Jeremiah 44:15-30 - The People's Stubborn Response

¹⁵ Then all the men which knew that their wives had offered unto strange gods, and a great sort of wives that stood there, yea and all the people that dwelt there in Egypt in the city of Pathros, answered Jeremiah, and said, ¹⁶ "As for the words that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will in no wise hear them: ¹⁷ But whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, that will we do: We will do sacrifice, and offer oblations unto the Queen of heaven: like as we and our forefathers, our kings and our heads have done in the cities of Judah, and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had we plenteousness of victuals, then were we in prosperity, and no misfortune came upon us. ¹⁸ But since we left off to offer and to do sacrifice unto the Queen of heaven, we have had scarceness of all things, and perish with the sword and hunger.

¹⁹ Last of all, when we women did sacrifice and offered unto the Queen of heaven, did we make her cakes and pour unto her drink offerings, to do her service, without our husbands' wills?"

²⁰ Then said Jeremiah unto all the people, to the men, to the women, and to all the folk, which had given him that answer, ²¹ "Did not the LORD remember the sacrifices that ye, your forefathers, your kings and rulers, with all the people, have offered in the cities of Judah, in the streets and land of Jerusalem? And hath he not considered this in his mind? ²² Insomuch that the LORD might no longer suffer the wickedness of your inventions, and the abominable things which ye did? Is not your land desolate and void; yea, and abhorred, so that no man dwelleth therein any more, as it is come to pass this day? ²³ Did not all this happen unto you, because ye made such sacrifice, and sinned against the LORD? Ye have not followed his voice, to walk in his law, in his ordinances and statutes. Yea, this is the cause that all misfortune happened unto you, as it is come to pass this day."

²⁴ Moreover, Jeremiah spake unto all the people and to all the women, "Hear the word of the LORD all Judah, ye that be in the land of Egypt: ²⁵ Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Ye and your wives have spoken with your own mouth, the thing that ye have fulfilled in deed. Yea, thus have ye said, 'We will not fail, but do the thing that pleaseth us: we will do sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of heaven.' Purposely have ye set up your own good meanings, and hastily have ye fulfilled your own intent.

²⁶ And therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all Judah, ye that dwell in the land of Egypt. Behold, I have sworn by my great name, sayeth the LORD, that my name shall not be rehearsed through any man's mouth of Judah, in all the land of Egypt to say, 'The LORD God liveth,' ²⁷ for I will watch, to plague them, and not for their wealth. And all the men of Judah that be in the land of Egypt, shall perish with the sword and with hunger, until they be utterly destroyed. ²⁸ Nevertheless, those that fled away for the sword shall come again into the land of Judah, but there shall be very few of them. And all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into Egypt, there to dwell, shall know whose words shall be found true: theirs or mine. ²⁹ Take this for a token, that I will visit you in this place, sayeth the LORD, and that ye may know, how that I, without doubt, will perform my purpose upon you to punish you. ³⁰ Behold, sayeth the LORD, I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies, that seek after his life: even as I gave Zedekiah the king of Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, which sought after his life."