Jeremiah

Warnings about Jerusalem's destruction due to unfaithfulness, with promises of a new covenant.

Chapter 44

1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,

*The message given to Jeremiah about all the Jewish people living in Egypt, in places like Migdol, Tahpanhes, Noph, and in the land of Pathros, says,

2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,

*So says the Lord, the God of Israel: You've witnessed all the bad things I've done to Jerusalem and the other cities in Judah. Today, they are empty and uninhabited.

3 Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.

*Because of the bad things they did to make me angry, when they burned incense and served other gods they didn't know, neither you, nor your family, nor your ancestors.

4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.

*But I sent all my prophet servants to you early, telling them, "Please don't do this terrible thing I really hate."

5 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.

*But they didn't listen or try to change. They continued in their bad actions and didn't stop worshipping other gods.

6 Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.

*Because of this, my anger was let out and grew strong in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. Now, they are destroyed and empty, just like they are today.

7 Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;

*So now, the Lord, the God of armies, the God of Israel, says this: Why are you doing such a terrible thing to yourselves? You want to kill men, women, children, and babies from Judah, leaving no one behind.

8 In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?

*Why do you make me angry by worshiping other gods in Egypt, where you have moved, using your hands to burn incense to them? You're doing this just to separate yourselves and bring shame upon yourselves among all the people on Earth?

9 Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?

*Have you forgotten the wrongdoings of your ancestors, the kings of Judah, their wives, and your own misdeeds, along with those of your wives, all the bad things they did in the land of Judah and the city streets of Jerusalem?

10 They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.

*They still haven't been humble, didn't fear or follow my rules, which I gave to you and your ancestors.

11 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.

*So, God says this: "I will turn away from you with bad things and remove all of Judah."

12 And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.

*I will take the remaining people of Judah who want to go to Egypt to live there, but they will all perish and die from starvation or sword. From the least to the greatest, they will die in Egypt due to famine and swords. They will become a curse, a shock, and a reproach.

13 For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:

*For I will discipline those living in Egypt, just like how I disciplined Jerusalem, through sword, hunger, and sickness.

14 So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape.

*This means that no one left in Judah who went to Egypt to live will be able to come back to Judah, unless they manage to escape; even though they want to go back and live there, only a few can return.

15 Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,

*Then all the men who knew their wives worshiped other gods, along with many women, and all the people living in Egypt, in a place called Pathros, replied to Jeremiah, saying,

16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.

*Regarding the message you shared in the name of God, we won't listen to you.

17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.

*But we will definitely do whatever comes from our mouth, offering incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drinks to her. We've done this before, just like our ancestors, kings, and leaders in Judah's cities and Jerusalem's streets. This happened when we had plenty of food and were healthy, not facing any problems.

18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.

*Because we stopped worshiping the queen of heaven with incense and drinks, we lacked everything and were destroyed by swords and hunger.

19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

*When we offered incense and drinks to the queen in heaven, and made cakes for her worship, and poured out drinks for her, was it all done without our men?

20 Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,

*Then Jeremiah spoke to everyone - men, women, and those who answered like that - saying,

21 The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?

*The incense you burned in Judah's cities and Jerusalem's streets, you, your ancestors, your kings, your leaders, and the people didn't make the Lord remember you, right?

22 So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.

*So that God couldn't stand your bad actions and wrongdoings anymore, so your land is empty, uninhabited, and cursed, just like it is now.

23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.

*Because you burned incense and sinned against God, not listening to His voice or following His rules, you are now facing this bad situation, just like today.

24 Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:

*Jeremiah told everyone, including the women, to listen to God's message. This included all the people from Judah living in Egypt.

25 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.

*This is what God says: You and your wives both talked about doing something important and then did it. You promised to offer special gifts to a powerful queen to ask for her help. Now, you must keep that promise and do what you said you would.

26 Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.

*So listen to God's message, all people from Judah living in Egypt. God says, "I swear by my important name that I won't be called by anyone in Judah in all Egypt again, saying, 'The one true God lives.'"

27 Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.

*Look, I will protect them from bad things, not good things. All the people of Judah living in Egypt will be killed by swords and hunger until they all disappear.

28 Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs.

*Even though just a few people escape being harmed, they will return from Egypt to Judah's land. All those from Judah who went to live in Egypt will learn whose words are true - either mine or theirs.

29 And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the LORD, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil:

*This means: The Lord says that a sign will show you that he will punish you here. This is so you'll know his words are true and will harm you.

30 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.

*So says the Lord: I will give Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt, to those who want to kill him and his enemies. Just like I gave Zedekiah, the king of Judah, to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, his enemy, who wanted to kill him.

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