Jeremiah 44 13

Jeremiah 44:13 kjv

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:

Jeremiah 44:13 nkjv

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

Jeremiah 44:13 niv

I will punish those who live in Egypt with the sword, famine and plague, as I punished Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 44:13 esv

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

Jeremiah 44:13 nlt

I will punish them in Egypt just as I punished them in Jerusalem, by war, famine, and disease.

Jeremiah 44 verses

Jeremiah 44 13 Meaning

This verse from Jeremiah powerfully declares the Lord's pronouncement of judgment upon the people of Judah. It states that God will bring upon them disaster and not spare them. The judgment is comprehensive, affecting their sustenance and their very lives. The reasons for this severe judgment are their persistent sin and rebellion, particularly their idolatry and rejection of God's commands and prophets. This judgment signifies the consequence of their covenant unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 44 13 Context

Jeremiah 44 unfolds as a direct confrontation between the prophet Jeremiah and the refugees in Egypt, primarily the women. Following the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile, a remnant of Judeans fled to Egypt, believing they would find safety and continue their traditional practices there. This verse is part of Jeremiah's impassioned message to them. Historically, these Judeans had defied Jeremiah's warnings, stubbornly continuing their idolatrous worship, particularly the worship of the "Queen of Heaven," which they attributed with prosperity. Jeremiah, sent by God, denounces their continued apostasy and assures them of impending judgment even in Egypt. This message follows God's earlier pronouncements of destruction upon Jerusalem itself. The prophet’s words reflect the dire situation of the people who had ignored divine counsel, turning instead to idolatry, thereby forfeiting God's protection.

Jeremiah 44 13 Word Analysis

• "Therefore" (לָכֵ֗ן - lāḵên): Indicates a consequence, linking the following pronouncement of judgment directly to the preceding actions and rejection of God by the people. It signals that what follows is a direct result of their behavior.

• "thus" (כֹּ֤ה - kōh): Introduces a declarative statement, a formal declaration or pronouncement from God.

• "says" (אָמַר֙ - ʾāmaṛ): A common verb for divine speech or prophetic utterance.

• "the LORD of hosts" (יְהוָ֖ה צְבָא֣וֹת - Yahweh ṣəḇāʾōṯ): This title emphasizes God's supreme power and authority over all heavenly armies and earthly powers, highlighting His might to execute judgment.

• "the God of Israel" (אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל - ʾĕlōhê yiśrāʾēl): Connects God's universal power to His specific covenant relationship with His chosen people, making the judgment a betrayal of that covenant.

• "Behold" (הִנְנִ֖י - hinniy): Draws attention, emphasizing the imminence and certainty of the coming disaster.

• "I am bringing" (מֵבִ֣יא - mēḇīʾ): The present participle indicates an action in progress or imminent execution of the declared judgment.

• "disaster" (רָעָ֥ה - rāʿāh): Means "evil," "calamity," or "misfortune." Here, it signifies a severe and comprehensive affliction.

• "upon them" (עֲלֵיהֶ֥ם - ʿăleihem): Refers specifically to the Judean refugees in Egypt.

• "and" (וְ - wə): Connects the different aspects of the judgment.

• "all Judah" (כָּל־יְהוּדָ֗ה - kāl-yəhûḏāh): Extends the scope of judgment to include all the people of Judah, emphasizing its pervasive nature.

• "and" (וְ - wə): Continues the list of consequences.

• "will remove" (הֵסִ֛רְתִּי - hēsi"?:r·tīy): "to remove," "to cause to pass away." Implies eradication or total dispersion.

• "the remnant of Judah" (אֶת־שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יְהוּדָ֖ה - ʾeṯ-šəʾērȋṯ yəhûḏāh): Refers to those who survived the initial fall of Jerusalem. It's a specific group within the larger population.

• "who set their faces to enter" (הַנֹּתְנִ֥ים אֶת־פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם לָב֣וֹא - han-nōṯə nīm ʾeṯ-pənêhem lāḇōʾ): A strong idiom for purposeful intent or a deliberate decision. Their entire will and desire were directed towards going into Egypt.

• "the land of Egypt" (אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם - ʾeṟeṣ miṣráyim): The destination they sought for refuge.

• "to sojourn there" (לָג֣וּר שָׁ֑ם - lāgû r šāwm): "to dwell," "to sojourn," implying a temporary or expatriate stay.

• "and" (וְ - wə): Connects their destination with their fate.

• "they shall be consumed" (וְנִצְמְּת֖וּ - wə·niṣmə·ṯū): A passive form of "to cut off," "to be destroyed," signifying complete annihilation.

• "by the sword" (בַּחֶ֣רֶב - baḥereḇ): Refers to warfare and its deadly outcome.

• "and" (וְ - wə): Continues the means of destruction.

• "by famine" (בָּרָעָ֖ב - bā rāʿāḇ): Refers to starvation, highlighting the completeness of the destruction beyond mere combat.

• "in the land of Egypt" (בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם - bəʾeṟeṣ miṣráyim): Specifies the location where this complete destruction will occur.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel": This appellation is critical, establishing God’s authority to judge both His covenant people (Israel) and all of creation (hosts), ensuring the inevitability of the pronouncement.
  • "Behold, I am bringing disaster... and all Judah": The direct, emphatic introduction and the sweeping scope ("all Judah") underscore the totality of the impending divine action, leaving no room for evasion.
  • "the remnant of Judah who set their faces to enter the land of Egypt to sojourn there": This specific grouping highlights the apostate segment of the surviving population whose deliberate choice of refuge in Egypt, while disobeying God's prophet, seals their doom. Their turning to Egypt is a rejection of reliance on God.
  • "and they shall all be consumed by the sword and by famine in the land of Egypt": This pairing of "sword" and "famine" signifies a total, unavoidable end – death through warfare and starvation – occurring in the very place they sought salvation, thereby mocking their false hope and punishing their misguided allegiance. The reiteration emphasizes this utter desolation.

Jeremiah 44 13 Bonus Section

The worship of the "Queen of Heaven" (Hebrew: Malkath Hashamayim) was a syncretistic practice, integrating Canaanite or Mesopotamian fertility cults into their religious life, often syncretized with Yahwism. This particular cult, as depicted in Jeremiah, was characterized by the making of cakes and pouring out drink offerings in honor of the Queen of Heaven and her male consort (often understood as Tammuz or Baal), an act the people credited with their former abundance. Jeremiah's denunciation of this practice was so strong because it represented a complete abandonment of exclusive loyalty to Yahweh, the God who had delivered them from Egypt. The refugees' choice to continue this worship in Egypt reflects a deep-seated cultural and spiritual rebellion against Jeremiah's prophetic messages, which consistently called for repentance and restoration through faithfulness to the covenant, not through syncretistic worship or seeking refuge in pagan nations. This chapter stands as a testament to the human tendency to repeat past mistakes and to cling to perceived security even when it leads away from God.

Jeremiah 44 13 Commentary

Jeremiah 44:13 pronounces a grim judgment against the Judean refugees who fled to Egypt. They believed that by continuing their worship of the Queen of Heaven in Egypt, they would find safety and prosperity. However, Jeremiah reveals that their pursuit of security through idolatry has guaranteed their destruction. God, as the Lord of Hosts and God of Israel, is acting upon His covenant, which was broken by their persistent disobedience and rejection of His word delivered through His prophets. The judgment is comprehensive: famine and the sword will consume them. This judgment is not only a punishment for their sins but also a demonstration that there is no escape from God’s justice, not even in a foreign land where they sought to continue their defiant practices. Their reliance on Egypt proves to be their downfall, as the very land they trusted will become their graveyard. The verse serves as a stark reminder that God’s word is sure, and that His justice will ultimately prevail against those who rebel and seek security apart from Him. It highlights the seriousness of covenant infidelity and the pervasive nature of God's judgment against unrepented sin, even reaching those who try to escape His consequences.