Jeremiah 44 - Introduction

Jeremiah 44:1-30. Jeremiah's protest against the worship of the Queen of Heaven

We may note that this is Jeremiah's last recorded prophecy.

The exiles at Babylon before the overthrow of Jerusalem and the Temple argued that the national calamities were to be ascribed to the abolition of the forms of worship practised by their forefathers anterior to the changes introduced by Hezekiah and Josiah, and that the results shewed that Jehovah was unwilling or unable to help them in distress (see Ezekiel 8:12). The same reasoning commended itself to the refugees in Egypt, and is here rebuked by the prophet. Doubtless the ch. reproduces substantially the situation and Jeremiah's method of dealing with it, but probably it contains a considerable amount of expansion, specially in Jeremiah 44:1; Jeremiah 44:20; Jeremiah 44:26.

The contents may be summarized as follows.

(i) Jeremiah 44:1. Jeremiah points out to his countrymen scattered through Egypt that their own land has been laid waste because, in spite of repeated warnings on the part of the prophets, they had obstinately practised idolatry. Wherefore do they continue to act thus? Have they forgotten the wickedness shared by high and low in former generations, a wickedness maintained to the present day? (ii) Jeremiah 44:11. Their portion shall be death by sword and famine, combined with disgrace and contumely. None of the Jews shall succeed in returning to Palestine, save fugitives. (iii) Jeremiah 44:15. The people reject the prophet's exhortations, and declare that they will adhere to their present modes of worship, arguing that in past time, as long as they adopted this course, they prospered, whereas on its ceasing, national calamities succeeded. That worship, the women further plead, had the approval of their husbands. (iv) Jeremiah 44:20. Jeremiah replies that those calamities were Jehovah's punishment for their idolatrous excesses. Inasmuch then as the people refuse to amend, he repeats his warning as to the results and adds that the king of Egypt shall fall before his enemies, even as did Zedekiah at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.