Jeremiah 44
Jeremiah expresseth the desolation of Judah for their idolatry.
Jeremiah 44:1 This is the worde yt was shewed to Ieremy cocerninge all ye Iewes, which dwelt in Egipte: at Magdal, at Taphnis, at Memphis, & in the londe of Patures. Jeremiah 44:2 Thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel: Ye haue sene all ye mysery, yt I haue brought vpon Ierusalem, and vpon all the cities of Iuda: so that this daye they are desolate, and no man dwellinge therin: Jeremiah 44:3 & yt because of the greate blasphemies, which they committed, to prouoke me vnto anger: In that they wente backe to do sacrifice ad worshipe vnto straunge goddes: whom nether they, ner ye, ner yor fathers haue knowne. Jeremiah 44:4 How be it, I sent vnto them my seruautes all the prophetes: I rose vp early, I sent vnto them, and gaue them warninge: O do no soch abhominable thinges, & thinges that I hate Jeremiah 44:5 But they wolde not folowe ner herke, to turne from their wickednes, and to do nomore sacrifice vnto straunge goddes. Jeremiah 44:6 Wherfore my indignacion & wrath was kyndled, and it brente vp the cities of Iuda, the feldes with the stretes off Ierusalem: so that they were made waist and desolate, as it is come to passe this daye. Jeremiah 44:7 Now therfore thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel: How happeneth it, that ye do so greate euell vnto youre owne soules, thus to destroye the men and women, childre and babes of Iuda? so that none of you is left, Jeremiah 44:8 because ye prouoke me vnto wrath with the workes of youre owne hondes: whe ye offre vnto straunge goddes in the londe off Egipte, where as ye be gone to dwell: That ye might vtterly perishe, and that ye might be reuyled and shamfully intreated of all nacions. Jeremiah 44:9 Or, haue ye now forgotten the wickednes off yor forefathers, the wickednes off ye kynges of Iuda and their wyues, ye wickednes that ye youre selues ad youre wyues haue done in the londe of Iuda, in the cite and in the londe off Ierusalem? Jeremiah 44:10 Yet are ye not sory this daye, ye feare not, nether walke ye in my lawe and in my commaundementes, that I haue geue vnto you and youre forefathers.
He prophesieth their destruction, who commit idolatry in Egypt.
Jeremiah 44:11 Therfore thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes the God off Israel: I am stedfastly advysed and determed, to punysh you, and to rote out all Iuda. Jeremiah 44:12 As for the remnaunt off Iuda that purposly wente in to Egipte, there to ease them off their mysery: I will take them, and they shall all be destroyed. In ye londe of Egipte shall they perishe, beynge consumed with the swearde and with honger. For from ye leest vnto ye most, they shal perishe with the swearde and with honger. Morouer they shalbe reuyled, abhorred, shamed, and confounded. Jeremiah 44:13 For I will viset them that dwell in Egipte, as I haue visited Ierusalem: with the swearde, with honger and with pestilence: Jeremiah 44:14 So that none off the remnaunt off Iuda, which are gone to dwell in Egipte, shall be left to come agayne in to ye londe off Iuda: all though they thynke to come thither agayne, and to dwell there. For none shal come agayne, but soch as are fled awaye.
The obstinacy of the Jews.
Jeremiah 44:15 Then all the men which knewe that their wyues had offred vnto straunge goddes, & a greate sorte off wyues that stode there, yee and all the people that dwelt there in Egipte in the cite of Patures, answerde Ieremy, & sayde: Jeremiah 44:16 As for the wordes that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the LORDE, we will in no wyse heare them: Jeremiah 44:17 but what so euer goeth out of oure owne mouth, that wil we do: We will do sacrifice, and offre oblacions vnto the Quene off heauen: like as we and or forefathers, oure kynges and oure heades haue done in the cities off Iuda, and in the stretes and feldes of Ierusalem. For then had we plenteousnesse off vytales, then were we in prosperite, and no mysfortune came vpon vs. Jeremiah 44:18 But sens we left of, to offre, and to do sacrifice vnto the Quene of heauen, we haue had scarcenes of all thinges, and perish wt the swearde and honger. Jeremiah 44:19 Last of all, when we wome did sacrifice and offred vnto the Quene of heaue, did we make her cakes ad poure vnto her drinkofferinges, to do her seruyce, without oure husbondes wylles?
Jeremiah threateneth them for the same,
Jeremiah 44:20 Then sayde Ieremy vnto all the people, to the men, to the women and to all the folke, which had geuen him that answere: Jeremiah 44:21 Dyd not the LORDE remembre the sacrifices that ye, yor forefathers, youre kiges & rulers (wt all the people) haue offred in the cities of Iuda, in the stretes and londe off Ierusalem? and hath he not considered this in his mynde? Jeremiah 44:22 In so moch, that the LORDE might no longer suffre the wickednes off youre inuencions, and the abhominable thynges which ye dyd? Is not youre londe desolate & voyde, yee and abhorred, so that no ma dwelleth therin enymore, as it is come to passe this daye? Jeremiah 44:23 Dyd not all this happen vnto you, because ye made soch sacrifice, and synned agaynst the LORDE? Ye haue not folowed his voyce, to walke in his lawe, in his ordinaunces and statutes. Yee this is the cause, that all mysfortune happened vnto you, as it is come to passe this daye. Jeremiah 44:24 Morouer, Ieremy spake vnto all the people and to all the women: Heare the worde off the LORDE all Iuda, ye that be in the londe off Egipte: Jeremiah 44:25 Thus saieth the LORDE off hoostes the God of Israel: Ye and youre wyues haue spoken with youre owne mouth, the thinge that ye haue fulfilled in dede. Yee thus haue ye sayde: We will not fayle, but do the thynge that pleaseth vs: we wil do sacrifice and poure out drynkoffringes to the Quene of heauen. Purposly haue ye set vp youre owne good meanynges, & hastely haue ye fulfilled youre owne intente. Jeremiah 44:26 And therfore, heare the worde of the LORDE all Iuda, ye that dwell in the londe off Egipte. Beholde, I haue sworne by my greate name (saieth the LORDE) that my name shal not be rehearsed thorow eny mans mouth of Iuda, in all the londe of Egipte: to saye: The LORDE God lyueth, Jeremiah 44:27 for I wil watch, to plage them, and not for their wealth. And all the men of Iuda that be in the lode of Egipte, shal perish with the swearde and with hoger, vntill they be vtterly destroyed. Jeremiah 44:28 Neuertheles, those that fled awaye for ye swearde, shal come agayne in to the lode of Iuda (but there shal be very fewe of them) And all the remnaunt off Iuda, that are gone in to Egipte, there to dwell, shall knowe, whose wordes shalbe founde true: theirs or myne.
and for a sign prophesieth the destruction of Egypt.
Jeremiah 44:29 Take this for a token, that I wil viset you in this place (saieth the LORDE) and that ye maye knowe, how that I (without doute) wil perfourne my purpose vpon you,) to punysh you. Jeremiah 44:30 Beholde (saieth the LORDE I wil delyuer Pharao Ophram kynge of Egipte in to the hondes of his enemies, yt seke after his life: euen as I gaue Sedechias the kynge of Iuda in to the hondes of Nabuchodonosor kige of Babilo, which sought after his life.
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