20 And Jeremiah saith unto all the people, concerning the men and concerning the women, and concerning all the people who are answering him, saying: 21 'The perfume that ye made in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your heads, and the people of the land, hath not Jehovah remembered it? yea, it cometh up on His heart. 22 And Jehovah is not able any more to accept 'you', because of the evil of your doings, because of the abominations that ye have done, and your land is for a waste, and for an astonishment, and for a reviling, without inhabitant, as 'at' this day. 23 'Because that ye have made perfume, and because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and in His law, and in His statutes, and in His testimonies ye have not walked, therefore hath this evil met you as 'at' this day.' 24 And Jeremiah saith unto all the people, and unto all the women, 'Hear ye a word of Jehovah, all Judah who 'are' in the land of Egypt, 25 Thus spake Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, saying: Ye and your wives both speak with your mouth, and with your hands have fulfilled, saying: We certainly execute our vows that we have vowed, to make perfume to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out to her libations, ye do certainly establish your vows, and certainly execute your vows. 26 'Therefore, hear ye a word of Jehovah, all Judah who are dwelling in the land of Egypt: Lo, I—I have sworn by My great name, said Jehovah, My name is no more proclaimed by the mouth of any man of Judah, saying, Live doth the Lord Jehovah—in all the land of Egypt. 27 Lo, I am watching over them for evil, and not for good, and consumed have been all the men of Judah who 'are' in the land of Egypt, by sword and by famine, till their consumption. 28 'And the escaped of the sword turn back out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number, and known have all the remnant of Judah who are coming into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, whose word is established, Mine or theirs. 29 'And this 'is' to you the sign—an affirmation of Jehovah—that I am seeing after you in this place, so that ye know that My words are certainly established against you for evil; 30 Thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am giving Pharaoh-Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those seeking his life, as I have given Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and who is seeking his life.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 44:20-30
Commentary on Jeremiah 44:20-30
(Read Jeremiah 44:20-30)
Whatever evil comes upon us, it is because we have sinned against the Lord; we should therefore stand in awe, and sin not. Since they were determined to persist in their idolatry, God would go on to punish them. What little remains of religion were among them, would be lost. The creature-comforts and confidences from which we promise ourselves most, may fail as soon as those from which we promise ourselves least; and all are what God makes them, not what we fancy them to be. Well-grounded hopes of our having a part in the Divine mercy, are always united with repentance and obedience.