What is the meaning of Jeremiah 44:20? Then Jeremiah said • The prophet speaks with the authority God gave him (Jeremiah 1:7; 26:2). • His words are not personal opinion; they carry divine weight, urging the listeners to recognize that ignoring a true messenger equates to ignoring God Himself (Luke 10:16). To all the people • No one is exempt from the charge—every member of the Judean remnant in Egypt must listen (Jeremiah 42:15–17). • Public proclamation removes excuses of ignorance, echoing how Moses addressed “all Israel” before the covenant renewal (Deuteronomy 29:2). • Judgment and mercy are corporate as well as individual (Jonah 3:5; Acts 2:39). Both men and women • Scripture highlights the equal accountability of every adult (Exodus 19:15; Joel 2:16). • The women had taken a visible role in the idolatry Jeremiah is confronting (Jeremiah 44:15, 19). • God’s covenant standards cut across gender and social status (Galatians 3:28 does the same principle in the New Testament). Who were answering him • The verb implies a back-and-forth; they are pushing back against God’s warning (Jeremiah 44:16–17). • Their answer reveals stubborn hearts, preferring the “queen of heaven” to the Lord who delivered them (Isaiah 30:9–11). • Even so, God allows dialogue, giving space for repentance (2 Peter 3:9), yet He will not allow rebellion to stand indefinitely (Proverbs 29:1). summary Jeremiah 44:20 shows the prophet addressing every member of the Judean community in Egypt—men and women alike—who are verbally resisting God’s message. The verse underscores that divine warnings apply to the whole people, that all are equally responsible for their response, and that God faithfully confronts collective rebellion through His appointed spokesman. |
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