Jeremiah 44 - Study the King James Bible

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,

The Thirty-Ninth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
This was Jeremiah's Thirty-Ninth and latest prophecy (see book comments for Jeremiah) relating to Israel. Chapters 46-51 relate to the Gentiles.
which dwell, &c. See longer note below.
Migdol. See note on Exodus 14:2 .
Tahpanhes. See note on Jeremiah 43:7 .
Noph. A contraction of the Egyptian Manu fr = the abode of the good. Hebrew. Moph in Hosea 9:6 ; afterward = Memphis; now Abu Sir. Compare Jeremiah 2:16 ; Jeremiah 46:14 , Jeremiah 46:19 .
Pathros. A part of Upper Egypt, south of Memphis. Compare Isaiah 11:11 .Ezekiel 29:14 ; Ezekiel 30:14 .

LONGER NOTE ON JEREMIAH: Chapters 42-44.
"The Jews which dwell in the land op Egypt " (Jeremiah 44:1 ).
As the end of the kingdom of Judah drew near, many of the Jews were determined to go into Egypt ; and this in spite of the warning given by Jehovah through Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 44 we have the latest prophecy concerning those who had gone thither; which declared that they should not escape, but should be consumed there (Jeremiah 44:27 , &c). This prophecy must have been fulfilled concerning that generation; but their successors, or others that subsequently followed, continued there a little longer, until the time came for Egypt itself to fall into the hands of Babylon. Recent discoveries of Papyri in the ruins of Elephantine (an island in the Nile, opposite Assouan), dating from the fifth century BC, bear witness to two great facts:
(1) That Jews were then dwelling there (in 424-405 BC).
(2) That they were observing the Feast of the Passover, "as it is written in the law of Moses".
The importance of these Papyri lies in the fact that modern critics confidently assert and assume that the greater part of the Pentateuch was not written till after the Exile ; and even then neither collectively as a whole, nor separately in its distinctive books.
In App-92 . it is shown that all through the prophets (who lived at the time of the kings in whose reigns they prophesied) there is a constant reference to the books of the Pentateuch, which conclusively proves that their contents were well known both to the prophets themselves and those whom they addressed. The Pentateuch, being full of legal expressions, technical ceremonial terms, and distinctive phraseology, affords abundant evidence of the above fact, and makes it easy to call continuous attention to it in the notes of The Companion Bible.
But there is further evidence found in the Papyri now discovered in the ruins at Elephantine in Upper Egypt.
They show that the Jews who dwelt there had a temple of their own and offered up sacrifices therein. That once, when this their temple was destroyed by the Egyptians, they appealed to the Persian governor of Judah, asking permission to restore it (Papyrus I).
There is a list preserved, registering the contributions towards the upkeep of the temple (containing the names of many ladies).
But the most interesting and important of these Papyri is one dated in the year 419 BC which is a Passover "announcement" of the approaching feast, such as were made from the earliest times to the present day (see Nehemiah 8:15 ), containing a brief epitome of its laws and requirements. This particular announcement shows that the following passages were well known : Exodus 12:16 . Leviticus 23:7-8 . Numbers 9:1-14 .Deuteronomy 16:6 .
This Papyrus has been recently published by Professor Edward Sachau, of Berlin: Aramdische Papyrus una Ostraka aus einer jildischen Militarkolonie zu Elephantine. Altorientalische Sprachdenkmaler des 5. Jahrhunderts vor Chr., mit 75 Lichtdrucktafalein. Leipzig, 1911. A small edition (texts only) by Professor Ungnad, of Jena, is published also under the title of Aramaische Papyrus aus Elephantine.
Nearly 2,400 years, since this announcement by Hananjah to the Jews in Egypt, have gone by. Elephantine is now a heap of ruins. The colony of Jews has passed away (unless the "Falashas" of Abyssinia are their descendants), but the Jewish nation still exists, and continues to keep the Passover, a standing witness to their truth of holy Scripture.

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,

the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .

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, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.

wickedness. Hebrew. ra'a. App-44 .
serve other gods. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 13:6 ; Deuteronomy 32:17 ).

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.

rising early, &c. See note on Jeremiah 7:13 .

But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.

Wherefore my fury and mine 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 at this day.

Therefore now this 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;

the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 35:17 .
God. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, omit "the God".
against your souls. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 16:38 ).
souls. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
man. Hebrew ' ish . App-14 .
child = little one.
out of Judah = out of the midst of Judah.

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?

works. Some codices, with five early printed editions (one, margin), and Syriac, read "work" (singular)
gone = come.
dwell = sojourn.
among. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "to".

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 have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?

wickedness = wickednesses, or wicked ways. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 . Note the Figure of speech Repetitio , used for great emphasis.
their wives. See Jeremiah 44:15 .

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.

humbled = contrite.

11.

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.

I will set My face, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 17:10 ; Leviticus 20:3 , Leviticus 20:5 , Leviticus 20:6 ). App-92 .

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.

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:

as = according as.

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.

have a desire = lift up their soul. Hebrew. nephesh, App-13 .

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,

all. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Whole), for the specified part.
men. Hebrew, plural of enosh App-14 : i.e. the husbands.
multitude = assembly.

16.

As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.

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.

whatsoever thing goeth forth, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 30:12 .Deuteronomy 23:23; Deuteronomy 23:23 ). App-92 .
victuals. Hebrew "bread". Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), for all kinds of food.

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.

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?

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,

men. Hebrew, plural of geber. App-14 .

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?

them: i.e. your fathers.
it: i.e. the incense.
into His mind = upon His heart. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. .

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.

bear = forbear.

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 in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.

24.

Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:

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.

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.

I have sworn, &c . Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 22:16 ).
The Lord GOD. Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. App-4 .

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.

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.

shall return, &c. So that the king ' s daughters either returned to Judah or remained in Egypt.

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:

30.

Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaoh-hophra 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.

them. Not Nebuchadnezzar; but, as the monuments now tell us, the soldiers who revolted against Hophra. He was delivered into their hands, as Zedekiah had already been delivered into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh.
as = according as.