwork (mele’keth hashamayim)’ i.e. the stars.
These were worshipped in different guises all over the Ancient Near East. Either
way false gods were being worshipped alongside YHWH, something later confirmed
by the Elephantine papyri where YHWH was being worshipped alongside Anath-
bethel and Ishum-bethel, Anath being the mother goddess, thus being very similar
to the false worship here and in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:18).
Jeremiah 44:15
‘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 dwelt in the land
of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,’
Jeremiah now found himself faced by a large group of people whose spokespersons
were both the men whose wives were involved in the false worship, and the wives
themselves. Indeed it would appear that the women were the chief spokespersons
(Jeremiah 44:19), although clearly what was said by a number of people is being
summarised in what appears to us to be one speech. We must view the words
realistically. Clearly all the Jewish men and women in Pathros could not have
spoken all at once (although it might have seemed like that to Jeremiah at the time),
nor was it likely that literally every Jew throughout the land of Egypt was present. .
The point is rather that all the Jewish men and women who had gathered there in
Pathros, possibly for ceremonies connected with the moon/star god/goddess, spoke
to Jeremiah through their spokespersons, whether official or unofficial, and
gathered behind them in support. The word for ‘All’ rather therefore signifies ‘a
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large number, a great proportion’ as so often in Scripture.
16 “We will not listen to the message you have
spoken to us in the name of the Lord!
GILL, "As for the word that thou has, spoken unto us in the name of the
Lord,.... Which they did not believe that it came from the Lord, but was a device of the
prophet's, and a lie, as in Jer_43:2; and if it did come from the Lord, their impudence
was risen to such a pitch, that they were determined not to regard it:
we will not hearken unto thee: to thy words; neither to thy exhortations, reproofs,
or menaces, even though thou comest and speakest in the name of the Lord. This, and
what follows, is an unparalleled instance of the pride, obstinacy, enmity, and rebellion of
the carnal mind against God.
CALVIN, "We see, in short, that God’s Prophet was rejected; and yet there is no
doubt but the Jews pretended some religion, but they did not think that they were
bound to obey the command of man. And whence was this contempt? even from
nothing but perverseness; for however hypocrites may dissemble and say that they
do not despise God and his word, and address their words to ministers, yet their
impiety betrays them when, on the one hand, they pretend that they worship God,
and on the other they repudiate those furnished with his commands whom he would
have them to hear. But God will not and cannot have himself separated from his
word. Let us now go on —
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:16 [As for] the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the
name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
Ver. 16. As for the word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord,
we will not hearken unto thee.] This is just woman-like. See Jeremiah 44:15. When
man lost his freewill, saith one, woman got it; and whereas there came twelve kabs
(measures) of speech at first down from heaven, women ran away with ten of them,
say the Rabbis merrily. Here they are very talkative and peremptory; in some there
is a strong inclination, a vehement impetus, to whoredom, which the prophet Hosea
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calleth a spirit of whoredom. Such there was in these women to idolatry; they were
fully set upon it.
“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of YHWH, we will not
listen to you.”
Their disobedience to the word of YHWH as communicated through Jeremiah is
once more blatantly stated (compare Jeremiah 43:2 and contrast Jeremiah 42:5).
They openly declare that they will not listen to Jeremiah’s words spoken in the
name of YHWH. It is a deliberate rejection of YHWH’s true prophet, and therefore
of YHWH Himself as He really is. They were rejecting ‘the word of YHWH’.
BI, "As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will net
hearken unto thee.
The ministerial message and its reception
I. It devolves on ministers to speak to sinners in the name of the Lord.
1. They represent to them their deplorable situation; they describe to them the
horrors of the pit wherein there is no water, in which they lie; the miseries of that
prison in which they are closely confined; the unprofitableness of the drudgery in
which they are engaged; and the tribulation and anguish which they have to expect.
“Knowing the terrors of the Lord, they persuade men”; and sensible that, if they are
unfaithful, the blood of souls will be required at their hands, they are “instant in
season and out of season,” if by any means they Could persuade them to flee from the
wrath to come.
2. They do all this in the name of the Lord.
(1) They speak in obedience to His command.
(2) They speak in perfect agreement with the Divine word.
(3) They preach in the hope of promoting His glory.
II. The unpleasant reception with which their message often meets. “We will not
hearken.”
1. We hope that there are but few who would plainly say this in words; who are so
hardened as to glory in their shame; or so incorrigible as to tell God’s ministers that
they cast His words behind their back, as unworthy of attention, and beneath their
notice: yet we are persuaded that there are many professors who say this in their
hearts, and who will not see when the hand of God is lifted up; for if this were not the
case, would ministers so often have to lament over them, saying, “Oh, that they were
wise”; and, “Oh, that there were such a heart in them, to keep His commandments
and do them”? Careless hearers all say, “We will not hearken unto Thee.” And oh,
how few are there that will hear believingly! The word does not profit, “not being
mixed with faith in them that hear it”; men often “reject the counsel of God against
themselves,” and disbelieve the record that God has given of His Son. Their conduct
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shows that they believe not in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
2. What is the reason that they will not attend to those things, which, it is evident,
belong to their peace?
(1) Because they are in league with sin.
(2) What your ministers preach loudly speaks your condemnation.
I would say, by way of inference, In what an awful state are those persons who are
making the resolution contained in the text. They are evidently exposed to the loss of
their privileges; to hardness of heart, and contempt of God’s Word and commandments;
and to utter and eternal destruction. (T. Spencer.).
17 We will certainly do everything we said we
would: We will burn incense to the Queen of
Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her
just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our
officials did in the towns of Judah and in the
streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of
food and were well off and suffered no harm.
BARNES, "Whatsoever thing ... - Or, the whole word (or thing) which hath gone
forth out of our mouth; i. e., the vows we have made. They would not let Jeremiah’s
expostulations prevent the carrying out of the special object which had brought them
together: otherwise the Queen of heaven would be offended, and avenge himself.
GILL, "But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own
mouth,.... And not what went out of the mouth of God, or his prophet: but whoever
they had resolved on within themselves to do, and had declared with their mouths they
would, or had vowed with their lips; so Abarbinel interprets it of a vow; this they were
determined to perform, let God and his prophet say what they would:
to burn incense unto the queen of heaven; which, according to Abarbinel, was the
moon, which is the queen of heaven, as the sun is king; it was called by the Heathens
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Coelestis and Urania: but there are some that think that some great star in heaven, that
is king over the rest, is meant; so the Targum renders it, the star of heaven; which they
understand of the sun, as Kimchi observes; the sun being much worshipped in Egypt;
but Kimchi himself derives the word for "queen", here used, not from the root which
signifies "to reign"; but from another, which signifies "to work"; and so renders it, "the
work", or "frame of heaven"; the sun, moon, and stars; and so the Syriac version is "the
host of heaven"; See Gill on Jer_7:18; and to this deity, be it what it will, they burned
incense; and they were determined to continue it, and all other idolatrous rites and
practices particularly:
and to pour out drink offerings unto her; which was another part of ceremonial
worship, which the true God required of the people of Israel; but were here resolved to
give it to another god:
as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the
cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem; they plead custom and
prescription, antiquity and authority; the examples of ancestors and kings; the general
practice of their nation, both in the metropolis of it, and in its several cities, where it not
only universally obtained, but was visibly and openly done; and, more, they plead the
temporal advantage of it:
for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil: had fulness
of bread, and of all provisions; health, peace, and safety; and no judgment was upon
them, seen or felt by them; the sword, famine, or pestilence. The goddess Coelestis, or
the moon, which seems to be here meant, was, as Tertullian (d) says "pluviarum
pollicitatrix", "the promiser of rains" and so of all good things: or, "were merry" (e), as
the Heathens were at their new moons, when they indulged to their cups, and lived
jovially; hence that of Horace (f).
JAMISON, "whatsoever ... goeth ... out of our ... mouth — whatever vow we
have uttered to our gods (Jer_44:25; Deu_23:23; Jdg_11:36). The source of all
superstitions is that men oppose their own will and fancies to God’s commands.
queen of heaven — (See on Jer_7:18); Ashtaroth or Astarte.
we ... fathers ... king, etc. — The evil was restricted to no one class: all from the
highest to the lowest shared the guilt.
then had we plenty — Fools attribute their seeming prosperity to God’s connivance
at their sin: but see Pro_1:32; Ecc_8:11-13. In fact, God had often chastised them for
their idolatry (see Jdg_2:14); but it is the curse of impiety not to perceive the hand of
God in calamities.
victuals — Men cast away the bread of the soul for the bread that perisheth (Deu_
8:3; Joh_6:27). So Esau (Heb_12:16).
CALVIN, "Here they shew more openly their obstinacy; for having said that they
had no faith in Jeremiah, as he had not been sent by God, they now add that they
would indeed be the worshippers of God, but according to their own will. We have
here discovered to us the fountain of all superstitions. This passage sufficiently
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proves whence these flow, and from what source proceed all the corruptions by
which religion has been vitiated in all ages, even from the willfulness and pride of
men. While therefore men arrogate so much to themselves as to make a law
respecting the worship of God, all things must necessarily go wrong. It was for this
reason I said that this is the origin of all errors. How then is religion to remain
pure? even by depending on God’s mouth, by subjecting ourselves to his word, and
by putting a bridle on ourselves, so as not to introduce anything except what he
commands and approves. The right rule then as to the worship of God is, to adopt
nothing but what he prescribes. On the other hand religion becomes vitiated and
degenerates into superstition as soon as men seek to be legislators for themselves,
when they say, Doing we shall do every word that cometh forth from our mouth.
This willfulness is indeed what humble men will condemn if they only consult
common sense; but it is an evil innate in all, to seek to worship God as it seems good
to them. But Jeremiah here paints for us as it were on a tablet the beginning of all
superstitions: men set up their own will and fancies in opposition to the commands
of God.
He afterwards adds, To offer incense to the frame-work of the heavens. Interpreters
differ as to the meaning of this clause. We have stated some things already in the
seventh chapter; but as a great part of you were not then present, it is necessary to
repeat what was then said. Some derive the last word but one from ‫,מלך‬ melek,
which means to reign; and hence they give this rendering, “to the queen of the
heavens;” and this is the explanation of Jerome. But others derive the word from
‫,לאך‬ lak, and render it “work;” and some more rashly, “ministry;” and others,
“framework,” or, fabric, (machina.) There are also those deduce the word from ‫,הלך‬
elek, which is to walk; and they think that all the stars or planets are included in
this term; and we indeed see that walking or motion is what belongs to all the stars.
But if the word comes from the verb to reign, “the queen of the heavens” must be
taken for the principal star, as the Chaldee paraphrase regards it.
But some consider that the sun is intended, and some the moon. The sun in Hebrew
is of the feminine gender; therefore the sun may properly be called a queen in that
language. But if we take it as meaning frame-work, one of the radical letters ‫,א‬
aleph, is wanting, as in the seventh chapter. The Prophet, however, seems to
mention here the whole machinery of the heavens, as though the unbelieving had
said, that as wonderful glory appeared there, their worship was doubtless pleasing
to God, when his majesty was adored in the stars and in the whole frame-work of
the heavens. I do not therefore consider that one starts meant, but the very heavens
or all the stars; and though the word is in the singular number, yet it means what is
commonly called the hosts of heaven.
They then said, “We shall go on in our usual manner; for we have hitherto offered
incense to the fabric (or the frame-work) of the heavens, and poured libations; we
shall not then desist from what we have usually done: “and they further said, “So
have we done, we, and our fathers, and our kings, and our princes.” Here they set
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up the authority of fathers in opposition to the authority of God, as it was usually
done.
We see also in our day that the Papists superciliously boast of the Fathers and the
Catholic Church, when the plain truth is brought forward. They think that
darkness overspreads the Word of God, and that whatever is adduced from the
Law, from the Prophets, and from the Gospel, is reduced to nothing when they
object and say that it is otherwise, that the fathers have spoken otherwise, that it
was otherwise understood in old times. We hence see that the Papists of this day
fight with the same weapons as idolaters formerly employed; and though the devil
transforms himself in various ways, yet superstitious men ever adopt this principle,
that whatever is handed down from our forefathers ought to be held sacred; and
hypocrites do especially harden themselves in this error, when they can boast of
kings and princes, as was the case in this instance; for they said, that they followed
what had been done, not only by the common people, but even by kings and princes.
They took it as granted that kings and princes could not have fallen into ignorance.
The truth is, that greatness and splendor cover the ignorance and folly of kings. So
when simple men speak of kings, their eyes are blinded or dazzled by the
magnificence displayed, so that they think kings to be without dispute wise and
endowed with the best understanding. Hence it is that Satan is wont often to use
such masks for the purpose of deceiving men. Let us therefore learn to render to
God altogether the honor of prescribing by his word the law as to religion; and thus
let no altitude or dignity be allowed to overshadow the authority of God; but on the
contrary, let kings and princes be constrained to submit when God appears.
They afterwards added, In the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem And
they mentioned these places in order to sanction their own superstitions; for the
holiness of Jerusalem was to them a cover for all vices, as we see to be the case at
this day with respect to Rome, which is boastfully extolled by the Papists, as though
the hypocrisy which sends forth the most nauseous filth through the whole world,
were the most perfect holiness. Whatever then comes from Rome, they would have
to be counted as a heavenly oracle. In the same manner the wretched Jews dared to
set up Jerusalem in opposition to God. Great, indeed, was the dignity of the city, not
such is that of Rome at this day; for the Papists have not taken from God’s word the
encomiums, by which they extol that city, which is really a foetid and an abominable
brothel. Jerusalem had its dignity from God himself; but the Jews in their folly
degraded Jerusalem when they corrupted the Law and instituted fictitious worship,
according to their own will. And yet we see that they armed themselves with this
name, as a weapon, against the Prophet, as though they brought God to fight against
himself. Jerusalem had no dignity but that with which God himself had favored it;
but they boasted that it was a holy city, that whatever was done in it was to be
deemed holy and lawful, and not to be disputed, as though God’s Law had been
lying buried under the dignity of the city. Now Jerusalem had derived its splendor
and all the dignity it had from the Law only. But this, as I have said, was the
wickedness of men, that they corrupted and perverted the benefits of God.
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They then added, that they were satisfied with bread, when they burned incense to
the work or workmanship of the heavens It has ever been a common thing with the
despisers of God, that they have been inebriated with earthly things, so as to
disregard God himself, and to think that all their superstitions would go
unpunished. But whence comes this error? even because men deceive themselves,
when God patiently bears with them. God does not immediately take vengeance on
the profanation of his name, he does not immediately punish hypocrites and
idolaters, he does not immediately fulminate against ungodly and spurious modes of
worship: his forbearance seems to be taken as an inducement to sin, as an
excitement to licentiousness. When, therefore, the Jews adduced this defense, that
they were satisfied with bread, it was the same thing as though they had said, “As
long as God spared us, and suspended his judgment, it was well with us.” But they
ought not to have abused the forbearance of God, and thus to have heaped on
themselves judgment, as Paul says. Now there was also another cause of error, for
when God drew men back from error by chastising them more severely, as they
deserved, after seeing they were still obstinate, they then began so to regard God’s
judgment, as foolishly to think that the cause proceeded from religion being
changed. So, at the beginning of the Gospel we see that there were similar
complaints among all the ungodly, as the ancients have recorded, and especially
Tertullian, in his apologies: “If the Tiber inundated, if any calamity happened, if
hail or frost, the fault was ascribed to the name of Christ and his doctrine. From the
time religion has been changed, we have not ceased to be miserable.” But they did
not consider as they ought to have done, that when they were blind and sunk in
errors, God for a long time bore with them, and that after the doctrine of the gospel
had shone forth, they still wickedly followed their accustomed impiety, which before
might have been excused on the ground of ignorance: from the time God had shewn
to them the way of salvation, they had resisted it, as it were designedly and willfully,
so that they deserved a heavier punishment.
Such was the impiety of the ancient people according to this answer, We were
satisfied with bread when we poured out libations to the frame-work of the heavens;
that is, as God did not immediately punish their impiety, they were happy and saw
no evil. And yet it is certain that they said what was untrue, for God had often
chastised them, and at the time they were sedulous and devoted to their false
worship. They had gone astray to idolatry before Jeremiah was born; nay, before
Isaiah had commenced his office as a Prophet: and we know how severely at that
time God punished them for their wickedness; for in the time of Isaiah the kingdom
of Israel was distressed, and then wholly destroyed. Jerusalem, as Isaiah says,
became like a cottage, and the whole country was laid waste; and at this time they
poured out libations to the workmanship of heaven and burnt incense. We know
how great was the zeal of Ahaz, and of other wicked kings. Hezekiah, indeed, and
Josiah labored to restore the pure worship of God; but Manasseh, the son and
successor of Hezekiah, immediately subverted everything. While then they were so
fervid in their superstitions, did all things succeed according to their wishes, as they
now boasted? By no means, for God pursued them with the sword, with famine, and
with pestilence.
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What then did this boasting mean, that they were satisfied with bread, and were
happy, and saw no evil, at the time they poured out libations? The truth is, that
madness so drives on headlong the ungodly, that they perceived not God’s hand,
when stretched forth against them. But even had they truly said, that they were
happy at the time they pro-stituted themselves to idols, yet they could not have
hence inferred, that their false worship was approved by God; for when he bears
with men for a time, he does not yet cease to be their judge; for he will at length, in
his own time, sum-. mort to his tribunal the ungodly whom he has long spared. In
short, hypocrites at first trifle with God, and thus turn his mercy to an occasion of
sinning, as though there were no punishment; this is one thing: and in the second
place, they are not roused by the scourges of God, but remain stupid when God
chastises them. It follows, —
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:17 But 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.
Ver. 17. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own
mouth.] Heb., We will doing do every word that hath gone forth from our mouth;
that we may be dicti nostri dominae, as big as our words, our vows especially, {as
Jeremiah 44:25} which we made to worship the queen of heaven, in case we came
safe into Egypt.
To burn incense to the queen of heaven.] See Jeremiah 7:18.
As we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes.] Antiquity is here
pleaded, and authority, and plenty and peace. These are now the Popish pleas, and
the pillars of that rotten religion. It is the old religion, say they, and hath potent
princes for her patrons, and is practised in Rome, the mother Church, and hath
plenty and peace where it is professed, and where they have nothing but mass and
matins. These are their arguments, but very poor ones, as were easy to evince. But
as women, counted the devouter sex, have always carried a great stroke with their
husbands, as did Eve, Jezebel, Eudoxia, &c., the women of Antioch could much
against Paul and Barnabas; [Acts 13:50] so the people are indeed a weighty but
unwieldy body, slow to remove from what they have been accustomed to. (a) The
Irish will not be persuaded to put gears and harness on their horses, but will have
the plough still tied to their tails as they have been; neither in matters of religion will
they be drawn to leave their old mumpsimus (b) for the new sumpsimus, (c) so
powerful is usage, and so sweet our present though perverse opinions and
persuasions.
For then had we plenty of victuals.] Just so doth the Church of Rome borrow her
mark from the market’s plenty or cheapness of all things. But one chief reason of
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that is the scarcity of money that was in our fathers’ days, and the plenty thereof
that is in ours, by means of the rich mines in the West Indies, not discovered till the
days of Henry VII. Holinshed saith that some old men he knew who told of times in
England when it was accounted a great matter that a farmer could show five
shillings or a noble together in silver.
And were well, and saw no evil.] Ubi utilitas ibi pietas, saith Epictetus; and deos
quisque sibi utiles cudit, saith another: for profit men will be of any religion. If the
belly may be filled, the back fitted, &c., modoferveat olla, so the pot may boil, much
will be yielded to. (d) It is well observed that the Papists are most corrupt in those
things where their profit, ease, or honour is engaged. In the doctrine of the Trinity,
and other points that touch not upon these, they are sound.
“But we will certainly perform every word that is gone forth out of our mouth, to
burn incense to the Queen of Heaven (or ‘to the heavenly handiwork’), 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 had we
plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.”
Rather, they insisted that what they would do was obey themselves and their
inclinations. They would fulfil all the vows that they had made to the moon/star god
by burning incense and pouring out drink offerings before her, just as they had
previously done in the streets of Jerusalem and in the cities of Judah (Jeremiah
7:18), along with their fathers, kings and princes (who, they should have noted, were
now either dead or in exile). In other words they were looking back to what they saw
as ‘the good times’ and giving the credit for them to the moon/star god/goddess
whom they had been unofficially worshipping at the time, completely overlooking
what had occurred since. They were blaming all the bad things on YHWH.
We have here in summary the typical attitude of the natural man towards religion.
What he is concerned about is what he can get out of it. His question is, ‘does it
work?’ In other words does it make him prosperous and make his life easy. It was
Satan’s view expressed about Job, ‘does Job fear God for nothing?’ (Job 1:9). In
contrast the spiritual man asks, ‘is it making me more pure, more righteous, more
true? Am I more God-like as a result?’ That last was a question that this people
never even considered, for had they done so they would have known the answer.
Whatsoever thing goeth forth; rather, the whole word which hath gone forth. A
particular vow to the divinity is meant. The queen of heaven (see on Jeremiah 7:18).
Then had we plenty of victuals, etc. An extremely important passage, as revealing
the view taken of their misfortunes by Jews of the average type. Jeremiah regarded
the misfortunes of his country as proofs of the displeasure of Jehovah; these Jews,
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on the other hand, of his impotence.
18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to
the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink
offerings to her, we have had nothing and have
been perishing by sword and famine.”
BARNES, "The suppression of this popular idolatry had apparently been regarded
with much ill-will in Josiah’s time, and many may even have ascribed to it his defeat at
Megiddo. Probably Jehoiakim had again permitted it, but Zedekiah, during the miseries
of his reign, had forbidden it, and the people ascribed the fall of Jerusalem to the neglect
of their favorite goddess.
GILL, "But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven,.... Or were
restrained from it, as the Targum, through the force of the prophet's sermons, or by the
authority of their governors: this Abarbinel thinks was in the times of Jehoiakim,
Jehoiakim and Zedekiah; but perhaps it only regards some space of time in the latter
part of Zedekiah's reign, a little before the destruction of Jerusalem, when they refrained
from their idolatry; fearing the wrath of God, and what was coming upon them; though
Kimchi is of opinion that they never ceased; but they would say, when any evil came
upon them, it was because they ceased to burn incense to the queen of heaven, of were
not so ready to it as at first:
and to pour out drink offerings to her: another part of worship they performed to
her but for a while left off: and from that time they say,
we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword, and by
the famine; wanted all the necessaries of life, meat and drink, and clothing and a
habitation to dwell in; and multitudes were destroyed by the sword of the king of
Babylon; and others perished with famine during the siege; these evils they imputed to
their cessation from idolatry, when it was the very thing that brought them on them.
HENRY 18-19, "They suggest that the judgments they had of late been under were
brought upon them for leaving off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, Jer_44:18. So
perversely did they misconstrue providence, though God, by his prophets, had so often
explained it to them, and the thing itself spoke the direct contrary. Since we forsook our
idolatries we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword, the true
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reason of which was because they still retained their idols in their heart and an affection
to their old sins; but they would have it thought that it was because they had forsaken
the acts of sin. Thus the afflictions which should have been for their welfare, to separate
between them and their sins, being misinterpreted did but confirm them in their sins.
Thus, in the first ages of Christianity, when God chastised the nations by any public
calamities for opposing the Christians and persecuting them, they put a contrary sense
upon the calamities, as if they were sent to punish them for conniving at the Christians
and tolerating them, and cried, Christianos ad leones - Throw the Christians to the
lions. Yet, if it had been true, as they said here, that since they returned to the service of
the true God, the God of Israel, they had been in want and trouble, was that a reason
why they should revolt from him again? That was as much as to say that they served not
him, but their own bellies. Those who know God, and put their trust in him, will serve
him, though he starve them, though he slay them, though they never see a good day with
him in this world, being well assured that they shall not lose by him in the end.
(3.) They plead that, though the women were most forward and active in their
idolatries, yet they did it with the consent and approbation of their husbands; the
women were busy to make cakes for meat-offerings to the queen of heaven and to
prepare and pour out the drink-offerings, Jer_44:19. We found, before, that this was
their work, Jer_7:18. “But did we do it without our husbands, privately and unknown to
them, so as to give them occasion to be jealous of us? No; the fathers kindled the fire
while the women kneaded the dough; the men that were our heads, whom we were
bound to learn of and to be obedient to, taught us to do it by their example.” Note, It is
sad when those who are in the nearest relation to each other, who should quicken each
other to that which is good and so help one another to heaven, harden each other in sin
and so ripen one another for hell. Some understand this as spoken by the husbands
(Jer_44:15), who plead that they did not do it without their men, that is, without their
elders and rulers, their great men, and men in authority; but, because the making of the
cakes and the pouring out of the drink-offerings are expressly spoken of as the women's
work (Jer_7:18), it seems rather to be understood as their plea: but it was a frivolous
plea. What would it avail them to be able to say that it was according to their husbands'
mind, when they knew that it was contrary to their God's mind?
JAMISON, "But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven,.... Or
were restrained from it, as the Targum, through the force of the prophet's sermons, or by
the authority of their governors: this Abarbinel thinks was in the times of Jehoiakim,
Jehoiakim and Zedekiah; but perhaps it only regards some space of time in the latter
part of Zedekiah's reign, a little before the destruction of Jerusalem, when they refrained
from their idolatry; fearing the wrath of God, and what was coming upon them; though
Kimchi is of opinion that they never ceased; but they would say, when any evil came
upon them, it was because they ceased to burn incense to the queen of heaven, of were
not so ready to it as at first:
and to pour out drink offerings to her: another part of worship they performed to
her but for a while left off: and from that time they say,
we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword, and by
the famine; wanted all the necessaries of life, meat and drink, and clothing and a
habitation to dwell in; and multitudes were destroyed by the sword of the king of
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Babylon; and others perished with famine during the siege; these evils they imputed to
their cessation from idolatry, when it was the very thing that brought them on them.
CALVIN, "Here he enlarges on their ingratitude, that they attributed to God the
fault of all their calamities, when yet God would have drawn them, as the Prophet
will hereafter tell us, as it were out of darkness into light, had they been reclaimable.
They ought to have been restored, by punishments, to their right mind. But this had
been so far from being the case, that the effect of God’s scourges had been to render
them more and more obstinate.
They then said, that from the time they left off to worship idols, they had been
miserable, that they had labored under the want of everything, and had been
consumed by famine and the sword. They had before been consumed, as it is well
known, by the famine and the sword, and as we have said, they had before suffered
many calamities. Why then did they not refer to these punishments which they had
suffered for having so often, and for so long a time, rebelled against God? But they
willfully covered over God’s judgments: and yet they said that they had been in
every way miserable, since they had ceased from false worship. But was it for this
reason they became miserable, because they no longer poured out libations to stars
and idols? Nay, the reason was very different, as the Prophet will presently answer
them. But we must repeat all their words; we shall come afterwards to the refutation
given by the Prophet.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:18 But 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.
Ver. 18. But since we have left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, we have
wanted all things.] This was non causa pro causa. Not unlike hereunto was that
gross mistake of certain Lutheran ministers, who not long since, consulting at
Hamburg about the causes and cure of Germany’s calamities, concluded it was
because their images in churches were not adorned enough, which therefore they
would procure done. (a)
“But since we left off burning incense to the Queen of Heaven, and pouring out
drink-offerings to her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the
sword and by the famine.”
For, the women claimed, it was only since they had been forced to leave off burning
incense and offering drink-offerings to the moon/star god/goddess that they had
found themselves in want, and had experienced the sword and famine. This was, of
course, an exaggeration, for after the death of Josiah all the kings who followed him
had ‘done evil in the sight of YHWH’, thus allowing the burgeoning of idolatry. It
was therefore rather a vague memory of a time in the past when King Josiah had
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caused all such things to cease as far as worship in Jerusalem and other major cities
was concerned (it had still gone on secretly in the high places). And they
conveniently saw everything that followed as resulting from that.
19 The women added, “When we burned incense
to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink
offerings to her, did not our husbands know that
we were making cakes impressed with her image
and pouring out drink offerings to her?”
BARNES, "Burned ... poured ... did - Or, burn ... pour ... do.
To worship her - Rather, to represent her image. The cakes Jer_7:18 were made in
the shape of a crescent to represent the moon.
Our men - i. e., our husbands (margin). They had the authority of their husbands for
what they were doing. Jeremiah must leave them alone, and discuss the matter with
those who alone had the right to interfere.
CLARKE, "And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven - The Moon
seems to have been called ‫מלכת‬ melecheth, as the sun was called ‫מלך‬ molech. The
Hindoos pour out water to the sun thrice a day; and to the moon whenever they worship
her.
The idolatrous worship of these people was a sort of imitation of the worship of the
true God; only sacrifice was not common in it. The factious women here tell us in what it
consisted.
1. They burnt incense to the moon, and perhaps to the sun and the planets.
2. They poured out libations to her.
3. They made and consecrated cakes to her.
All these were prescribed in the worship of the true God. See, among others, Exo_29:23,
etc.; Lev_2:4; Lev_23:16; and Num_6:15. And the women vindicate their conduct by
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asserting that they did all this by the consent of their husbands: “Did we worship her
without our men?”
GILL, "And when we burnt incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out
drink offerings unto her,.... Which they owned they did, and which they were not
ashamed of, and were determined to go on with; and were only sorry that they had at
any time omitted such service:
did we make cakes to worship her; or, "to make her glad" (g), as Kimchi;
interpreting the word by an antiphrasis; it having a contrary signification, to grieve or to
make sorrowful; and from hence idols have their name sometimes, because in the issue
they bring grief and trouble to their worshippers; hence some render it, "to make her an
idol" (h); or them, the cakes, an idol; these had, as Jarchi says, the likeness of the idol
impressed upon them:
and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men? they own they did
these things but not without the knowledge and consent at least, if not with the presence,
of their husbands; hence these words seem to be the words of the women. Some indeed
think they speak all along, from Jer_44:16; or one in the name of the rest; it may be one
of Zedekiah's daughters; but however, if the men spoke what is said in the preceding
verses, the women, being provoked, could hold their peace no longer, but broke in, and
uttered these words; though some render the last clause, "without our principal men"
(i); and so take them to be the words of the people in general; who urge, in their own
defence, that what they did they did with the direction, approbation, and leading
example of their kings and governors.
JAMISON, "make ... cakes to worship her — Maurer translates, “to form her
image.” Crescent-shaped cakes were offered to the moon. Vulgate supports English
Version.
without our men — The women mentioned (Jer_44:15); “a great multitude” here
speak: we have not engaged in secret night orgies which might justly be regarded
unfavorably by our husbands: our sacred rites have been open, and with their privity.
They wish to show how unreasonable it is that Jeremiah should oppose himself alone to
the act of all, not merely women, but men also. The guilty, like these women, desire to
shield themselves under the complicity of others. Instead of helping one another
towards heaven, husband and wife often ripen one another for hell.
CALVIN, "They brought forward another argument, that they were not a small
portion, but the whole people, who then flourished in prosperity, when they offered
incense to idols. We know that but a few remained of that large multitude, which
lived when the kingdom as yet existed. They said then that they were not the sole
authors of this superstition, but that it was practiced by a large number of men,
even the whole people, when Jerusalem was full of inhabitants, and the whole
country.
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Some explain this of the women, but improperly, as I think. The masculine gender is
sometimes applied to women, but seldom, and it is harsh, and then it agrees not with
this passage, where the whole context shews that men are spoken of; but one reason
only leads them to think so, and that is frivolous. It is said, Have we done this
without our men? When, therefore, they said that they had not acted without the
men, it has immediately occurred to inter-prefers that the women spoke; but the
word is in the masculine gender. It is well known that ‫,אנשים‬ anushim, mean
sometimes the aged, and also the princes who bear rule, as it is evident from other
passages. But here that small band which remained brought forward the consent of
a large multitude, as though they had said, “We here are many against thee who
standest alone; but if thou comparest the ancient condition of the city and of the
land with our miserable state, when the kingdom flourished, when the city remained
in safety, when the whole country was full of inhabitants, did they not all then, with
one consent, worship the stars and the workmanship of the heavens? Since, then,
this religion has been approved by the consent of so many, what meanest thou in
attempting to take it away from us?”
We now, then, perceive the design of the Prophet, or rather we understand the
meaning of those whom he has introduced as the speakers. They then said that they
did not offer incense and pour out libations without their men, that is, without that
large multitude, which afterwards perished or was consumed; and thus they set up
against him, as a cloud, a large number of men, as the Papists do at this day, who,
by means of consent, only fight against the truth, of God for the purpose of
overwhelming it. In like manner did these wretched men contend with Jeremiah;
and this pretext was their shield, that the whole people, before the city was
demolished, followed these superstitions: We have, then, not done this without our
men, pouring out libations and offering incense. It now follows, —
WHEDON, " 19. Make her cakes to worship her — The meaning of the word
translated to worship has been entirely misapprehended by the translators. Its
import is, “to represent her image,” alluding to the crescent shape of the cakes. The
same word is used in Job 10:8, and is there translated “fashioned.” Keil’s version
expresses the sense well. “Have we made cakes to her, making an image of her and
pouring out libations to her, without our husbands?”
Without our men — Showing that this is the language of the women, and that the
men agreed with them in their idolatry. It could not be pleaded that their vows were
unlawful because they had not the consent of their husbands.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:19 And 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?
Ver. 19. And when we burnt incense to the queen of heaven.] So the Papists also call
the Virgin Mary, and idolise her, as the word here rendered to worship her doth
properly signify: Idoli reiectitii appellationem in eam transferentes.
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Did we make her cakes without our men?] i.e., Without our husbands’ privity and
approbation. But is that a sufficient excuse? Should not God be obeyed rather than
men? A wife is not to perform such blind obedience to her husband as Plutarch
prescribeth, when he layeth it as a law of wedlock on the wife to acknowledge and
worship the same gods, and none else, but those whom her husband honoureth and
reputeth for gods. (a)
“And when we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven, and poured out drink-
offerings to her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink-
offerings unto her, without our husbands?”
And the women assured Jeremiah that they were not alone in thinking like this.
Their husbands had been equally involved. They had been fully aware of what their
wives were doing, and had even connived in it. This would in fact have been
necessary for no woman in Judah could make a binding vow unless her husband
was in agreement with it (Numbers 30:3-16). Furthermore this worship was not
something that they could have kept secret from their husbands. Indeed, as
Jeremiah 7:18 so vividly portrays, ‘the children gather wood, the fathers kindle the
fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes for the moon/star god/goddess
and to pour out drink-offerings to other gods’. They were all involved together.
So, if this was a gathering of all the Judeans in Egypt who had gathered together
from all over Egypt, it is clear that they stood firm together in their determination
not to listen to Jeremiah, but to pursue their own course of syncretistic polytheism.
They themselves were claiming that they were making the same choice as their
fathers had before them. Once again Jeremiah could have looked everywhere and
would have found no one willing to do the will of YHWH (compare Jeremiah 5:1-5).
It is manifest that they had failed to learn the lesson of history.
This part of the reply belongs to the women, who declare that, their husbands'
consent having been given to their vow, Jeremiah has no right to interfere (see
Numbers 30:6, Numbers 30:7). Burned …poured, etc.; rather, burn, pour. Did we,
etc.; rather, do we, etc. To worship her. The sense of the Hebrew is doubtful; but the
best reading seems that of Rashi, Graf, and Dr. Payne Smith, "to make her image."
Without our men; rather, without our husbands.
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20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men
and women, who were answering him,
GILL, "Then Jeremiah said unto all the people,.... Immediately, being
influenced, directed, and assisted by the Spirit of God; though what he says, in Jer_
44:21; he does not declare as coming from the Lord; but what was upon his mind, and
was a full refutation of all that had been said: and which he delivered
to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him
that answer; in which they all agreed, though delivered by one; and to which he made
a reply:
saying; as follows:
HENRY 20-24, "Daring sinners may speak many a bold word and many a big word,
but, after all, God will have the last word; for he will be justified when he speaks, and all
flesh, even the proudest, shall be silent before him. Prophets may be run down, but God
cannot; nay, here the prophet would not.
I. Jeremiah has something to say to them from himself, which he could say without a
spirit of prophecy, and that was to rectify their mistake (a wilful mistake it was)
concerning the calamities they had been under and the true intent and meaning of them.
They said that these miseries came upon them because they had now left off burning
incense to the queen of heaven. “No,” says he, “it was because you had formerly done it,
not because you had now left it off.” When they gave him that answer, he immediately
replied (Jer_44:20) that the incense which they and their fathers had burnt to other
gods did indeed go unpunished a great while, for God was long-suffering towards them,
and during the day of his patience it was perhaps, as they said, well with them, and they
saw no evil; but at length they grew so provoking that the Lord could no longer bear
(Jer_44:22), but began a controversy with them, whereupon some of them did a little
reform; their sins left them, for so it might be said, rather than that they left their sins.
But their old guilt being still upon the score, and their corrupt inclinations still the same,
God remembered against them the idolatries of their fathers, their kings, and their
princes, in the streets of Jerusalem, which they, instead of being ashamed of, gloried in
as a justification of them in their idolatries; they all came into his mind (Jer_44:21), all
the abominations which they had committed (Jer_44:22) and all their disobedience to
the voice of the Lord (Jer_44:23), all were brought to account; and therefore, to punish
them for these, is their land a desolation and a curse, as at this day (Jer_44:22);
therefore, not for their late reformation, but for their old transgressions, has all this evil
happened to them, as at this day, Jer_44:23. Note, The right understanding of the cause
of our troubles, one would think, should go far towards the cure of our sins. Whatever
evil comes upon us, it is because we have sinned against the Lord, and should therefore
stand in awe and sin not.
II. Jeremiah has something to say to them, to the women particularly, from the Lord
of hosts, the God of Israel, They have given their answer; now let them hear God's reply,
Jer_44:24. Judah, that dwells in the land of Egypt, has God speaking to them, even
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there; that is their privilege. Let them observe what he says; that is their duty, Jer_
44:26. Now God, in his reply, tells them plainly,
JAMISON, "Them - The various acts of idolatry involved in burning incense to an
image.
K&D 20-22, "Refutation of these statements of the people. - Jer_44:20. "And
Jeremiah spake to all the people, to the men and women, and to all the people that had
given him answer, saying, Jer_44:21. Did not the incense-burning which he performed
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 Jahveh remember them, and did it
not arise in His mind? Jer_44:22. And Jahveh could no longer endure it, because of the
wickedness of your deeds, because of the abominations which ye committed; thus your
land became a desolation, and a waste, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this
day. Jer_44:23. Because ye burned incense and sinned against Jahveh, and did not
hearken to the voice of Jahveh, and in His law, in His statutes, and in His testimonies
ye walked not; therefore this evil hath befallen you, as at this day." Jeremiah answers
them that their idol-worship, by which they have provoked the Lord their God, is the
very cause of the misfortune that has befallen them, because God could no longer endure
this abomination which they would not forsake. ‫ר‬ ֵ‫טּ‬ ִ‫קּ‬ ַ‫ה‬ is a noun, "the burning of
incense," which includes, besides, all the other elements of idolatrous worship hence the
word is resumed, at the close, under the plur. ‫ם‬ ָ‫ת‬ ‫,א‬ "these things." ‫ה‬ֶ‫ֲל‬‫ע‬ ַ‫ַתּ‬‫ו‬ is 3rd pers.
sing. neut., lit., "it has come into His mind," i.e., He has carefully considered it, and that
in the way of punishment, for He could no longer endure such abomination. The imperf.
‫ל‬ַ‫יוּכ‬ is used for the historic tense (imperf. with ‫ו‬ consec.), because the ‫ו‬ would
necessarily be separated from the verb by the ‫ֹא‬‫;ל‬ and it is employed instead of the
perfect, which we would be inclined to expect after the preceding ‫ר‬ַ‫ָכ‬‫ז‬, since that which is
treated of is something that endures for a considerable time; cf. Ewald, §346, b. On the
expression "because of the evil," etc., cf. Jer_21:12; Jer_4:4, etc.; on the last clause in
Jer_44:22, cf. Jer_44:6 and Jer_44:12.
CALVIN, "The Prophet refutes the impious objections by which the Jews had
attempted to subvert and to render contemptible his doctrine, he then turns against
them all that they had falsely boasted. They had at the beginning said, “Our kings,
our princes, and our fathers, had before used these rites; and they have been
delivered to us, as it were, by their hands.” To this Jeremiah answers, “This is
certainly true, and for this reason it was that God became so severe a judge of their
impiety, when he took away your fathers from the world, when he wholly destroyed
the kingdom itself, when he demolished the city, and when at length he afflicted you
with all kinds of evils: for except your kings, and your fathers, and your princes,
had been impious towards God, he would have never treated them with so much
severity; for he has promised to be a Father to the children of Abraham. God, then,
must have been grievously offended with you, and your fathers, and your kings,
when his wrath thus burned against them.”
There is, then, here a retort; for as we see that the Prophet turns against them what
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they had adduced against him. This is the sum of what is said.
He says that he spoke to the whole people, both men and women, and he repeats the
whole people, because all had subscribed to the impious calumny. Then God says,
“For this reason have I destroyed your city and you, even because ye burnt incense
to-your idols.” The truth of what they had boasted is allowed, but it is turned to a
meaning different from what they thought. For, as their fathers and their kings had
imbibed superstitions, they supposed that they were doing right in following them;
for, as we have said, hypocrites consider use and custom as sufficient reasons for
disregarding the Law. Then, as to the fact itself, the Prophet admits that what they
said was quite true, that this had been the cause of all their evils; for had not the
kings and the whole people provoked the wrath of God, the temple would not have
been demolished, nor the kingdom destroyed; God, in short, would not have
alienated himself from his own people whom he had adopted. This is the meaning.
COFFMAN, "Verse 20
JEREMIAH REFUTES THEIR FALSE ARGUMENT
"Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men and to the women, even to all
the people that had given him that answer, saying, The incense that ye burned in the
cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, and your kings
and your princes, and the people of the land, did not Jehovah remember them, and
came it not into his mind? so that Jehovah could no longer bear, because of the evil
of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed;
therefore is your land become a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse,
without inhabitant, as it is this day. Because ye have burned incense, and because ye
have sinned against Jehovah, and have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah, nor walked
in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore is this evil happened
unto you, as it is this day."
"Did not Jehovah remember them ...?" (Jeremiah 44:21). This is the equivalent of
Jeremiah's asking, "Do you think all of those people really got by with their
shameless worship of the Queen of Heaven? If you do, take a look at their land as it
is this very day!
This was the only refutation that the false arguments of the Queen's worshippers
really needed, if they had only had the sense to appreciate it. Alas, it is true, as Hegel
said in his Philosophy of History (1807), "What experience and history teach is this:
people and governments never have learned anything from human history, or acted
upon the principles deduced from it."[12] Just so it was with those Jews who went
sojourning in Egypt; they became ensnared in the shameless idolatry of Egypt and
lost their relationship with the Creator.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:20 Then 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,
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Ver. 20. Then Jeremiah said unto all the people.] The prophet, without any special
command from God, moved with a spirit of zeal, confuteth that blasphemy of theirs,
and showeth plainly that idolatry maketh no people happy, but the contrary;
though this be an old plea, or rather cavil, answered fully long since by Cyprian
against Demetrian, Augustine De Civit. Dei, and Orosius.
PETT, "Verses 20-23
3). Jeremiah’s Makes An Immediate Reply By Reminding Them That YHWH Had
Seen What They And Their Fathers Had Done And Had Acted In Judgment On
Them For That Reason By Desolating Their Land And Making It A Spectacle To
The World (20-23).
Jeremiah’s reply was to point out that it was the very fact that they had offered
worship to other gods that had in the past been the cause of all their problems. It
was that that had brought all God’s warnings of judgment on them from the
prophets. It was precisely what God had had in mind when He had cause their cities
to be destroyed and had made them a spectacle to the world.
Jeremiah 44:20
‘Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men, and to the women, even to all the
people who had given him that answer, saying,’
Note that Jeremiah’s reply is to ‘the men and the women’ who had been involved in
the people’s response to him. All were involved and therefore all were guilty.
21 “Did not the Lord remember and call to mind
the incense burned in the towns of Judah and the
streets of Jerusalem by you and your ancestors,
your kings and your officials and the people of the
land?
86

BARNES, "Them - The various acts of idolatry involved in burning incense to an
image.
GILL, "That incense that ye burnt in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem,.... To false gods, to the queen of heaven, to the host thereof:
ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the
land; on which account they pleaded antiquity, authority, and the general consent of the
people, as on their side, which the prophet allows; but it all signified nothing:
did not the Lord remember them, and came it not into his mind? either the
incense they offered up to strange gods, or the persons that did it? did he take no notice
of these idolatrous practices, and of these idolaters? he did; he laid up these things in his
mind; he showed a proper resentment of them, and in due time punished for them.
JAMISON, "The incense ... did not the Lord remember — Jeremiah owns that
they did as they said, but in retort asks, did not God repay their own evil-doing? Their
very land in its present desolation attests this (Jer_44:22), as was foretold (Jer_25:11,
Jer_25:18, Jer_25:38).
CALVIN, "The incense, he says, which ye have burnt in the cities of Judah and the
streets of Jerusalem, ye and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the
whole people of the land, has not Jehovah remembered them? Whence, he says, has
this dreadful calamity proceeded, which has destroyed all your race? Even from the
wrath of God, for it has not happened to you by chance, for God had by his servants
predicted what afterwards has been really fulfilled. It then follows, that your city
has been destroyed through the righteous judgment of God. And what has been the
cause of so great and so grievous a vengeance? Even your incense.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:21 The 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?
Ver. 21. Ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes.] This was another thing
they stood much upon, that their fathers had done it: so had their grandees. If men
can say, "We have sinned with our fathers," they think it is enough. The heretic
Dioscurus cried out, I hold with the fathers, I am cast out with the fathers, &c. Yea,
Jerome once desired leave of Augustine to err with seven fathers whom he found of
his opinion. But what saith the Scripture? "Be not ye the servants of men." [1
Corinthians 7:23] And what said a great politician? I will not live by example, but
by rule; neither will I pin my faith on another’s sleeve, because I know not whither
he may carry it.
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Did not the Lord remember them?] When you thought he had forgot them. Sin may
sleep a long time, like a sleeping debt, not called for of many years, &c.
“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, did
not YHWH remember them, and did it not come into his mind?”
He points out that it was the very incense burned in their cities to false gods that
YHWH had remembered and had brought to mind. That was the very reason why
He was angry with them, and was why judgment had come on them. And what was
more they had all been involved, they themselves, their fathers, their rulers and all
the people of the land.
22 When the Lord could no longer endure your
wicked actions and the detestable things you did,
your land became a curse and a desolate waste
without inhabitants, as it is today.
BARNES, "Could no longer bear - The prophet corrects in these words the error
of their argument in Jer_44:17. God is long-suffering, and therefore punishment follows
slowly upon sin.
CLARKE, "Therefore is your land a desolation - I grant that ye and your
husbands have joined together in these abominations; and what is the consequence?
“The Lord could no longer bear because of your evil doings; and therefore is your land a
desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, this day.”
GILL, "So that the Lord could no longer forbear,.... He did forbear a long time,
and did not stir up all his wrath, but waited to see if these people would repent of their
sins, and turn from them; during which time of his forbearance, things might be well
88

with them, as they had said, and they enjoyed peace and plenty; but persisting in their
sins, and growing worse and worse, he could bear with them no longer, but brought
down his judgments upon them. The reason is expressed,
because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which
ye have committed; the incense they had burnt; the drink offerings they had poured
out to idols; and such like idolatrous practices, which were evil in themselves, contrary
to the law and will of God, and abominable unto him:
therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse,
without an inhabitant, as at this day; the land of Israel, wasted by the Chaldeans,
and left uncultivated, was like a barren wilderness, to the astonishment of all that passed
through it, who had known what a fruitful country it had been; the curse of God being
apparently on it, and scarce an inhabitant left in it; which was the case at this present
instant, as the Jews, to whom the prophet directs his discourse, well knew; and to whom
he appeals for the truth of it: now all this was for the sins, particularly the idolatry, they
had been guilty of; as is further explained in Jer_44:23.
CALVIN, "And hence he adds, Jehovah could not endure the wickedness of your
works and the abominations which ye have done: therefore, he says, your land has
been reduced to a waste The Prophet, in short, shews that had they not been justly
exposed to God’s judgment, they would not have been destroyed. For he assumes
this principle, that God is not angry without reason; and then he assumes another
principle, that as God had chosen the seed of Abraham, and had been always
propitious even to the unworthy, they would have been made partakers of his
kindness, had not God been wholly alienated from them. It then follows, that God’s
vengeance had not been thus kindled by some slight offense, but by many and daily
offenses, so that it could no longer be deferred: for the atrocity of punishment shews
the atrocity of sin; and hence he says, Jehovah could not endure the wickedness of
your works, and the abominations which ye have done: therefore, he adds, your
land has been made a waste, an astonishment, and a curse, or execration, so that
there is no inhabitant
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:22 So 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.
Ver. 22. So that the Lord could no longer bear.] His abused mercy turned into fury.
See Jeremiah 15:6.
“So that YHWH could not longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and
because of the abominations which you have committed, therefore is your land
become a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is
89

this day.”
Note that it was not just their false worship that YHWH could ‘no longer bear’, but
also the evil practises that arose from it and went with it. The ‘abominations’ were
their false worship (the word ‘abomination’ usually has idolatry in mind). But ‘the
evil of their doings’ had in mind the actions and behaviour that went along with
their false worship, sexual misbehaviour, violence and excess. And it was because of
all these thing that their land had been desolated to such an extent that it had
astonished all their neighbours around them. That was why their land had become a
curse, subjected to the curses described in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. It had
been left ‘without inhabitant’.
23 Because you have burned incense and have
sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him
or followed his law or his decrees or his
stipulations, this disaster has come upon you, as
you now see.”
GILL, "And because ye have burnt incense,.... Not to Jehovah, but to the queen of
heaven; which they owned they did, and determined they would; asserting it was better
with them when they did it than when they omitted it; for which reason the prophet
particularly mentions it, and assigns it as the cause of the present ruin and destruction of
their land, city, and temple:
and because ye have sinned against the Lord; by worshipping idols; all sin is
against the Lord, but especially idolatry:
and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord; by his prophets, who cautioned them
against idolatry, reproved them for it, and told them what would be the consequence of
it; but this they hearkened not unto, which was an aggravation of their sin:
nor walked in his law; the moral law, according to it; which is a rule of walk and
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conversation:
nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; as not in the moral law, so neither in
the ceremonial law, and the rites of that; nor in the judicial law, and the testifications of
the will of God in either of them:
therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day: that is, the desolation on
their land, as in Jer_44:23; See Gill on Jer_44:23.
JAMISON, "law — the moral precepts.
statutes — the ceremonial.
testimonies — the judicial (Dan_9:11, Dan_9:12).
K&D, "Jer_44:23 is an emphatic and brief repetition of what has already been said.
‫את‬ ָ‫ר‬ ָ‫ק‬ is for ‫ה‬ ָ‫א‬ ְ‫ר‬ ָ‫,ק‬ as in Deu_31:29; cf. Gesenius, §74, note 1; Ewald, §194, b.
CALVIN, "He at length explains more clearly, in other words, the same thing, on
account of your incense, he says, and because ye have done wickedly, etc. By naming
incense especially, stating a part for the whole, he refers to all false and corrupt
modes of worship, as it was stated yesterday; but he declares all of them to have
been abominable. Then he says, Ye have acted impiously against God He now
exaggerates their sin, for they had despised all godly admonitions, ye have not
hearkened, he says, to the voice of Jehovah I apply this to the discourses of the
Prophets, by which God continued to exhort them to repentance; for he daily and
constantly addressed them, in order to restore them to the way of salvation. Then
the Prophet condemns them, because they hearkened not to the words of the
Prophets.
Then he adds, Nor walked in his Law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies, he
shews by these words, that even if Prophets had not been sent, one after the other,
the Law ought to have been sufficient for them. But he was not content with
mentioning the Law only, but added, statutes and testimonies: by which words he
intimates, as we said yesterday, that the doctrine of the Law was clear and plain.
he at length adds, Therefore has all this evil happened to you, as it appears at this
day. The Prophet, in short, intimates that their guilt was sufficiently proved,
because God had been so angry with them, and they had been so severely afflicted;
for if his judgments are right, it follows that the punishment he inflicted on the Jews
was right. It may also be hence inferred, that they had been rebellious, because they
had perverted and corrupted his true worship.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have
sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked
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in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened
unto you, as at this day.
Ver. 23. Because ye have burnt incense, &c.] See Jeremiah 42:21; Jeremiah 43:7.
“Because you have burned incense, and because you have sinned against YHWH,
and have not obeyed the voice of YHWH, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes,
nor in his testimonies, therefore this evil is happened to you, as it is this day.”
Here Jeremiah analyses everything that has resulted in their judgment. This evil
had happened to them precisely because they had:
· Burned incense (to false gods) (compare Jeremiah 7:18; Exodus 20:3-6).
· Sinned against YHWH (compare Jeremiah 3:25; Jeremiah 8:14; Jeremiah 40:3;
Jeremiah 50:7; Jeremiah 50:14).
· Not obeyed the voice of YHWH (contrast Jeremiah 42:5-6. Compare Exodus 19:5;
Deuteronomy 27:10. The idea of obeying or not obeying the voice of YHWH occurs
18 times in Jeremiah, e.g. Jeremiah 3:13; Jeremiah 3:25, etc. out of 61 times in the
Old Testament).
· Not walked in His law, nor His statutes, nor His testimonies (contrast Jeremiah
42:3. Compare Exodus 16:4; Exodus 18:20; 1 Kings 2:3).
In other words It had happened to them because they had rejected YHWH’s
commands and had breached His covenant with them continually, living in
deliberate disobedience and flagrantly refusing to walk in His ways, and cocking a
snook at Him by their worship of other gods. Now at last His patience had come to
an end. And these people especially had no grounds for complaint, for they had
actually promised YHWH that they would do whatever He told them (Jeremiah
42:3-6), and had then refused.
24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including
the women, “Hear the word of the Lord, all you
people of Judah in Egypt.
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BARNES, "Earnest as was the preceding expostulation, Jeremiah sees that it has
produced no effect. He therefore utters his last warning, and with this last resistance to
the sins of a debased and godless people, his earthly ministry closed.
GILL, "Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women,....
To all the people in general, and to the women in particular, who had a principal concern
in these idolatrous practices:
hear the word of the Lord, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt; all of the
tribe of Judah that were in Egypt; not in Pathros only, but in other parts of Egypt; this
distinguishes them from those of Judah that were in Babylon, and in other provinces;
and tacitly points at their sin in going to Egypt, which was the leading step to then fresh
acts of idolatry they had been guilty of; these are called upon to hear the word of the
Lord: what the prophet had said before was what was upon his mind without immediate
inspiration, or as a direct message from the Lord; but what follows is.
K&D 24-28, "Announcement of the punishment for this idolatry. - Jer_44:24. "And
Jeremiah said unto all the people, and unto all the women, Hear the word of Jahveh,
all of Judah that are in the land of Egypt; Jer_44:25. Thus saith Jahve of hosts, the God
of Israel: Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouth, and fulfilled it with
your hands, saying, We will assuredly perform our vows which we have vowed, by
burning incense to the queen of heaven, and by pouring out libations to her: ye will by
all means perform your vows, and carry out your vows. Jer_44:26. Therefore hear the
word of Jahveh, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my
great name, saith Jahveh, truly my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any
man of Judah, saying, 'As the Lord Jahveh liveth,' in all the land of Egypt. Jer_44:27.
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 shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, till they are
annihilated. Jer_44:28. And those who escape the sword shall return out of the land of
Egypt to the land of Judah, a small number; and all the remnant of Judah, that went to
the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose word shall stand, mine or theirs.
Jer_44:29. And this shall be the sign to you, saith Jahveh, that I will punish you in this
place, that ye may know that my words shall surely rise up against you for evil: Jer_
44:30. Thus hath Jahveh spoken, Behold, I will give Pharaoh-Hophra into the hand of
his enemies, and into the hand of those who seek his life, just as I have given Zedekiah
the king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, who was his
enemy, and sought his life."
After refuting the false assertion of the people, Jeremiah once more announces to
them, on behalf of God, in the most solemn manner, the punishment of extermination by
sword and famine in Egypt; this he does for the purpose of giving the greatest possible
emphasis to his warning against persevering in idolatry. For substance, this
announcement is similar to that of Jer_44:11-14, but the expression is stronger. Even in
the summary account of their offences, Jer_44:25, the words are so chosen and arranged
as to bring out clearly the determination of the people to persevere in worshipping the
queen of heaven. "As for you and your wives, ye have spoken with your mouth and
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fulfilled it with your hand" (on the Vav consec. attached to ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ר‬ ֵ‫בּ‬ ַ‫ד‬ ְ‫,תּ‬ cf. Ewald, §344, b),
i.e., ye have uttered vows and then carried them out; for ye say, We must keep the vows
that we have vowed. It is to be observed that the verbs ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ר‬ ֵ‫בּ‬ ַ‫ד‬ ְ‫,תּ‬ and in the concluding
portion ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ימ‬ ִ‫ק‬ ָ‫תּ‬ and ‫ָה‬‫נ‬‫י‬ֶ‫ֲשׂ‬‫ע‬ ַ‫,תּ‬ are feminine, since the address chiefly applies to the wives,
who clung most tenaciously to idolatry. In the clause '‫ים‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ָ‫ה‬ ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ימ‬ ִ‫ק‬ ָ‫תּ‬ ‫,וגו‬ "ye will make
your vows and perform them," there is unmistakeable irony, in which the reference is to
the wilfulness of the people in this idolatry. This ἑθελοθρησκεία is shown by the inf. abs.
‫ים‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ָ‫,ה‬ which strengthens ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ימ‬ ִ‫ק‬ ָ‫.תּ‬ "To establish vows," i.e., to make them, was not a
thing commanded, but left to one's free determination. Hence, also, no appeal to the
maxim that vows which have been made or uttered must be fulfilled, can justify the
making of the vows. The form ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ימ‬ ִ‫ק‬ ָ‫תּ‬ for ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ָ‫תּ‬ is an unusual one; and the ‫י‬ which the
Hirik takes after it is occasioned by the form ‫ים‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ָ‫;ה‬ cf. Ewald, §196, c. - The
announcement of the punishment is introduced by a solemn oath on the part of God.
Jahveh swears by His great name, i.e., as the one who has shown Himself God by His
mighty deeds - who has the power of keeping His word. The name is, of course, only a
manifestation of His existence. ‫ם‬ ִ‫א‬ as a particle used in swearing = certainly not. His
name shall no more be named in the mouth of any Jew in the land of Egypt, i.e., be used
in asseverations, because all the Jews in Egypt shall be exterminated. On the expression,
"Behold, I will watch over them," etc., cf. Jer_31:28 and Jer_21:10. In Jer_44:28, it is
more exactly stated that only a few individuals shall escape the sword and return to
Judah; thus, no one shall remain behind in Egypt. By this judgment, all the remnant of
Judah that went to Egypt shall find out whose word - Jahveh's or theirs - will endure,
i.e., prove true. ‫י‬ִ‫נּ‬ ֶ‫מּ‬ ִ‫מ‬ properly depends on ‫ר‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ‫,ד‬ "the word from me or from them" (the
people).
CALVIN, "JEREMIAH'S SIGN THAT GOD WOULD KEEP HIS WORD
"Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word
of Jehovah, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the
God of Israel, saying, Ye 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 HEAVEN, and to pour out drink
offerings unto her: establish then your vows, and perform your vows. Therefore
hear ye the word of Jehovah, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I
have sworn by my great name, saith Jehovah, that my name shall no more be named
in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, as the Lord
Jehovah liveth. Behold, I 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. And they that escape the sword shall return
out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant
of Judah that are gone down into Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose word
shall stand, mine or theirs. And this shall be the sign unto you, saith Jehovah, that I
will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand
94

against you for evil: Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give Pharaoh-Hophra king
of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those that seek his life;
and I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, who was his
enemy and sought his life."
"And with your hands have confirmed it ..." (Jeremiah 44:25). This suggests that
Jeremiah might have been looking at the cakes then in the hands of the women who
had come to worship the Queen of Heaven.
"Establish then your vows, and perform your vows ..." (Jeremiah 44:25). This does
not mean that Jeremiah approved of their false worship. It is the equivalent of his
saying, "Very well, go ahead with your vows, but be prepared to accept the
consequences."
"The burning of incense ..." (Jeremiah 44:24). This action, frequently spoken of
throughout the chapter is not limited to any single action, but, "It includes, besides,
all the other elements of idolatrous worship."[13] This figure of speech, used
throughout both the Old Testament and the New Testament is called synecdoche."
"My name shall no more be named ..." (Jeremiah 44:26). This would be true
because of two things. (1) The syncretistic worship of both God and the pagan deity
would result in God's name being used less and less frequently until it disappeared
altogether (the invariable result of syncretism), and (2) "No Jews will be left alive in
Egypt."[14]
"I will give Pharaoh-Hophra ..." etc. (Jeremiah 44:30). The sign which Jeremiah
here promised was: (1) the capture of Pharaoh-Hophra by his deadly enemies, (2)
his imprisonment, and (3) his death, three elements in God's punishment of
Zedekiah.
"In the writings of Herodotus, Pharaoh-Hophra is called Apries; he was defeated
by the people of Cyrene, and a mutiny followed, after which Amasis became
Pharaoh; after treating Hophra kindly for some years, Amasis finally gave him over
to his enemies, by whom he was strangled. Thus, the words of Jeremiah here were
literally fulfilled."[15]
It is not known if Jeremiah lived to see the fulfillment of God's word in this matter
or not. We do know that at some time while in Egypt, Jeremiah was slain by those
who hated him because of the sacred word of God which he faithfully delivered to
the people.
PETT, "Verses 24-30
4). A Further Word Confirming YHWH’s Judgment On All Jews Living In Egypt
Because They Have Turned To Other Gods And Are Trusting In Pharaoh Hophra
As Their Deliverer (24-39).
95

We have here the last prophetic words of Jeremiah of which we are aware, and they
are as severe an indictment of the Judeans in Egypt as any that he gave against
Jerusalem and Judah. Indeed the judgment he pronounces is so severe that the
consequence will be that none will be left in Egypt to say ‘as the Lord YHWH lives’.
It is a picture of the almost complete annihilation of the Jews at that time present in
Egypt. Furthermore, in case they are looking to the Pharaoh of Egypt to help them,
he warns them that far from being able to protect them, the great Pharaoh Hophra
on whom they are relying will himself prove as helpless as their own King Zedekiah
had been. Indeed it is his demise that will be a sign to them that all that YHWH has
said concerning them will come about.
Jeremiah 44:24
‘Moreover 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,”
Once again we have the stress on the fact that this is ‘the word of YHWH’. That
does not simply mean that YHWH has said it. It stresses that YHWH will bring it
about. YHWH’s word always goes forth to bring about what He has said. Compare
Isaiah 55:10-11. Note that the words are spoken to ‘all Judah who are in the land of
Egypt’, in other words all those in Egypt who saw themselves as Jews.
25 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of
Israel, says: You and your wives have done what
you said you would do when you promised, ‘We
will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn
incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen
of Heaven.’
“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep
your vows!
96

BARNES, "Jer_44:25
And fulfilled with your hand - Your hands. Jeremiah pointed to their hands, in
which they were carrying the crescent-shaped cakes which they had vowed to the
goddess. Their idolatry therefore was an accomplished deed, as the symbols held in their
hands testified.
Ye will surely accomplish - Or, Accomplish then your vows. It is not a prediction,
but is ironical, and means that as they will take no warning, they must needs have their
way.
GILL, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,.... Which is an usual
preface to prophecies coming from him:
saying; as follows:
ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with
your hand; they had said they would burn incense to the queen of heaven, and they had
done it; they had been as good as their word, true to it, though in a bad thing: their
words and works agreed, and so did the men and their wives: the women had before said
they did not perform worship to the queen of heaven without their men; this is
acknowledged by the Lord, and their confession is improved against them:
saying, we will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn
incense to queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her; they
thought, because they made a vow that they would do it, that it was therefore obligatory
upon them, and this would be sufficient to justify them before God, and excuse it to him;
whereas nothing that is sinful ought to be vowed or performed; and to vow and perform
in such a case is doubly criminal: a vow cannot make that lawful which is unlawful; and
the performance of it can never be a laudable action:
ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows; they were
resolutely set upon it, and nothing would hinder their performance of it; this shows the
obstinacy and firmness of their minds: though some think these words are spoken
ironically.
HENRY 25-27, "That, since they were fully determined to persist in their idolatry, he
was fully determined to proceed in his controversy with them; if they would go on to
provoke him, he would go on to punish them, and see which would get the better at last.
God repeats what they had said (Jer_44:25): “You and your wives are agreed in this
obstinacy; you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands; you have
said it, and you stand to it, have said it and go on to do accordingly, We will surely
perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven,” as if,
though it were a sin, yet their having vowed to do it were sufficient to justify them in the
doing of it; whereas no man can by his vow make that lawful to himself, much less duty,
which God has already made sin. “Well” (says God), “you will accomplish, you will
perform, your wicked vows: now hear what is my vow, what I have sworn by my great
name;” and, if the Lord hath sworn, he will not repent, since they have sworn and will
97

not repent. With the froward he will show himself froward, Psa_18:26. (1.) He had
sworn that what little remains of religion there were among them should be lost, Jer_
44:26. Though they joined with the Egyptians in their idolatries, yet they continued
upon many occasions to make mention of the name of Jehovah, particularly in their
solemn oaths; they said, Jehovah liveth, he is the living God, so they owned him to be,
though they worshipped dead idols; they swear, The Lord liveth (Jer_5:2), but I fear
they retained this form of swearing more in honour of their nation than of their God. But
God declares that his name shall no more be thus named by any man of Judah in all the
land of Egypt; that is, there shall be no Jews remaining to use this dialect of their
country, or, if there be, they shall have forgotten it and shall learn to swear, as the
Egyptians do, by the life of Pharaoh, not of Jehovah. Note, Those are very miserable
whom God has so far left to themselves that they have quite forgotten their religion and
lost all the remains of their good education. Or this may intimate that God would take it
as an affront to him and would resent it accordingly, if they did make mention of his
name and profess any relation to him. (2.) He hath sworn that what little remnant of
people there was there should all be consumed (Jer_44:27): I will watch over them for
evil; no opportunity shall be let slip to bring some judgment upon them, until there be
an end of them and they be rooted out. Note, To those whom God finds impenitent
sinners he will be found an implacable Judge. And, when it comes to this, they shall
know (Jer_44:28) whose word shall stand, mind or theirs. They said that they should
recover themselves when they returned to worship the queen of heaven; God said they
should ruin themselves; and now the event will show which was in the right. The contest
between God and sinners is whose word shall stand, whose will shall be done, and who
shall get the better. Sinners say that they shall have peace though they go on; God says
they shall have no peace. But when God judges he will overcome; God's word shall
stand, and not the sinner's.
JAMISON, "Ye ... have both spoken with ... mouths, and fulfilled with ...
hand — ironical praise. They had pleaded their obligation to fulfil their vows, in excuse
for their idolatry. He answers, no one can accuse you of unsteadiness as to your
idolatrous vows; but steadfastness towards God ought to have prevented you from
making, or, when made, from keeping such vows.
ye will surely accomplish ... vows — Jeremiah hereby gives them up to their own
fatal obstinacy.
CALVIN, "Jeremiah pursues the same subject, and not only bitterly reproves the
ungodly men who so pertinaciously despised his doctrine, but also shews that they
could gain nothing by their audacity, because they would at length be violently
broken down, as they could not bear to be corrected, he says at the beginning, Ye
and your wives have spoken; the men are also included, Ye have spoken both men
and women, and with your hands have fulfilled it; that is, your obstinacy is
complete, for, as you have spoken insolently against God, so there has been a
performance; for by hands he designates the work done. he then shews that they
had advanced to the highest pitch of impiety, for they hesitated not to vomit forth
these impious words, We will not obey God, and they joined their hands to their
mouth, for they strenuously executed what they had said. The thought itself was
sufficient to condemn them; but when they thus spoke with their tongues, and then
98

employed their hands against God, it was a proof of desperate audacity, as though
they willfully designed to provoke him.
But he shews what issue awaited these impious men, who so presumptuously
rebelled against God. When he bids them to hear what God on the other hand had
sworn, he compares God with themselves, as though he had said, “You may a
hundred times increase in your madness, yet God will be the conqueror; for he is an
adversary who will surely subvert all schemes and efforts.” But before he comes to
this, he mentions what they said, Doing we shall do our vows which we have vowed,
to burn incense, etc. Here Jeremiah relates what we have before seen, that the Jews,
under the pretext of doing what had been before done, continued thus rebellious
against God. We perceive this by the word vows; and the superstitious, when they
are pressed, are wont always to flee to this pretext, that to persevere in one’s
resolution is a great virtue. While, then, they avoid the charge of fickleness, they
harden themselves against God.
The same thing we see at this day under the Papacy: The older any one is, the more
obstinate he is. “What! have I not learned during forty or fifty years what religion
is, and how to worship God? I have been thus taught from a child, and have by a
long habit followed this way: it would be now a disgraceful thing for me to change
my course and to relinquish the faith which I have professed for so many years.”
There is, then, no doubt but the Jews made a pretense of this kind against Jeremiah,
when they said that they had vowed. For hypocrites make no distinction when they
vow anything, but indiscriminately obtrude on God whatever comes to their minds;
they afterwards stand fixed in their foolish fancies, and say that a. vow is inviolable,
a sacred thing. Such was the excuse of the people. But we see from the Prophet’s
answer how vainly they did bring forward in opposition to God their vows, which
had been made without judgment and without reason.
And this passage ought to be carefully noticed; so that we may especially know, that
it is a folly in no way pleasing to God, when men indiscriminately vow whatever
they may dream according to their own fancies. God then would have sobriety and
regard to his will to be observed as to vows. But when any one has made an
inconsiderate vow, pertinaciously to persist in it is no less displeasing to God than
the vow itself. The Jews had vowed; the warning of the Prophet ought to have
constrained them to change their resolution. But while they avoided every kind of
fickleness, we see that instead of constancy they set up their own perverseness and
diabolical obstinacy in opposition to God. When, therefore, we rashly make vows,
disapproved by God, nothing is better than immediately to retract them; for we
have already sinned more than enough in having abused the holy name of God. For
this reason the Prophet says, that the Jews spoke thus, Doing we shall do the vows
we have vowed; and what were these? To offer incense to the stars and to hosts of
Heaven. Had they vowed anything to God, they ought not to have broken their
pledged faith; but they had made vows to the devil; then they ought to have
immediately changed their purpose. When I say that vows made to God ought to be
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performed, I mean lawful vows; for he who makes a vow without judgment, does
not vow to God; but those vows which God sanctions ought to be deemed sacred;
and whatever vows God repudiates, ought to be counted as nothing. We hence see
that the Jews were justly condemned, for they pertinaciously paid their vows to
their own idols.
He adds by way of irony, Confirming ye will confirm your vows, doing ye will do
your vows Here the Prophet sharply checks their insolence, because they thus set up
themselves against God, as though it were a great virtue to persevere in their wicked
purpose; ye cannot change, he says, but confirming ye will confirm your vows!
COKE, "Jeremiah 44:25. Ye and your wives have both spoken— Your wives have
spoken from your mouth, that which you have fulfilled with your hands, when you
said, We, &c.—They have accomplished your vows, they have performed what you
vowed. Houbigant.
WHEDON, "Verse 25
JEREMIAH PREDICTS FURTHER DISTRESS, Jeremiah 44:24-30.
25. Fulfilled with your hand — Literally, hands, alluding to the making of the
sacrificial cakes.
Perform our vows — How many think it good to fulfil a promise to do evil! To keep
a vow they had never any right to make, is with them meritorious.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:25 Thus 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.
Ver. 25. Ye and your wives.] Who ought to be the better, but are much worse the
one for the other, the devil having broken your head with your own rib.
We will surely perform our vows.] A little better than many Popish votaries (and
others also not a few) do today; not unlike him in Erasmus, who in a storm
promised the Virgin a picture of wax as big as St Christopher, but when he came to
shore would not give a tallow candle. (a)
“Thus says YHWH of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, You and your wives have
both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it, saying, ‘We
will surely perform our vows which we have vowed, to burn incense to the Queen of
Heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings to her.’ Establish then your vows, and
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perform your vows.”
Jeremiah points out concerning their idolatry that they have both declared it openly
with their mouths and by their actions have actually brought it about. And it applies
both to them and their wives. None were innocent. They had said that they would
assuredly fulfil the vows that they had made to burn incense to ‘meleketh
hashamayim’, and that is what they had done. And they had also offered drink
offerings to her. Note the stress on the vows that they had made. They had entered
into specific covenant with her, ignoring their covenant with YHWH. As we have
seen earlier reference to meleketh hashamayim is found only in this passage and in
Jeremiah 7:18. It is often equated with malkath hashamayim (‘the queen of
Heaven’, the moon) but it may rather signify ‘the heavenly handiwork (mele’keth
hashamayim)’ i.e. the stars. These were worshipped in different guises all over the
Ancient Near East. Either way false gods were being worshipped alongside YHWH,
something later confirmed by the Elephantine papyri where YHWH was being
worshipped alongside Anath-bethel and Ishum-bethel, Anath being the mother
goddess, thus being very similar to the false worship here and in Jerusalem
(Jeremiah 7:18).
“Establish then your vows, and perform your vows.” The command is full of
significant sarcasm. It contains a veiled warning of what will happen if they do so. It
is a warning that they are heading straight into trouble. In other words God is
saying, ‘OK, do what you intend, but recognise at the same time how awful the
consequences will be for you’. Note the emphasis both on their making their
covenant with the false goddess (‘establish your vows’) and their carrying it into
practise (‘perform your vows’), when they should have been doing both to YHWH.
26 But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews
living in Egypt: ‘I swear by my great name,’ says
the Lord, ‘that no one from Judah living
anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my
name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign Lord
lives.”
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BARNES, "Jer_44:26
My name shall no more be named ... - God swears by His own great Name that
He will be their national God no longer. Yahweh repudiates His covenant-relation
toward them.
GILL, "Therefore hear ye the word of the Lord, all Judah that dwell in the
land of Egypt,.... See Gill on Jer_44:24; since you have made your vows, and will
perform them, I will take an oath, and abide by it:
behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the Lord; by his name Jehovah,
which is incommunicable, and expressive of his eternity and immutability; or by himself,
his name being himself, and than which he can swear by no greater, Heb_6:13;
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: this cannot be understood of
the name of the Lord being called upon them, or of their being called by his name, and
reckoned his people, which is the sense of Abarbinel; since this respects not a name by
which they should be named, but which they should name; and intends their use of the
divine name in an oath, of which this is a form, "the Lord God liveth": or as sure as the
Lord lives, or by the living God, it is so and so; and especially as used in their vows to
burn incense to the queen of heaven, they vowing by the living God that they would do
so, which must be very abominable to him; and therefore he solemnly swears there
should not be a Jew in all Egypt that should use it; the reason is, because everyone of
them that did should be cut off, as follows:
JAMISON, "I have sworn — I, too have made a vow which I will fulfil. Since ye will
not hear Me speaking and warning, hear Me swearing.
by my great name — that is, by Myself (Gen_22:16), the greatest by whom God can
swear (Heb_6:13, Heb_6:14).
my name shall no more be named — The Jews, heretofore, amidst all their
idolatry, had retained the form of appeal to the name of God and the law, the distinctive
glory of their nation; God will allow this no more (Eze_20:39): there shall be none left
there to profane His name thus any more.
CALVIN, "Hear ye now, he says, the word of Jehovah, etc. By these words, as I
have already hinted, he intimates, that they could gain nothing by their insolence,
except that they would thereby provoke God, who on the other hand did set up his
own power against them. Thus, then, saith Jehovah, Behold, I have sworn by my
great name, etc. As they had so often disregarded God speaking to them, he
confirmed by an oath what he was going to say. Had he only threatened, they might
have as usual disregarded him, as though the Prophet spoke what was vain. This is
the reason why he now introduces God as making an oath. And it ought to be
observed, that whenever God confirms his words by an oath, this he does, either
because he sees that he has to do with men who are like stones, who cannot be made
to feel by simple truth; or when he is pleased to give aid to our infirmity and sloth:
for God confirms threatenings as well as promises by an oath. When he thus
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confirms threatenings, then he indirectly condemns the obstinate wickedness of
those whom he addresses. But when he promises anything by an oath, he shews how
great our propensity is to indulge doubts, and what weakness there is in our faith;
for were such faith in us as ought to be, we should be contented with one little word.
As, then, God interposes his own name as a pledge, it hence appears, that we are
naturally unbelieving, or that the weakness of our faith is such that it wants this
support. But here, as God threatens, he shews that the Jews were so obstinate in
their wickedness, that it was necessary to shake them by terror.
Now, God makes an oath byhis own great name Men, as the Apostle says, swear by
God, (Hebrews 6:16;) because he is called as a witness and a judge when his name is
interposed. But it is no superfluous addition, when God not only swears by himself,
but by his own great name For he thus intimated, that the Jews were greatly
deceived, if they thought that God would not execute vengeance on them, because
they indulged themselves. For it is a common thing with hypocrites to measure God
by their own judgment; and when they extenuate his power, they think of him as of
a child. In order, then, to divest the Jews of this false imagination, he says, by his
own great name There is, then, implied here a contrast between the greatness of
God’s name, which cannot be diminished at the will of man, and the presumption of
the ancient people, who rendered God’s name contemptible.
He afterwards adds, If my name, etc. It is an imperfect sentence, which, as we have
often said, was frequently used in order that a greater reverence may be observed
by us, when we swear by God’s name. We must now come to what is said, There
shall not be a Jew, who is to swear any more in my name God himself makes an
oath, and what is the oath which he makes? that no one was to profane his name;
for they thought that it was some evidence of religion when they swore by Jehovah.
It was yet nothing but an awful profanation of God’s name. They contaminated
themselves, as it appears, with Egyptian superstitions; but that they might differ
from the Egyptians themselves and possess something special, that they, in short,
might seem to be a holy nation, they still retained a form of swearing, distinct from
what was common among the Gentiles. God declares that he would not suffer his
name to be any more irreverently used in Egypt. Not invoked, he says, shall be my
name any more by the mouth of a Jew And that he speaks of oaths we gather from
the next verse, when he says, Live doth Jehovah in all the land of Egypt For, as it
has been said, the Jews as yet boasted that they kept the Law, because God’s name
was still in their mouth and on their tongue. But God says that it was to be taken
away from them, because it was a disgraceful pollution of his name, when they
mingled themselves with the Egyptians in all kinds of superstitions, and yet boasted
that they were God’s people. It follows, —
COKE, "Jeremiah 44:26. That my name shall no more be named, &c.— The Jews
seem to have joined the worship of the true God with that of idols, as the Samaritans
had done before them. Hence God declares, that he will not receive any such
polluted worship at their hands, nor suffer his name to be any longer profaned by
such hypocrites; but will consume them by a sudden and general destruction, or
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deliver them up to impenitence and utter apostacy. See Lowth and Calmet.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:26 Therefore 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.
Ver. 26. Behold, I have sworn by my great name.] Jehovah, my incommunicable
name, my proper name, or by myself, and that is no small oath.
“Therefore hear you the word of YHWH, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt:
Behold, I have sworn by my great name, says YHWH, 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 YHWH lives.’ ”
Of course by their behaviour they were rejecting the Name of YHWH, for they were
doing precisely what He had forbidden. Well they were making their vows, and now
let them take note of the fact that He is making His vow. For He has sworn by His
great Name, the Name that by their actions they have blasphemed, that His Name
will be taken from among them. They will no more name His Name, nor will they
say, ‘as the Lord YHWH lives’. And this will be because they are dead.
The point behind this is that to name the Name of YHWH puts men under special
obligation to observe His covenant. Whilst they would no doubt have argued that
they still held to the covenant and worshipped YHWH among other gods, YHWH
was pointing out the impossibility of sustaining that position. To follow His covenant
would necessarily have resulted in a rejecting of all other gods. Thus by their very
compromise they were bringing on themselves YHWH’s judgment because of their
hypocrisy. For YHWH would not allow such hypocrisy to continue where it
involved His holy Name. They were either His or they were not. By His very nature
they could not be ‘partly His’. The very point of saying that ‘the Lord YHWH lives’
was in order to bring out that He is the living God. It should therefore have made
them recognise that He would brook no compromise, and therefore that as the living
God He would act in judgment against them.
27 For I am watching over them for harm, not for
good; the Jews in Egypt will perish by sword and
famine until they are all destroyed.
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BARNES, "Jer_44:27
I will watch - I am watching over them, not for good, but for evil: like a panther Jer_
5:6 lying in wait to spring upon passengers.
Shall be consumed - This is the result of Yahweh’s repudiation of thee covenant.
When He was their God He watched over them for good: now His protection is
withdrawn, and He is their enemy, because of the wickedness whereby their rejection
was made necessary. See the Jer_6:9 note.
GILL, "Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good,.... To bring
the evil of punishment upon them, the particulars of which are after mentioned, and not
the blessings of goodness, as formerly; and this he would be as careful and diligent to
bring about, as one that watches all opportunities to do hurt to another; and it must be
dreadful to be under the vigilant avenging eye of God:
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; that is, the
greatest part of them, excepting a few that shall escape, hereafter mentioned,
particularly Jeremiah and Baruch; but as for the main body of such, who went of their
own accord to Egypt, and settled, and fell: into the idolatry of the country; these should
all perish one after another, till there were none of them left; either by the sword of the
king of Babylon; or by famine, which his army and sieges would produce; or by
pestilence, though not here mentioned, yet is in Jer_44:13.
JAMISON, "watch over ... for evil — (Jer_1:10; Eze_7:6). The God, whose
providence is ever solicitously watching over His people for good, shall solicitously, as it
were, watch for their hurt. Contrast Jer_31:28; Jer_32:41.
CALVIN, "Here he more dearly expresses what he had said in the last verse, that
none of the Jews would remain alive in Egypt. He now then points out the manner,
even because he would not cease to consume them until they wholly perished and
were brought to final ruin. He had said, No more shall my name be called, nor shall
the Jews in Egypt swear, Live doth Jehovah; and why? because I will destroy them
all, so that there will be none remaining in Egypt to pollute under a false pretense
my name.
I will watch over them, he says, for evil and not for good This mode of speaking we
have observed elsewhere, and explained why the Prophets spoke thus, even because
hypocrites, though they think God cares not for human affairs, and imagine that he
sleeps in heaven, and hence audaciously provoke him, as though they were fugitives
and their purpose hid from God, yet boast of God’s providence, and pretend that
they acquiesce confidently in him. For this reason the Prophet answered, that God
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watched indeed, but not for good We then perceive the object of the Prophet; he
derided the presumption of the people, who thought that God had a care for their
safety. He then says, that God indeed does not sleep, but that this would bring no
benefit to hypocrites; for though God watches as a father to preserve his own
people, he yet watches as a judge to destroy all the ungodly. It follows, —
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:27 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 shall be consumed by the
sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.
Ver. 27. Behold, I will watch over them for evil.] I will watch them a shrewd turn, as
we say. I will take my time to hit them when I may most hurt them.
“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
there be an end of them.”
So, yes, He would continue to watch over them. But it would be for evil and not for
good. He would bring on them what by their actions and words they were bringing
on themselves. He would demonstrate that He was the living God. For He would
arrange for all the Jews in Egypt (with a few exceptions) to be consumed either by
war or by starvation, something that would go on until a complete end had been
made of them. Both of these were the constant fear of men in ancient times. And
they would occur because YHWH was no longer protecting them. He would leave
them to the consequences of history.
28 Those who escape the sword and return to the
land of Judah from Egypt will be very few. Then
the whole remnant of Judah who came to live in
Egypt will know whose word will stand—mine or
theirs.
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BARNES, "Jer_44:28
Literally, “And fugitives from the sword (see Jer_44:14) shall return from the land of
Egypt to the land of Judah, mere of number, i. e., so few that they can be counted: and
all the remnant of Jadah that are going etc.” So unendurable shall be their sufferings in
Egypt, that the men now abandoning Judaea in the hope of finding an asylum there shall
be glad to return like runaways from a lost battle.
Whose words ... - Whose word shall stand, from Me or from them, i. e., the one
prediction, that their descent into Egypt would be their ruin, which they denied.
GILL, "Yet a small number that shall escape the sword,.... The sword of the king
of Babylon, and the other judgments, and which would be but very few; "men of
number" (k), as in the Hebrew text, which might easily be numbered; Jeremiah the
prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah, and some few righteous persons among them, as
Kimchi and Abarbinel observe:
shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah; they shall make
their escape out of the land of Egypt, whither they did not go willingly; and, by one
providence or another, shall come back to their native country, the land of Judea, When
the rest will not; which must be a distinguishing your to them:
and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn
there, shall know what words shall stand, mine or theirs; those that are left of
the sword, famine, and pestilence, shall know experimentally, by facts laid down, whose
words have their effect and accomplishment, stand firm and sure; whether theirs, that
promised impunity and safety, peace and prosperity, in their idolatrous practices; or the
Lord's, which threatened with ruin and destruction. The Lord is true, and every man a
liar; whatever devices are in a man's heart, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
HENRY 28-30, "He tells them that a very few of them should escape the sword, and
in process of time return into the land of Judah, a small number (Jer_44:28), next to
none, in comparison with the great numbers that should return out of the land of the
Chaldeans. This seems designed to upbraid those who boasted of their numbers that
concurred in sin; there were none to speak of that did not join in idolatry: “Well,” says
God, “and there shall be as few that shall escape the sword and famine.”
3. He gives them a sign that all these threatenings shall be accomplished in their
season, that they shall be consumed here in Egypt and shall quite perish: Pharaoh-
hophra, the present king of Egypt, shall be delivered into the hand of his enemies that
seek his life - of his own rebellious subjects (so some) under Amasis, who usurped his
throne - of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (so others), who invaded his kingdom; the
former is related by Herodotus, the latter by Josephus. It is likely that this Pharaoh had
tempted the Jews to idolatry by promises of his favour; however, they depended upon
him for his protection, and it would be more than a presage of their ruin, it would be a
step towards it, if he were gone. They expected more from him than from Zedekiah king
of Judah; he was a more potent and politic prince. “But,” says God, “I will give him into
the hand of his enemies, as I gave Zedekiah.” Note, Those creature-comforts and
confidences that we promise ourselves most from may fail us as soon as those that we
promise ourselves least from, for they are all what God makes them, not what we fancy
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them.
The sacred history records not the accomplishment of this prophecy, but its silence is
sufficient; we hear no more of these Jews in Egypt, and therefore conclude them,
according to this prediction, lost there; for no word of God shall fall to the ground.
JAMISON, "Yet a small number that shall escape the sword,.... The sword of
the king of Babylon, and the other judgments, and which would be but very few; "men of
number" (k), as in the Hebrew text, which might easily be numbered; Jeremiah the
prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah, and some few righteous persons among them, as
Kimchi and Abarbinel observe:
shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah; they shall make
their escape out of the land of Egypt, whither they did not go willingly; and, by one
providence or another, shall come back to their native country, the land of Judea, When
the rest will not; which must be a distinguishing your to them:
and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn
there, shall know what words shall stand, mine or theirs; those that are left of
the sword, famine, and pestilence, shall know experimentally, by facts laid down, whose
words have their effect and accomplishment, stand firm and sure; whether theirs, that
promised impunity and safety, peace and prosperity, in their idolatrous practices; or the
Lord's, which threatened with ruin and destruction. The Lord is true, and every man a
liar; whatever devices are in a man's heart, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
CALVIN, "Jeremiah seals his prophecy by adding a sign which yet was to be
coincident with it. It was not then, as they say, a premonstrative sign. And doubtless
the Jews were wholly unworthy that God should shew them anything extraordinary;
but this sign was only added, that they might know that they in vain trusted in the
protection of Egypt, and also that every excuse might be taken away.
This brief notice may perhaps be obscure. We shall therefore refer to a distinction
that exists: some signs precede the time and order of things, but others are
connected with the events themselves. The signs which precede events avail to
prepare the minds of the faithful, so that they may not doubt but that God will do
what he has promised, as when Gideon sought a sign from God, and it was granted
to him; the ground was wet with dew, while the fleece remained dry; and then the
fleece remained dry when the ground was wet. (Jude 6:36.) By this sign Gideon was
encouraged to proceed in his course, when before doubt made him inert Gideon was
torpid, but when he saw by this miracle that victory would be given him, he boldly
undertook the work assigned to him. The greatest portion of signs are of this kind.
But there are other signs which do not precede events, but shew that when the time
is fulfilled the events have been truly predicted, as when God said to Moses,
“This sign I give thee, that after ye have come out of Egypt ye shall sacrifice to me in
this mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)
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Neither Moses nor the people could know anything by that sign before they had
departed from Egypt. But after they were delivered they there gave thanks on the
third day to God their Redeemer.
Hence signs refer sometimes to past time, and sometimes to what is future. Those
which refer to the future are such as we call premonstrative, as the case was with
Gideon, who took up arms with alacrity, because he knew that he was fighting
under God’s banner; and he was fully persuaded of a victory when he understood
that God would be his leader.
WHEDON, " 28. A small number… shall return — Literally, and fugitives from the
sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, men of numbers,
etc. The last phrase suggests the fewness of those who shall escape — so few that
they can be counted.
Whose words… mine, or theirs — Literally, the word from me or from them. The
allusion is to the particular word given above.
WHEDON, "Verse 29-30
29, 30. This shall be a sign… I will give Pharaoh-hophra, etc. — This monarch
succeeded to the Egyptian throne the year before the capture of Jerusalem. He
reigned nineteen years. Finally a rebellion occurred on account of his defeat by the
Cyrenians, and the suspicion that he had betrayed the native troops in order to
establish his personal ascendency by means of his mercenaries. Amasis commanded
the Egyptians and Hophra the Greek mercenaries. The latter was defeated and
taken prisoner, and, after being kept some time in confinement, he was given up to
his enemies, who put him to death by strangling.
Some expositors have objected to the genuineness of the passage, Jeremiah 44:29-30,
on internal grounds: 1) That the fulfilment is too exact. 2) That it is too remote. 3)
That the style is dead and mechanical. 4) There is no other such sign in Jeremiah.
But there is little force in any of these considerations, while the last is evidently in
favour of the genuineness of the passage. If there is nothing like it, it is not likely to
be an interpolation. As to the objection that the fulfilment was too distant to be a
sign to those to whom Jeremiah spoke, we have to say: (a) To be a sign it need not be
immediate. Its value as such is increased rather than diminished by the lapse of
time. (b) But its fulfilment began within possibly six or eight years. Hophra had now
been two years on the throne. It has been estimated that he was ten years a prisoner.
His death occurred nineteen years after he became king.
Some difficulty has been experienced by Nagelsbach in reconciling the apparent
teaching of this chapter, that the Jews in Egypt should be utterly exterminated, with
the fact that in the time of Alexander they were very numerous, and Ptolemy
Philadelphus at one time liberated 100,000 Jewish slaves. In reply: 1) This chapter
denounces extermination against such Jews only as at that time went down to Egypt
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contrary to the command of God, and persisted in their idolatry. Those who were
there before, those who came after, (and Ptolemy I., about 320 B.C., captured
Jerusalem on a sabbath day, took a great number of captives, and carried them
down into Egypt,) and those who maintained the worship of Jehovah, are excluded
from the judgments denounced in this chapter. 2) There is no proof that at the time
of Alexander the Jews in Egypt were very numerous. 3) Centuries of time provide
for great increase, not only by propagation, but also by immigration.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:28 Yet 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.
Ver. 28. Yet a small number.] Methe mispar, men of number, a poor few: still God
reserveth a remnant for royal use.
Shall know whose word shall stand.] Because they are so peremptory and resolute, I
shall try it out with them. I shall be as cross as they, yet still in a way of justice.
“And those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt into the land
of Judah, few in number, and all the remnant of Judah, who are gone into the land
of Egypt to sojourn there, will know whose word will stand, mine, or theirs.”
But even in this there was a saving purpose. For the aim was that the remnant who
did escape would in the future be able to bear witness to the truth of what YHWH
had said and done, and would be able to verify the fact that His word stood firm. So
we note again that there will be a remnant who will escape in order to carry God’s
promises forward. God does not leave Himself without a witness. We can compare
YHWH’s words to Elijah about the ‘seven thousand who have not bowed the knee
to Baal’,
29 “‘This will be the sign to you that I will punish
you in this place,’ declares the Lord, ‘so that you
will know that my threats of harm against you
will surely stand.’
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GILL, "And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the Lord, that I will punish
you in this place,.... In Egypt, as before threatened; and what follows is a confirming
sign that so it would be; and which, when observed by some, gave the hint to them to
make their escape; though others, being hardened in their idolatry, impenitence, and
unbelief, continued, and perished:
that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil; which
sign, when they should see, they might assure themselves that the threatenings of evil to
them would certainly be accomplished, as sure as they saw the sign given, which is as
follows:
JAMISON, "this ... sign unto you — The calamity of Pharaoh-hophra (see on Jer_
44:30) shall be a sign to you that as he shall fall before his enemy, so you shall
subsequently fall before Nebuchadnezzar (Mat_24:8) [Grotius]. Calvin makes the “sign”
to be simultaneous with the event signified, not antecedent to it, as in Exo_3:12. The
Jews believed Egypt impregnable, so shut in was it by natural barriers. The Jews being
“punished in this place” will be a sign that their view is false, and God’s threat true. He
calls it “a sign unto you,” because God’s prediction is equivalent to the event, so that they
may even now take it as a sign. When fulfilled it would cease to be a sign to them: for
they would be dead.
K&D 29-30, "In confirmation of this threatening, the Lord gives them another sign
which, when it is fulfilled, will let them know that the destruction announced to them
shall certainly befall them. The token consists in the giving up of King Hophra into the
hand of his enemies. As certainly as this shall take place, so certainly shall the
extermination of the Jews in Egypt ensue. The name ‫ע‬ ַ‫ר‬ ִ‫פ‬ ָ‫ח‬ is rendered Οὐάφρις in
Manetho, in the classical writers ̓Απρίης, Apriës, who, according to Herodotus (ii. 161),
reigned twenty-five years, but nineteen according to Manetho (cf. Boeckh, Manetho, etc.,
p. 341ff.). His death took place in the year 570 b.c. This date is reached by a comparison
of the following facts: - Cambyses conquered Egypt in the year 525; and in the preceding
year Amasis had died, after a reign of forty-four years (Herod. iii. 10). Hence Amasis -
who took Apriës prisoner, and gave him up to the common people, who killed him
(Herod. ii. 161-163, 169) - must have commenced his reign in the year 570. On the death
of Apriës, or Hophra, cf. the explanation given on p. 353f., where we have shown that the
words, "I will give him into the hand of his enemies, and of those who seek his life,"
when compared with what is said of Zedekiah, "into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar his
enemy," do not require us to assume that Hophra was killed by Nebuchadnezzar, and
can very well be harmonized with the notice of Herodotus regarding the death of this
king.
Hitzig and Graf have taken objection to this sign given by Jeremiah, and regard Jer_
44:29, Jer_44:30 as a spurious vaticinium ex eventu, the work of another hand. The
reasons they urge are, that it is scarcely possible Jeremiah could have lived till 570; that
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Jer_44:29. would be the only place where Jeremiah offered such a criterion; and that,
even as it is, these verses contain nothing original, but, by their stiff and lifeless
parallelism, are easily seen to be an artificial conclusion. Of these three arguments, the
last can prove nothing, since it is merely a subjective opinion on an aesthetic point. The
second, again, rather declares for than against the genuineness. For "if it were not
Jeremiah's usual, elsewhere, to offer some criterion, then such an interpolation would
have been all the more carefully avoided" (Nägelsbach). Of course we do not find any
other signs of this kind in Jeremiah; but it does not follow from this that he could not
offer such a thing in a special case. Yet the ground taken up by Nägelsbach, as sufficient
to establish this position, seems quite untenable, viz., that the announcement of the fate
in store for the king must have been the answer of the true God to the presumptuous
boast of Apriës, mentioned by Herodotus, "that even God could not dethrone him, so
firmly did he think he was established:" this view of the matter seems too remote from
the object of Jeremiah's address. And finally, the first-named objection receives
importance only on the supposition that "an event which was intended to serve as ‫ת‬ ‫,א‬ a
sign or criterion, must be something that was to happen immediately, or within a brief
appointed period of time, so that a person might be able, from the occurrence of the one,
to conclude that what had been foretold about a later period would as certainly take
place" (Graf). But there are no sufficient grounds for this hypothesis. If no definite time
be fixed for the occurrence of this sign, then it may not appear till a considerable time
afterwards, and yet be a pledge for the occurrence of what was predicted for a still later
period. That Jeremiah lived till the year 570 is certainly not inconceivable, but it is not
likely that he uttered the prophecy now before us at the advanced age of nearly eighty
years. Now, if his address is allowed to be a real prophecy, and not a mere vaticinium ex
eventu, as Hitzig, looking from his dogmatic standpoint, considers it, then it must have
been uttered before the year 570; but whether this was two, or five, or ten years before,
makes no material difference. The address itself contains nothing to justify the
assumption of Graf, that it is closely connected with the prophecy in Jer_43:8-13, and
with the warning against the migration into Egypt, Jer 42. That the Jews spoken of had
not been long in Egypt, cannot be inferred from Jer_44:8, Jer_44:12, and Jer_44:18; on
the contrary, the fact that they had settled down in different parts of Egypt, and had
assembled at Pathros for a festival, shows that they had been living there for a
considerable time before. Nor does it follow, from the statement in Jer_44:14 that they
longed to return to Judah, that they had gone to Egypt some months before. The desire
to return into the land of their fathers remains, in a measure, in the heart of the Jew
even at the present day. After all, then, no valid reason can be assigned for doubting the
genuineness of these verses.
On the fulfilment of these threatenings Nägelsbach remarks: "Every one must be
struck on finding that, in Jer 44, the extermination of the Jews who dwelt in Egypt is
predicted; while some centuries later, the Jews in Egypt were very numerous, and that
country formed a central point for the Jewish exiles (cf. Herzog, Real-Encycl. xvii. S.
285). Alexander the Great found so many Jews in Egypt, that he peopled with Jews, in
great measure, the city he had founded and called after himself (cf. Herzog, i. S. 235).
How did these Jews get to Egypt? Whence the great number of Jews whom Alexander
found already in Egypt? I am inclined to think that we must consider them, for the most
part, as the descendants of those who had come into the country with Jeremiah. But,
according to this view of the matter, Jeremiah's prophecy has not been fulfilled."
Nägelsbach therefore thinks we must assume that idolatrous worship, through time,
almost entirely ceased among the exiled Jews in Egypt as it did among those in Babylon,
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and that the Lord then, in return, as regards the penitents, repented of the evil which He
had spoken against them (Jer_26:13, Jer_26:19). But this whole explanation is
fundamentally wrong, since the assertion, that Alexander the Great found so many Jews
in Egypt, that with them mainly he peopled the city of Alexandria which he had founded,
is contrary to historic testimony. In Herzog (Real-Encycl. i. S. 235), to which Nägelsbach
refers for proof on the point, nothing of the kind is to be found, but rather the opposite,
viz., the following: "Soon after the foundation of Alexandria by Alexander the Great, this
city became not merely the centre of Jewish Hellenism in Egypt, but generally speaking
the place of union between Oriental and Occidental Jews. The external condition of the
Jews of Alexandria must, on the whole, be characterized as highly prosperous. The first
Jewish settlers had, indeed, been compelled by Alexander the Great to take up their
residence in the city (Josephus, Antt. xv. 3. 1); so, too, were other Jews, by Ptolemy I. or
Lagi (ibid. xii. 2. 4). But both of these monarchs granted them the same rights and
privileges as the Macedonians, including Greek citizenship; and in consequence of the
extremely advantageous position of the city, it speedily increased in importance. A still
larger number, therefore, soon went thither of their own accord, and adopted the Greek
language." In this account, the quotation from Josephus, Antt. xv. 3. 1, is certainly
incorrect; for neither is there in that passage any testimony borne to the measures
attributed to Alexander, nor are there any other historical testimonies given from
antiquity. But as little can we find any proofs that Alexander the Great found so many
Jews in Egypt that he could, to a large extent, people with them the city he had founded.
It is merely testified by Josephus (Antt. xi. 8. 5), and by Hecataeus in Josephus (contra
Ap. i. 22; p. 457, ed. Haverc.), that Alexander had Jewish soldiers in his army; it is
further evident, from a notice in Josephus, de bell. Jud. ii. 18. 7, contra Ap. ii. 4) cf.
Curtius Rufus, iv. 8), that the newly founded city, even under Alexander, immediately
after it was commenced, and still more under Ptolemy Lagi (cf. Josephus, Antt. xii. 1,
and Hecataeus in Jos. contra Ap. i. 22, p. 455), attracted a constantly increasing
multitude of Jewish immigrants. This same Ptolemy, after having subdued Phoenicia
and Coele-Syria in the year 320, and taken Jerusalem also, it would seem, by a stratagem
on a Sabbath day, transported many captives and hostages out of the whole country into
Egypt; many, too, must have been sold at that time as slaves to the inhabitants of such a
wealthy country as Egypt: see a statement in the book of Aristeas, at the end of
Havercamp's edition of Josephus, ii. p. 104. In the same place, and in Josephus' Antt. xii.
1, Ptolemy is said to have armed 30,000 Jewish soldiers, placed them as garrisons in the
fortresses, and granted them all the rights of Macedonian citizens (ἰσοπολιτεία). Ewald
well says, History of the People of Israel, vol. iv. of second edition, p. 254: "When we
further take into consideration, that, in addition to all other similar disasters which had
previously befallen them, many Jews were removed to Egypt (especially by Ochus, after
Egypt had been reconquered), we can easily explain how Ptolemy Philadelphus can be
said to have liberated 100,000 Egyptian Jews. Aristeas' Book, p. 105." This much, at
least, is proved by these various notices, - that, in order to understand how such a vast
increase took place in the number of the Jews in Egypt, we do not need to regard them as
the descendants of those who removed thither with Jeremiah, and so to question the
fulfilment of the prophecy now before us. Jeremiah does not, of course, threaten with
destruction all those Jews who live in Egypt, but only those who at that time went
thither against the divine will, and there persevered in their idolatry. We do not know
how great may have been the number of these immigrants, but they could hardly exceed
two thousand, - perhaps, indeed, there were not so many. All these, as had been foretold
them, may have perished in the conquest of Egypt by the Chaldeans, and afterwards,
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through the sword, famine, and pestilence; for the myriads of Jews in Egypt at the time
of Ptolemy Lagi could easily have removed thither during the period of 250 years
intermediate between the immigration in Jeremiah's time and the foundation of
Alexandria, partly as prisoners and slaves, partly through voluntary settlement.
CALVIN, "Jeremiah seals his prophecy by adding a sign which yet was to be
coincident with it. It was not then, as they say, a premonstrative sign. And doubtless
the Jews were wholly unworthy that God should shew them anything extraordinary;
but this sign was only added, that they might know that they in vain trusted in the
protection of Egypt, and also that every excuse might be taken away.
This brief notice may perhaps be obscure. We shall therefore refer to a distinction
that exists: some signs precede the time and order of things, but others are
connected with the events themselves. The signs which precede events avail to
prepare the minds of the faithful, so that they may not doubt but that God will do
what he has promised, as when Gideon sought a sign from God, and it was granted
to him; the ground was wet with dew, while the fleece remained dry; and then the
fleece remained dry when the ground was wet. (Jude 6:36.) By this sign Gideon was
encouraged to proceed in his course, when before doubt made him inert Gideon was
torpid, but when he saw by this miracle that victory would be given him, he boldly
undertook the work assigned to him. The greatest portion of signs are of this kind.
But there are other signs which do not precede events, but shew that when the time
is fulfilled the events have been truly predicted, as when God said to Moses,
“This sign I give thee, that after ye have come out of Egypt ye shall sacrifice to me in
this mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)
Neither Moses nor the people could know anything by that sign before they had
departed from Egypt. But after they were delivered they there gave thanks on the
third day to God their Redeemer.
Hence signs refer sometimes to past time, and sometimes to what is future. Those
which refer to the future are such as we call premonstrative, as the case was with
Gideon, who took up arms with alacrity, because he knew that he was fighting
under God’s banner; and he was fully persuaded of a victory when he understood
that God would be his leader.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:29 And 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:
Ver. 29. That I will punish you in this place.] Which you looked upon as a place of
surest security and safeguard, and would not hearken to me opening my bounties
bosom to you at home.
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“And this will be the sign to you, the word of YHWH, that I will punish you in this
place, that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for evil.”
YHWH then gives them a sign in terms of a future occurrence. His very declaration
of the certainty of what is to happen in the future is to be seen as a sign. We can
compare Exodus 3:12 and Isaiah 7:14 in both of which God gave signs in terms of
what would happen in the future. Thus here YHWH’s words of what would happen
were themselves to be seen as the sign. And it was a sign of the certainty of their
future punishment and a guarantee that His words would bring about evil on them.
His very words, which had in the past done Israel so much good, would now ‘stand
against them for evil’.
30 This is what the Lord says: ‘I am going to
deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the
hands of his enemies who want to kill him, just as
I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hands of
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who
wanted to kill him.’”
BARNES, "Jer_44:30
Pharaoh-Hophra came to the throne the year before Jerusalem was captured. He
reigned for 19 years, probably the last 10 years as a prisoner. See the notes at Jer_37:5;
notes at Jer_46:12.
CLARKE, "Behold I will give Pharaoh-hophra - That is, Pharaoh Apries. How
this and the prophecies in the preceding chapter were fulfilled, we learn from ancient
historians. The sum of such information is this: the subjects of Pharaoh Apries rebelling,
he sent Amasis, one of his generals, to reduce them to their duty. But no sooner had
Amasis begun to make his speech, than they fixed a helmet on his head, and proclaimed
him king. Amasis accepted the title, and confirmed the Egyptians in their revolt; and the
greater part of the nation declaring for him, Apries was obliged to retire into Upper
Egypt; and the country being thus weakened by intestine war, was attacked and easily
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overcome by Nebuchadnezzar, who on quitting it left Amasis his viceroy. After
Nebuchadnezzar’s departure, Apries marched against Amasis; but, being defeated at
Memphis, was taken prisoner, carried to Sais, and was strangled in his own palace, thus
verifying this prophecy. See Herodotus in Euterpe.
Thus Nebuchadnezzar made an easy conquest of the land. He conquered it as easily as
“a shepherd puts on his cloak: he went thence in peace,” having clothed himself with its
spoils; and left all quiet under a viceroy of his own choosing. The rebellion of Pharaoh’s
subjects was the “fire that God kindled in Egypt,” Jer_43:12. And thus was he “delivered
into the hands of his enemies,” his revolted people; and “into the hand of him who
sought his life,” i.e., Amasis his general. And thus the whole prophecy was literally
fulfilled.
GILL, "Thus saith the Lord, behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of
Egypt,.... Pharaoh was a common name of the kings of Egypt, who usually had some
surname, by which they were distinguished; and the surname of the then present king of
Egypt was Hophra; whom the Septuagint and others call Vaphres; and, Herodotus (l)
Apries. The Targum renders it Pharaoh the broken; and the Syriac version Pharaoh the
lame: now it is here predicted as a sign of the destruction of the Jews in Egypt, which
should follow after, that God would deliver this king
into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life;
either into the hands of his rebellious subjects, headed by Amasis, by whom he was kept
alive for a while after taken, and then put to death, as Herodotus reports; or rather into
the hands of Nebuchadnezzar; for Josephus says (m), that he, in the twenty third year of
his reign, which was four or five years after the destruction of Jerusalem, having
subdued the Syrians, Ammonites, and Moabites, entered Egypt in a hostile manner, and
slew the then remaining king, and set up another; and this is confirmed by what follows:
as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon, and that sought his life; in like manner, and as sure as he had done the
one, he would do the other; and he puts the Jews in mind of what he had done by him,
and which they had full and certain knowledge of; and might from hence conclude that
this also would be accomplished, here given as a sign of their own ruin; and which, when
they saw come to pass, might know that it was at hand; and, indeed, the king of Egypt, in
whom they trusted, being taken by his enemies, and his country wasted, they must in
course fall a prey to the conqueror.
JAMISON, "Hophra — in Herodotus called Apries. He succeeded Psammis, the
successor of Pharaoh-necho, who was beaten by Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish, on the
Euphrates. Amasis rebelled against, and overcame him, in the city Sais.
them that seek his life — Herodotus, in curious accordance with this, records that
Amasis, after treating Hophra well at first, was instigated, by persons who thought they
could not be safe unless he were put to death, to strangle him. “His enemies” refer to
Amasis, etc.; the words are accurately chosen, so as not to refer to Nebuchadnezzar, who
is not mentioned till the end of the verse, and in connection with Zedekiah (Eze_20:3;
Eze_30:21). Amasis’ civil war with Hophra pioneered the way for Nebuchadnezzar’s
invasion in the twenty-third year of his reign [Josephus, Antiquities, 10.11].
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CALVIN, "This sign then had a reference to what was future. But the sign given to
Moses was retrospective, for the people more clearly saw that God had been their
deliverer, because it had been predicted to Moses when yet in the desert that the
Israelites would come there; and that place, even Mount Sinai, had been already
destined for that worship which afterwards was presented to God. The people at the
time considered this, and by calling to mind what had been predicted, they were
more and more confirmed as to their faith in God’s favor. Such was also the sign
mentioned here, This shall be a sign, says Jeremiah, even that God would deliver -
Pharaoh-hophrah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar his enemy
Had any one then asked the Prophet why he spoke of the king of Egypt, he would
have said, “Now indeed this sign remains as it were buried, its use is not seen; but
God will in due time shew that I have been entrusted with his commands, for
whatever I predict of the king of Egypt shall be fulfilled.” This sign was also added,
for the thing seemed incredible, that is, that Egypt could be conquered, which was
strongly fortified on every side. As, then, there was no entrance open for enemies,
especially from Pelusium, the Jews thought that they dwelt, as they say, within the
circle of the moon, and that they were placed beyond the reach of danger. Since,
then, they confided in the protection of Egypt, and thought the land unassailable,
this their confidence was laughed to scorn.
And the Prophet expressly mentions the surname of Pharaoh, which was Hophra,
the meaning of which is not known to me; and it is probably an Egyptic word, for
there is no such word in Hebrew: and it is not known whence the word Pharaoh has
come. We know that all the kings of Egypt had this name, as the emperors of Rome
were called Caesars, in memory of Julius Caesar. The kings of Egypt were in the
same manner called Pharaohs. But each had his own name to distinguish him from
the rest; and this king was called Hophra.
Now what the Prophet predicted, if we believe Josephus, was fulfilled about the
fourth year after they had departed into Egypt. For Nebuchadnezzar went down
again into Egypt, after having spoiled the Moabites and the Ammonites, and at
length took possession of that kingdom. But it was a hateful message, when
Jeremiah predicted the ruin of the kingdom. Nor is there a doubt, but that danger
appeared before his eyes, when he saw that he addressed ungodly men, who a
hundred times wished him to be destroyed. When therefore he dared to prophesy
against the king, the whole people, and the land, we hence see how great must have
been his firmness and his courage, still boldly to discharge his office; for he was not
terrified by danger, but promulgated whatever God had committed to him. We then
have here a singular example of magnanimity; for the Prophet hesitated not to risk
his own life while obeying God.
By saying, I will deliver the king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies, and of them
who seek his life, he intimates that there would be fatal enemies, though he speaks
only of one enemy, but he connects the army with its head: I will deliver Pharaoh
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then into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, as I have delivered
Zedekiah into the hand of his enemy and of him who sought his life; as though he
had said, “The condition of the king of Egypt will not be better than that of
Zedekiah.”: For Zedekiah occupied that sacred throne of which God had testified,
“Here will I dwell;” and further, “On the throne of David shall one of his posterity
ever continue.”
We hence see, that the Prophet reasons from the greater to the less; for if God had
not spared King Zedekiah, who was, as it were, a sacred person, nothing better
could be hoped for as to the king of Egypt, who reigned only in a manner usual and
common. The sum of what is said then is, that the Jews had been already sufficiently
taught by facts how true his prophecies were; for he had predicted what at length
happened to Zedekiah; but his word was not believed. “It is now the time,” he says,
“when the Jews must know that I am God’s faithful servant, as God had added a
proof in the case of Zedekiah, which ought to have remained fixed in their
memory.” Now, if they thought that the king of Egypt was beyond danger, they
ascribed great injustice to God, who had not delivered Zedekiah, who had been
anointed in his name, and by his command. This then is the import of the passage.
COKE, "Jeremiah 44:30. I will give Pharaoh-hophra— Pharaoh, as we have often
observed, was a name common to all the kings of Egypt. But several of them had
some additional epithet to distinguish them from the rest. This prince was Apries,
(see the note on chap. Jeremiah 37:5.) whose subjects rebelling, he sent Amasis one
of his generals to reduce them to their duty; but no sooner had Amasis begun to
make his speech, than they fixed a helmet on his head, and proclaimed him king.
Amasis accepted of the title, and confirmed the Egyptians in their rebellion; and the
greater part of the nation declaring for him, Apries was obliged to retire into Upper
Egypt; and the country, being thus weakened by intestine war, was attacked and
easily over-run by Nebuchadrezzar, who, on quitting it, left Amasis his viceroy.
After Nebuchadrezzar's departure, Apries marched against Amasis; but, being
defeated at Memphis, was taken prisoner, carried to Sais, and strangled in his own
palace; thus verifying this prophesy. See Rollin's Ancient History, vol. 1: Bishop
Newton's Prophecies, vol. 1: p. 362 and Calmet.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, No sufferings will change the heart or conduct, if we
continue to resist the calls and drawings of divine grace. If any thing could have
deterred a people from idolatry, we might well have thought that what the Jews had
suffered would have been abundantly sufficient; yet here we behold them as mad
upon their idols as ever. They were now dispersed in the several cities of Egypt; and
Jeremiah is ordered,
1. To remind them of their past sins in opposition to the most earnest admonitions,
and the consequences which they had beheld. They had seen their cities changed
into ruinous heaps, their fruitful country turned into a desart, without man or beast.
Their wickedness, especially their idolatries, was the cause thereof; the folly, as well
as impiety of which, was amazing, and this aggravated by the repeated admonitions
118

which they had rejected, and the earnest exhortations that they had despised. When
God sent by his prophets, saying, Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate, they
turned a deaf ear, and persisted in their abominations: therefore was his wrath
poured out upon them, and the desolations of the land, as at that day, stood a fearful
warning against the like provocations. Note; (1.) Sin is the abominable thing that
God hates, and we cannot conceive or speak of it with sufficient detestation of its
evil and malignity. (2.) The ministers of God, who warn others of the fearful
consequences of sin, must do it with an earnestness and deep concern, such as the
case demands. (3.) Judgments upon others should be our warnings: we are doubly
culpable to sin, not only against God's word, but against what our own eyes have
seen.
2. He upbraids them with their present idolatries, burning incense to the gods of
Egypt, bringing heavy guilt on their consciences, and assured destruction on body
and soul, till they should be made a proverb of wickedness and wretchedness, and
an execration among all nations. He upbraids them also with their forgetfulness of
their fathers' wickedness, and their own, the cause of all the judgments under which
they groaned: unaffected and unhumbled with which, to that very day they
persisted in their disobedience to God's law, and went on from evil to worse, to fill
up the measure of their iniquities to the full. Note; (1.) When under judgments the
heart grows harder, it is a dire symptom of a reprobate mind. (2.) They who sin
against God, sin against their own souls, and bring upon themselves sure and swift
destruction.
3. He denounces God's vengeance on them for these abominations. As many as set
their faces to go into Egypt, and were the authors of that pernicious resolution, shall
perish there without exception, from the least to the greatest, and by the very
judgments that they designed thereby to avoid, which God had brought on
Jerusalem: nor should a man of them ever again return unto their own land, as they
hoped and desired when they might do it with greater safety than at present, except
the few that escaped out of the hands of Johanan. Or it intimates how much worse
their condition would be in Egypt, than that of the captives in Babylon: some of
these should come back again, but none shall return from Egypt. Note; (1.) They
who will not be ruled by God's word, will be broken by his rod. (2.) They who will
take their affairs out of God's hands, and think their own projects more to be
depended on than God's promises and providence, will meet with sure
disappointment.
2nd, Never surely appeared more daring effrontery, and hardened impenitence.
1. They avow their determined resolution to abide in their idolatries, and follow the
devices of their own hearts. The women had been chiefly engaged in the idolatrous
rites, and their husbands approve and vindicate their conduct. Note; Custom in sin
makes men daring and impudent.
2. They support their determination by many pretended arguments. They had
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authority and antiquity to recommend the practice: their fathers did so; their kings
patronized it; they had numbers on their side; their whole land had made public
profession of serving the queen of heaven, the moon, or the whole celestial host: nay,
they affirm, that then they had plenty of all good things, and they date all their
miseries from their neglect of their idols' service. Note; (1.) Antiquity, authority,
numbers, &c. are no arguments to vindicate any practice which the word of God
forbids. (2.) Such is the deceivableness of unrighteousness, that the very methods
which God takes to separate men from their sins, they urge as arguments to harden
themselves therein.
3. The women, regarding themselves as most aimed at by the prophet's rebuke,
vindicate themselves by pleading their husbands' countenance and approbation.
Absurd pretence! as if that could authorize them to transgress the law of God. Note;
(1.) Disobedience is duty, when superiors enjoin or countenance what God forbids.
(2.) It is grievous, when they who should assist each other in the way to heaven are
mutual tempters, and harden each other in their sins.
3rdly, The prophet is neither intimidated by their numbers, nor discouraged by
their obstinacy. If they will not reform, at least they shall hear their doom.
1. He contradicts the false assertion which they had made, that all their troubles
arose from their neglecting the service of their idols, and shews them their real
origin. It is true, God did long bear with their provocations, in hopes that they
would repent; but he did not overlook or forget them: no; he saw, and, unable
longer to forbear poured out his vengeance upon them for their wickedness, their
idolatries, their rebellion, and disobedience to his warnings; for which their land
was a desolation, and themselves a curse at that day.
2. God abandons them to the sin and ruin which they have chosen; and this is
addressed particularly to the women, who were chief in the transgression. They had
declared their determined purpose of persisting in their abominations, and fulfilling
their vows to the queen of heaven; as if their being under a vow to do evil could lay
them under an obligation to perform it: therefore he gives them up to their own
delusions; and since they said, "Depart," he will depart, confirming it with an oath,
to shew the immutability of his counsel concerning them. They will lose all the
remains of religion; they will no more swear by his name: either he will utterly
consume all the Jews in Egypt by famine and the sword, and not leave a man to
profane his holy name; or they shall be left to themselves, and sink into the
idolatries of Egypt, incorporate with that nation, and forget the very mention of
Israel's God. A few indeed, who, as Baruch, stood firm amid the general apostacy,
shall escape this destruction, and return again to their own land; and they shall see
whose word shall stand, theirs, who promised the idolaters impunity, or his, who
threatened them with ruin. Note; (1.) A greater curse cannot light upon the sinner,
than to be given up of God to the devices of his own heart. (2.) However men flatter
themselves, it will soon be proved whose word shall stand, God's or theirs.
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3. God gives them a sign of the certainty of the threatened judgments. The king of
Egypt, their protector, shall be shortly given into Nebuchadnezzar's hands, as
Zedekiah had been; and, so far from defending them, should be ruined himself.
Note; They who for human confidences forsake the living God, shall find them no
better than broken reeds.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 44:30 Thus saith the LORD Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra
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.
Ver. 30. Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra.] Called also Vaphres, and by
Herodotus, Apries, being nephew to Necho, who slew Josiah. A very proud prince he
saith Apries was, slain by Amasis, who succeeded him. But others gather from this
text, and from Ezekiel 29:19; Ezekiel 31:11; Ezekiel 31:15; Ezekiel 31:18, that he
was slain by Nebuchadnezzar. Josephus (a) also and Jerome say as much. (b)
“Thus says YHWH, 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, as I gave Zedekiah king
of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy, and
sought his life.”
For the sign that He was giving was the guarantee of the downfall of the king of
Egypt in whom they were trusting. The great Pharaoh must have seemed to them
like a mighty bulwark. He was the guarantee of their security in Egypt. But let them
now note the fact that YHWH was guaranteeing his sure end. On the word of
YHWH Pharaoh Hofra would be given into the hands of those who sought his life.
Thus He would prove not to be so invincible after all. And YHWH’s very
declaration of the fact was a sign both that it would happen, and that Judah in
Egypt were similarly doomed. Whilst in normal circumstances what someone says
will happen cannot be seen as a sign, it was different in the case of YHWH. For His
very saying it was a guarantee that it would happen.
Pharaoh Hofra (or Apries) ruled over Egypt from 589-570 BC. It was he who
promised aid to King Zedekiah against the Babylonians but who, in spite of
attempting to provide such aid, was unable to deliver on his promises, his army
being thwarted and turned back by the Babylonians (Jeremiah 37:5). Whether an
actual battle took place we do not know. In 570 BC part of his army rebelled against
him as a result of a disastrous campaign in Libya and for three years he had to be
satisfied with ruling Egypt jointly alongside Pharaoh Amosis (Amahsis). At the end
of the three years he was overthrown by Amosis and executed, and thus ‘given into
the hands of his enemies who sought his life’. It was during the latter’s reign (in
568/7 BC) that Nebuchadrezzar invaded Egypt, probably on a reprisal raid. This is
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confirmed in a fragmentary Babylonian text. Egypt did, however, retain its
independence and Amosis and Nebuchadrezzar would later establish a treaty
relationship.
Reference to what happened to Zedekiah at the hands of Nebuchadrezzar is
intended to bring out that it was YHWH who brought about the end of both Hophra
and Zedekiah. The destinies of both were under His control. It may also indicate
that Hophra had similarly offended YHWH, and was therefore dealt with in a
similar way. But we are given no detail. There is no suggestion that Hophra himself
directly suffered at the hands of Nebuchadrezzar. The emphasis is on the fact that
he would not die peacefully. It is interesting that Hophra had once declared, ‘not
even a god can remove me from my throne’.
I will give Pharaoh-hophra, etc. The sign consists in the capture of Hophra by his
deadly enemies. Henceforth he will live in constant alarm, for he is in the hands of
those "that seek his life." All that we know of the fate of Hophra is derived from
Herodotus (2:169), who states that Amssis "gave Apries over into the hands of his
former subjects, to deal with as they chose. Then the Egyptians took him and
strangled him" (see further on Jeremiah 46:13).
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Jeremiah 44 commentary

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Jeremiah 44 commentary