The word that came
to Jeremiah
for all
the Jews
living
in the land
of Egypt
, those who were living
in aMigdol
, bTahpanhes
, cMemphis
, and the land
of dPathros
, saying
,
"Thus says
the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, `You yourselves
have seen
all
the calamity
that I have brought
on Jerusalem
and all
the cities
of Judah
; and behold
, this
day
they are in aruins
and no
one
lives
in them,
abecause of their wickedness
which
they committed
so as to bprovoke
Me to anger
by continuing
to cburn
1sacrifices
and to dserve
other
gods
whom
they had not known
, neither they, you, nor
your fathers
.
`Yet I asent you all
My servants
the prophets
, 1again
and again
, saying
, "Oh
, do not do
this
babominable
thing
which
I hate
."
`But athey did not listen or incline
their ears
to turn
from their wickedness
, so as not to burn
1sacrifices
to other
gods
.
`Therefore My awrath and My anger
were poured
out and burned
in the bcities
of Judah
and in the streets
of Jerusalem
, so they have
become
a ruin
and a cdesolation
as it is this
day
.
`Now then thus
says
the LORD
God
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, "Why
are you adoing
great
harm
to yourselves
, so as to bcut
off
from you man
and woman
, child
and infant
, from among
Judah
, leaving
yourselves without
remnant
,
aprovoking Me to anger
with the works
of your hands
, bburning
1sacrifices
to other
gods
in the land
of Egypt
, where
you are entering
to reside
, so
that you might be cut
off
and become
a ccurse
and a reproach
among all
the nations
of the earth
?
"Have you forgotten the awickedness
of your fathers
, the wickedness
of the kings
of Judah
, and the wickedness
of their wives
, your own wickedness
, and the wickedness
of your wives
, which
they committed
in the land
of Judah
and in the streets
of Jerusalem
?
"But they ahave not become 1contrite
even to this
day
, nor
have they feared
nor
bwalked
in My law
or My statutes
, which
I have set
before
you and before
your fathers
."'
"Therefore thus
says
the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, `Behold
, I am going to aset
My face
against you for 1woe
, even to cut
off
all
Judah
.
`And I will atake away the remnant
of Judah
who
have set
their 1mind
on entering
the land
of Egypt
to reside
there
, and they will all
2 bmeet
their end
in the land
of Egypt
; they will fall
by the sword
and meet
their end
by famine
. Both
small
and great
will die
by the sword
and famine
; and they will become
a ccurse
, an object
of horror
, an imprecation
and a reproach
.
`And I will apunish those who live
in the land
of Egypt
, as I have punished
Jerusalem
, with the sword
, with famine
and with pestilence
.
`So there will be ano refugees
or survivors
for the remnant
of Judah
who have entered
the land
of Egypt
to reside
there
and then to return
to the land
of Judah
, to which
they are 1 blonging
to return
and live
; for none
will creturn
except
a few refugees
.' "
Then aall the men
who were aware
that their wives
were burning
1sacrifices
to other
gods
, along with all
the women
who were standing
by, as a large
assembly
, 2including all
the people
who were living
in Pathros
in the land
of Egypt
, responded
to Jeremiah
, saying
,
"As for the 1 amessage that you have spoken
to us in the name
of the LORD
, bwe are not going to listen
to you!
"But rather we will certainly
acarry
out every
word
that has proceeded
from our mouths
, 1by burning
2sacrifices
to the bqueen
of heaven
and pouring
out drink
offerings
to her, just
as cwe ourselves
, our forefathers
, our kings
and our princes
did
in the cities
of Judah
and in the streets
of Jerusalem
; for then we had dplenty
of 3food
and were well
off
and saw
no
4misfortune
.
"But since we stopped
burning
1sacrifices
to the queen
of heaven
and pouring
out drink
offerings
to her, we have alacked
everything
and have 2met
our end
by the sword
and by famine
."
"And," said the women, "when we were aburning
1sacrifices
to the queen
of heaven
and 2were pouring
out drink
offerings
to her, was it bwithout
our husbands
that we made
for her sacrificial cakes
3in her image
and poured
out drink
offerings
to her?"
Then Jeremiah said
to all
the people
, to the men
and women
--even to all
the people
who were giving
him such an answer
--saying
,
"As for the 1 asmoking sacrifices
that you burned
in the cities
of Judah
and in the bstreets
of Jerusalem
, you and your forefathers
, your kings
and your princes
, and the people
of the land
, did not the LORD
cremember
them and did not all this come
into His 2mind
?
"So the LORD was ano
longer
able
to endure
it, bbecause
of the evil
of your deeds
, because
of the abominations
which
you have committed
; thus your land
has become
a cruin
, an object
of horror
and a curse
, without
an inhabitant
, as it is this
day
.
"Because you have burned
1sacrifices
and have sinned
against the LORD
and anot obeyed
the voice
of the LORD
or bwalked
in His law
, His statutes
or His testimonies
, therefore
this
ccalamity
has befallen
you, as it has this
day
."
Then Jeremiah said
to all
the people
, including all
the women
, " aHear
the word
of the LORD
, all
Judah
who
are bin the land
of Egypt
,
thus says
the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, as follows
: `As for you and your wives
, you have spoken
with your mouths
and fulfilled
it with your hands
, saying
, "We will acertainly
perform
our vows
that we have vowed
, to burn
1sacrifices
to the queen
of heaven
and pour
out drink
offerings
to her." 2 bGo
ahead
and confirm
your vows
, and certainly
perform
your vows
!'
" 1Nevertheless hear
the word
of the LORD
, all
Judah
who are living
in the land
of Egypt
, `Behold
, I have asworn
by My great
name
,' says
the LORD
, ` bnever
shall My name
be invoked
again
by the mouth
of any
man
of Judah
in all
the land
of Egypt
, saying
, " cAs the Lord
2GOD
lives
."
`Behold, I am watching
over
them afor harm
and not for good
, and ball
the men
of Judah
who
are in the land
of Egypt
will 1meet
their end
by the sword
and by famine
until
they 2are completely
gone
.
` aThose who escape
the sword
will return
out of the land
of Egypt
to the land
of Judah
1 bfew
in number
. Then all
the remnant
of Judah
who have gone
to the land
of Egypt
to reside
there
will know
cwhose
word
will stand
, Mine
or theirs
.
`This will be the asign
to you,' declares
the LORD
, `that I am going to punish
you in this
place
, so
that you may know
that bMy words
will surely
stand
against
you for harm
.'
"Thus says
the LORD
, `Behold
, I am going to give
over aPharaoh
Hophra
king
of Egypt
to the hand
of his enemies
, to the hand
of those who seek
his life
, just
as I gave
over bZedekiah
king
of Judah
to the hand
of Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
, who was his enemy
and was seeking
his life
.' "