Judgment on the Jews in Egypt

1This is the word that came to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) concerning all the Jews living in the land of Egypt (Lower Egypt)a—in Migdol (tower), Tahpanhes (You will fill hands with pity), and Memphis [Noph]b—and in the land of Pathros (region of the south) (Upper Egypt):c 2“This is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: You⁺ have seen all the disaster that I brought against Jerusalem (city of peace) and all the cities of Judah (praised); and behold, they lie today in ruins and desolation 3because of the evil they have done.

They provoked Me to anger by continuing to burn incense and to serve other gods that neither they nor you⁺ nor your⁺ fathers ever knew. 4Yet I sent you⁺ all My servants the prophets again and again \the prophets, rising up early and sending them,/,d saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’

5But they did not listen or incline their ears; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. 6Therefore My wrath and anger poured out and burned in the cities of Judah (praised) and in the streets of Jerusalem (city of peace), so that they have become the desolate ruin they are today.

7So now, this is what the LORD God {YHWH Elohe} of Hosts, the God of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: Why are you⁺ doing such great harm to yourselves by cutting off from Judah (praised) man and woman, child and infant, leaving yourselves without a remnant? 8Why are you provoking Me to anger by the work of your⁺ hands by burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt (land of bondage), where you⁺ have gone to reside?

As a result, you will be cut off and will become an object of cursing and reproach among all the nations of the earth. 9Have you⁺ forgotten the wickedness of your⁺ fathers and of the kings of Judah (praised) and their wives, as well as the wickedness that you⁺ and your⁺ wives committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem (city of peace)? 10To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed My instruction or the statutes that I set before you⁺ and your⁺ fathers.

11Therefore this is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: I will set My face to bring disaster and to cut off all Judah (praised). 12And I will take away the remnant of Judah (praised) who have resolved to go to the land of Egypt (land of bondage) to reside there; they will meet their end. They will all fall by the sword or be consumed by famine. From the least to the greatest, they will die by sword or famine; and they will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and reproach.

13I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt (land of bondage), just as I punished Jerusalem (city of peace), by sword and famine and plague, 14so that none of the remnant of Judah (praised) who have gone to reside in Egypt (land of bondage) will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, where they long to return and live; for none will return except a few fugitives.”

The Stubbornness of the People

15Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, and all the women standing by—a great assembly—along with all the people living in the land of Egypt (land of bondage) and in Pathros (in Lower and Upper Egypt),e said to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), 16“As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD {YHWH}, we will not listen to you! 17Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah (praised) and in the streets of Jerusalem (city of peace).

At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster. 18But from the time we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been perishing by sword and famine.”

19“Moreover,” said the women, “when we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands’ knowledge that we made sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”

Calamity for the Jews

20Then Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, 21“As for the incense you⁺ burned in the cities of Judah (praised) and in the streets of Jerusalem (city of peace)—you⁺, your⁺ fathers, your⁺ kings, your⁺ officials, and the people of the land—did the LORD {YHWH} not remember and bring this to mind? 22So the LORD {YHWH} could no longer endure the evil deeds and detestable acts you⁺ committed, and your⁺ land became a desolation, a horror, and an object of cursing, without inhabitant, as it is this day. 23Because you⁺ burned incense and sinned against the LORD {YHWH} and did not obey the voice of the LORD or walk in His instruction, His statutes, and His testimonies, this disaster has befallen you⁺, as you⁺ see today.”

24Then Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear the word of the LORD {YHWH}, all those of Judah (praised) who are in the land of Egypt (land of bondage). 25This is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: As for you⁺ and your⁺ wives, you⁺ have spoken with your⁺ mouths and fulfilled with your⁺ hands your⁺ words: ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have made to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her.’ Go ahead, then, do what you⁺ have promised! Keep your⁺ vows!

26Nevertheless, hear the word of the LORD {YHWH}, all you people of Judah (praised) living in Egypt (land of bondage): Behold, I have sworn by My great name, says the LORD, that never again will any man of Judah living in the land of Egypt invoke My name or say, ‘As surely as the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH} lives.’

27I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and every man of Judah (praised) who is in the land of Egypt (land of bondage) will meet his end by sword or famine, until they are finished off.

28Those who escape the sword will return from Egypt (land of bondage) to Judah (praised), few in number, and the whole remnant of Judah who went to dwell in the land of Egypt will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs!

29This will be a sign to you⁺ that I will punish you⁺ in this place, declares the LORD {YHWH}, so that you⁺ may know that My threats of harm against you⁺ will surely stand. 30This is what the LORD {YHWH} says: Behold, I will deliver Pharaoh (great house) Hophra (the great house covering evil) king of Egypt (land of bondage) into the hands of his enemies who seek his life, just as I delivered Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) king of Judah (praised) into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (may Nebo protect the crown) king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), the enemy who was seeking his life.”