Jeremiah 44 7

Jeremiah 44:7 kjv

Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;

Jeremiah 44:7 nkjv

"Now therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, out of Judah, leaving none to remain,

Jeremiah 44:7 niv

"Now this is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women, the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?

Jeremiah 44:7 esv

And now thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, infant and child, from the midst of Judah, leaving you no remnant?

Jeremiah 44:7 nlt

"And now the LORD God of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, asks you: Why are you destroying yourselves? For not one of you will survive ? not a man, woman, or child among you who has come here from Judah, not even the babies in your arms.

Jeremiah 44 verses

Jeremiah 44 7 meaning

Jeremiah 44:7 is a profound declaration from the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah, serving as a severe indictment of the Jewish refugees who had fled to Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem. God's message unequivocally condemns their current practice of idolatry as a "great evil." He clarifies that their actions are not merely offensive to Him, but fundamentally self-destructive, directly leading to the annihilation of their own people—men, women, infants, and children. The verse highlights that by choosing to commit this idolatrous sin, they are actively ensuring that no remnant of Judah will be left among them, thereby erasing their future and continuity as a people.

Jeremiah 44 7 Context

Jeremiah chapter 44 is set after the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE by the Babylonians. Following the assassination of Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor, many remaining Jews, fearing Babylonian retaliation and seeking a more secure life, decided to flee to Egypt despite direct warnings from God through Jeremiah not to go. This chapter records Jeremiah's final, poignant prophetic message to these defiant Jewish refugees residing in various cities across Egypt.

In the verses immediately preceding Jeremiah 44:7 (verses 1-6), Jeremiah recounts the desolation of Judah and Jerusalem, explicitly attributing it to their ancestors' and kings' idolatry. God had sent His prophets repeatedly to warn them, but they had refused to listen. Having witnessed these divine judgments and their devastating effects firsthand, one would expect a change of heart. However, these verses set the stage for the severe rebuke in verse 7, as Jeremiah confronts them for repeating the very same "great evil" of idolatry in Egypt that had just brought about the destruction of their homeland. Their journey to Egypt was in direct disobedience to God (as detailed in chapters 42-43), placing them outside His protection, and their continuation of idolatry in this new land solidified their perilous fate.

Jeremiah 44 7 Word analysis

• Now therefore: A strong transitional phrase, marking a logical conclusion derived from the preceding arguments (Jer 44:1-6, detailing Judah's fall due to idolatry) and introducing the direct, imperative divine message.
• thus says the Lord: (Hebrew: כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar Adonai). The authoritative prophetic formula. It emphasizes that this is a direct, unequivocal communication from God Himself, underscoring the weight and truth of the message.
• the God of hosts: (Hebrew: יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת - Adonai Tzeva'ot). A title emphasizing God's omnipotence and sovereign power over all spiritual and earthly forces. It starkly contrasts with the impotent foreign deities the people are now worshipping and highlights His power to execute His word, whether in judgment or salvation.
• the God of Israel: This title specifically connects to the unique covenant relationship between God and His chosen people, which they are in blatant violation of. It underscores His particular claim on them, and their specific betrayal.
• ‘Why do you commit: (Hebrew: לָמָּה אַתֶּם עֹשִׂים - lamah attem osīm). A rhetorical question expressing divine astonishment, indignation, and lament over their persistent and inexplicable foolishness in light of recent catastrophic events.
• this great evil: (Hebrew: הָרָעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת - hara'ah haggdoláh hazzot). Referring primarily to their idolatry (worshipping foreign gods like the "queen of heaven"). It is "great" because of its audacious defiance, its direct violation of God's clear will, and its immense potential for devastating consequences, especially given their recent history.
• against yourselves: (Hebrew: נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם - nafshotêchem - lit. "your souls/lives"). This is a critical nuance. Their sin is not merely an abstract transgression but a self-destructive act, leading directly to their own undoing and cessation of life. They are architects of their own demise.
• to cut off from you: (Hebrew: לְהַכְרִית מִכֶּם - le'hachrit mikchem). Implies complete termination, destruction, or extermination. In covenant terms, "cutting off" (כָּרַת - karat) signifies exclusion or the end of a lineage. Here, it denotes utter demographic extinction.
• man and woman, infant and child: A comprehensive enumeration of all demographic groups, signifying the total extent of the coming judgment. It emphasizes that no age or gender will be spared from the self-inflicted devastation, moving beyond typical battlefield casualties to a complete societal erasure.
• from the midst of Judah: Even though they are physically in Egypt, their identity and accountability are still intrinsically tied to "Judah"—the covenant nation. Their actions in Egypt have direct consequences for their continuity as God's chosen people.
• leaving yourselves without a remnant: (Hebrew: לְבִלְתִּי הֱיוֹת לָכֶם שְׁאֵרִית - le'bilti heyot lachem she'erit). This is the tragic outcome. The "remnant" is a foundational concept in Old Testament prophecy, often signifying God's faithful preservation of a small portion of His people. Here, the people themselves are actively working to destroy this last vestige, thus thwarting any hope for their survival and future.

Word Group Analysis:

• "thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel": This powerful divine self-introduction combines a declaration of direct prophetic authority, God's supreme cosmic power (hosts), and His unique, covenantal relationship with Israel, emphasizing that their rebellion is against the very one who is their rightful sovereign and protector.
• "Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves": This rhetorical question highlights the sheer folly and spiritual blindness of their actions. It's an indictment of self-harm, stressing that their sin has direct, destructive consequences for their own lives and community, far beyond offending God.
• "to cut off from you man and woman, infant and child": This phrase paints a grim picture of absolute destruction, emphasizing that the judgment will be total and indiscriminative of age or gender. It conveys a complete demographic wipeout, signifying the severing of future generations.
• "from the midst of Judah, leaving yourselves without a remnant": This phrase underscores the finality and tragedy of their choice. They are part of the last remaining segment of God's covenant people (Judah), and through their disobedience, they are consciously choosing to obliterate even this tiny possibility of continued existence, thereby becoming a remnant that eradicates itself.

Jeremiah 44 7 Bonus section

• The Irony of "Remnant": The concept of a "remnant" is often a source of hope in prophetic literature, signifying God's faithfulness to preserve a part of His people through judgment. However, here, the people in Egypt, themselves a remnant, are actively engaged in practices that ensure they themselves will leave no remnant, directly contrasting with God's redemptive purposes for Israel.
• God's Sovereignty and Human Choice: This verse powerfully illustrates the tension between God's ultimate sovereignty and human moral responsibility. While God is "the God of hosts," mighty and capable of anything, He holds the people accountable for their chosen path of "great evil," highlighting their culpability in their impending destruction.
• Echoes of Exodus in Reverse: By fleeing to Egypt, the Israelites paradoxically returned to a land symbolic of their past bondage and a hotbed of paganism, a direct defiance of God's instruction to stay in Judah (Jer 42). This historical reversal deepens the tragic nature of their disobedience, effectively unlearning the foundational lesson of their nation's birth—God's deliverance from Egypt.

Jeremiah 44 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 44:7 captures the climax of God's exasperated appeal to His disobedient people in Egypt. After laying out the undeniable cause of Jerusalem's fall—idolatry—God confronts them directly, not just with their sin against Him, but as a self-inflicted wound. The rhetorical question, "Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves?" underlines the utter foolishness of repeating the same mistakes that brought such recent devastation. Their worship of foreign deities, especially the "queen of heaven," was a profound act of defiance and a tragic rejection of the one true God who had historically protected them. This "great evil" ensures their total obliteration, described with chilling precision as the cutting off of "man and woman, infant and child," leaving absolutely "no remnant." This means not merely loss of life but the cessation of their lineage and the complete abandonment of their identity as God's people in that region. It’s a sobering reminder that God's justice is sure, and persistent rebellion against His clear warnings, even in times of severe national judgment, leads to greater and more absolute ruin, culminating in self-destruction and the forfeiture of all hope for future generations.