Suffering in Egypt: When Escape Becomes a New Bondage

The word that came to Jeremiah for all the Judeans living in the land of Egypt, living in Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Noph, and in the land of Pathros: Thus said GOD of Hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the disaster that I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. They are a ruin today, and no one inhabits them, on account of the wicked things they did to vex Me, going to make offerings in worship of other gods that they had not known—neither they nor you nor your ancestors. Yet I persistently sent to you all My servants the prophets, to say, “I beg you not to do this abominable thing that I hate.” But they would not listen or give ear, to turn back from their wickedness and not make offerings to other gods; so My fierce anger was poured out, and it blazed against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. And they became a desolate ruin, as they still are today. And now, thus said the ETERNAL, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel: Why are you doing such great harm to yourselves, so that every man and woman, child and infant of yours shall be cut off from the midst of Judah, and no remnant shall be left of you? For you vex Me by your deeds, making offering to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to sojourn, so that you shall be cut off and become a curse and a mockery among all the nations of earth. Have you forgotten the wicked acts of your ancestors, of the kings of Judah and their wives, and your own wicked acts and those of your wives, that were committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? No one has shown contrition to this day, and no one has shown reverence. You have not followed the Teaching and the laws that I set before you and before your ancestors. Assuredly, thus said GOD of Hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to set My face against you for punishment, to cut off all of Judah. I will take the remnant of Judah who turned their faces toward the land of Egypt, to go and sojourn there, and they shall be utterly consumed in the land of Egypt. They shall fall by the sword, they shall be consumed by famine; great and small alike shall die by the sword and by famine, and they shall become an execration and a desolation, a curse and a mockery. I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt as I punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence. Of the remnant of Judah who came to sojourn here in the land of Egypt, no survivor or fugitive shall be left to return to the land of Judah. Though they all long to return and dwell there, none shall return except [a few] survivors. Thereupon they answered Jeremiah—all the men who knew that their wives made offerings to other gods; all the women present, a large gathering; and all the people who lived in Pathros in the land of Egypt: “We will not listen to you in the matter about which you spoke to us in the name of GOD. On the contrary, we will do everything that we have vowed—to make offerings to the Queen of Heaven and to pour libations to her, as we used to do, we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials, in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty to eat, we were well-off, and suffered no misfortune. But ever since we stopped making offerings to the Queen of Heaven and pouring libations to her, we have lacked everything, and we have been consumed by the sword and by famine. And when we make offerings to the Queen of Heaven and pour libations to her, is it without our husbands’ approval that we have made cakes in her likeness and poured libations to her?” Jeremiah replied to all the people, men and women—all the people who argued with him. He said, “Indeed, the offerings you presented in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem—you, your ancestors, your kings, your officials, and the people of the land—were remembered by GOD and brought to mind! When GOD could no longer bear your evil practices and the abominations you committed, your land became a desolate ruin and a curse, without inhabitant, as is still the case. Because you burned incense and sinned against GOD and did not obey GOD—whose Teaching, whose laws, and whose exhortations you did not follow—therefore this disaster has befallen you, as is still the case.” Jeremiah further said to all the people, including all the women: “Hear the word of GOD, all Judeans in the land of Egypt! Thus said GOD of Hosts, the God of Israel: You and your wives have confirmed by deed what you spoke in words: ‘We will fulfill the vows that we made, to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour libations to her.’ So fulfill your vows; perform your vows! “Yet hear the word of GOD, all Judeans who dwell in the land of Egypt! Lo, I swear by My great name—said GOD—that none of Judah’s contingent in all the land of Egypt shall ever again invoke My name, saying, ‘As my Sovereign GOD lives!’ I will be watchful over them to their hurt, not to their benefit; all of Judah’s contingent in the land of Eg

Jeremiah 44:1–20 — God's word to the Judean refugees in Egypt who have fled the Babylonian destruction only to persist in idolatry, turning their promised deliverance into fresh judgment.