Jeremiah 44:24-30 · Bible study
Jeremiah 44:24-30 Commentary: Why God Addresses the Women
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jeremiah’s final prophecy to the Jewish refugees in Egypt singles out the women for their idolatrous vows to the Queen of Heaven, announcing certain judgment.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God pronounces final judgment on the Jewish refugees in Egypt for their persistent idolatry to the Queen of Heaven, with a sign that Pharaoh Hophra will fall like Zedekiah.
- Key words: ố swear (H7650, v.26), watch (H8245, v.27), sign (H0226, v.29), queen of heaven (H4446+H8064, v.25).
- Main debate: Whether verses 26, 27 and 28 contradict (total destruction vs. a small remnant) or refer to different groups (those in Egypt vs. those from Babylon).
- Theological theme: God’s word stands over human vows; covenant blessing can be exchanged for curse when God is persistently rejected.
- Best use: A sobering call to examine where we place ultimate trust, and a reminder that God’s warnings are not empty.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
24Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear the word of the LORD, all those of Judah who are in the land of Egypt.
25This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands your words: ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have made to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her.’ Go ahead, then, do what you have promised! Keep your vows!
26Nevertheless, hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah living in Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by My great name, says the LORD, that never again will any man of Judah living in the land of Egypt invoke My name or say, ‘As surely as the Lord GOD lives.’
27I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and every man of Judah who is in the land of Egypt will meet his end by sword or famine, until they are finished off.
28Those who escape the sword will return from Egypt to Judah, few in number, and the whole remnant of Judah who went to dwell in the land of Egypt will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs!
29This will be a sign to you that I will punish you in this place, declares the LORD, so that you may know that My threats of harm against you will surely stand.
30This is what the LORD says: Behold, I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who seek his life, just as I delivered Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who was seeking his life.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
24Moreover Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear Yahweh’s word, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt!
25Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it, saying, “We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of the sky, and to pour out drink offerings to her.” “‘Establish then your vows, and perform your vows.’
26“Therefore hear Yahweh’s word, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: ‘Behold, I have sworn by my great name,’ says Yahweh, ‘that my name will no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “As the Lord Yahweh lives.”
27Behold, I watch over them for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until they are all gone.
28Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah few in number. All the remnant of Judah, who have gone into the land of Egypt to live there, will know whose word will stand, mine or theirs.
29“‘This will be the sign to you,’ says Yahweh, ‘that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for evil.’
30Yahweh says, ‘Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
24Moreover 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:
25Thus 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.
26Therefore 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.
27Behold, 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.
28Yet 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.
29And 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:
30Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give Pharaoh–hophra 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
24Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of Jehovah, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:
25Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it, 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: establish then your vows, and perform your vows.
26Therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith Jehovah, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, As the Lord Jehovah liveth.
27Behold, I 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.
28And they that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose word shall stand, mine, or theirs.
29And this shall be the sign unto you, saith Jehovah, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil:
30Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra 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, who was his enemy, and sought his life.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
24And 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,
25Thus 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.
27Lo, 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;
30Thus 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.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
24And Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear ye the word of Jehovah, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt.
25Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hands, saying, We will certainly perform our vows which we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her. Ye will certainly establish your vows, and entirely perform your vows.
26Therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith Jehovah, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, [As] the Lord Jehovah liveth.
27Behold, 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.
28And they that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, a very small company; and all the remnant of Judah, that have come into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose word shall stand, mine or theirs.
29And this shall be the sign unto you, saith Jehovah, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall certainly stand against you for evil:
30thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will give Pharaoh-Hophra 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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
24And Jeremiah said to all the people and to all the women: Hear ye the word of the Lord, all Juda, you that dwell in the land of Egypt:
25Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, saying: You and your wives have spoken with your mouth, and fulfilled with your hands, saying: Let us perform our vows which we have made, to offer sacrifice to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to her: you have fulfilled your vows, and have performed them indeed.
26Therefore hear ye the word of the Lord, all Juda, you 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 Juda, in the land of Egypt, saying: The Lord God liveth.
27Behold I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Juda that are in the land of Egypt, shall be consumed, by the sword, and by famine, till there be an end of them.
28And a few men that shall flee from the sword, shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Juda: and all the remnant of Juda that are gone into the land of Egypt to dwell there, shall know whose word shall stand, mine, or theirs.
29And this shall be a sign to you, saith the Lord, that I will punish you in this place: that you may know that my words shall be accomplished indeed against you for evil.
30Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will deliver Pharao Nechao king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life: as I delivered Sedecias king of Juda into the land of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon his enemy, and that sought his life.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 44:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Jeremiah 44:24, 30 functions as a final court scene. God, through Jeremiah, confronts the Jewish refugees in Egypt with their entrenched idolatry. The women are singled out not because they alone are guilty, but because they have taken the lead in burning incense to the Queen of Heaven (v.25). Barnes notes that the women likely carried crescent-shaped cakes in their hands, making their guilt visible. Keil & Delitzsch and Calvin both highlight the biting irony in verse 25: “Establish then your vows, and perform your vows.” This is not permission but a judicial verdict that seals their choice. God then swears by His own great name (v.26) that His name will no longer be invoked in Egypt, a revocation of covenant fellowship. The promise of a small remnant who escape (v.28) is, as Gill and Calvin argue, a sign that even in judgment God preserves a witness. The sign of Pharaoh Hophra’s fall (v.30) is tied to the fate of the exiles: as surely as the king of Egypt is overthrown, the idolaters will be consumed.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Total annihilation with small remnant: vv.26–27 seem to say all will be consumed; v.28 then says a few escape. Interpreters harmonize by distinguishing different groups or stages of judgment.
- Irony as judicial surrender: The phrase “establish your vows” is read as God giving them over to their own choices (supported by Calvin, Barnes).
- Contemporaneous sign vs. antecedent sign: Calvin argues the sign in v.29 is simultaneous with the event, not prior; others (Grotius) see it as a predictive sign.
What is clear: God judges persistent idolatry, and His word will ultimately stand, whether for salvation or judgment.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of “establish your vows” (v.25) | Almost all commentators read this as irony, not permission or prediction. | Some (e.g., Calvin) see it as judicial hardening; others (Barnes) simply as sarcasm that leaves the people without excuse. |
| Total destruction vs. remnant (vv.27, 28) | The passage affirms that a few will escape and return to Judah. | Calvin and some others argue that v.27 applies only to the idolaters among the Egyptian Jews, while v.28 refers to those already exiled in Babylon. Others (Gill, Keil) take the remnant as literally a few survivors from Egypt. |
| Identity of the Queen of Heaven | Refers to a Semitic goddess (Ishtar/Astarte). | Some traditions identify her specifically with the planet Venus; others see her as a localized Mesopotamian deity. The exact syncretism in Egypt is uncertain. |
| Textual unity of vv.24, 30 | The passage reads as a coherent whole in the Masoretic Text. | Critical scholars (noted in Cambridge) suggest vv.26, 29 may contain later expansions, citing an apparent contradiction. Conservatives defend the unity as describing progressive stages of judgment. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The backdrop of Jeremiah 44 is the remnant’s flight to Egypt after the murder of Gedaliah (Jer 41, 43). Against Jeremiah’s explicit warning (Jer 42:15, 17), the people insisted on escaping Babylonian rule by settling in Egypt, specifically in Pathros (Upper Egypt). The “queen of heaven” (v.25) is almost certainly the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar (Astarte), whose cult involved incense, libations, and crescent-shaped cakes. Women were particularly devoted to her worship, and they argued that when they served her, they prospered (Jer 44:17, 19).
Politically, Pharaoh Hophra (the Greek Apries) reigned from 589 to 570 BC. He initially supported Judah against Babylon, but his military campaigns failed. According to Herodotus, Hophra was overthrown by his own general Amasis, who then ruled as a vassal of Nebuchadnezzar. Clarke traces the fulfillment: Hophra was delivered into the hand of those who sought his life (v.30), just as Zedekiah fell to Nebuchadnezzar. This historical parallel is the “sign” the people receive.
The Hebrew verb shaqad (“I am watching,” v.27) deliberately echoes Jeremiah 1:12, where God watches over His word to perform it. Here the watching is for evil, not good, a complete reversal of covenant protection. Barnes compares it to a panther lying in wait (Jer 5:6). The judgment is total: sword, famine, and destruction until the people are finished off (v.27). Yet a few escape (v.28), showing that God’s judgment leaves room for a remnant, a recurring theme in Jeremiah.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of Jeremiah 44:24, 30 is well preserved. The Cambridge Bible notes that the Septuagint (LXX) omits “all Judah” in verse 24 and may represent a shorter original. Some scholars propose that verses 26, 29 are an interpolation, but the evidence is not strong enough to overturn the traditional text. No variants affect the main meaning of the passage.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Jeremiah 44 has been read as a warning against syncretism and the danger of trusting in foreign alliances. The ironic command “establish your vows” has been understood as an example of God’s judicial abandonment, giving sinners over to their own desires (cf. Romans 1:24, 28). The sign of Pharaoh Hophra’s fall was fulfilled historically, as recorded by Herodotus, and has been cited by commentators from the early church onward to confirm Scripture’s reliability. Reformed theologians (Calvin, Matthew Henry) emphasized that God’s oath underscores the certainty of judgment and the steadfastness of His word. The passage continues to be used in sermons on the nature of true worship and the consequences of persistent rebellion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Stubborn idolatry exposed (vv.24, 25). The women’s devotion to the Queen of Heaven is not ignorance but deliberate defiance. Jeremiah’s irony (“establish your vows”) shows that God sometimes gives people over to their choices when warnings are rejected.
- God’s oath against covenant-breakers (vv.26, 27). Swearing by His great name guarantees the judgment. The revocation of His name from their lips means the loss of identity and hope.
- A sign and a remnant (vv.28, 30). The fall of Pharaoh Hophra is a contemporary sign that God’s word will stand. A tiny group escapes, proving that even in judgment mercy preserves a witness.
Five-point outline
- The audience: “all Judah” specially the women (v.24).
- The accusation: vows fulfilled to a false deity (v.25).
- The judicial irony: “establish your vows” (v.25).
- The oath: God swears by Himself (v.26).
- The sign and its fulfillment (vv.29, 30).
Illustration hooks
- Visible guilt. Barnes points out that the women held crescent cakes in their hands, a visible symbol of their idolatry. Today, what we hold (time, money, devotion) often reveals our true loyalties.
- Irony of permission. A parent tells a child racing toward a cliff, “Go ahead, run.” The warning is gone; only consequence remains. Jeremiah’s “establish your vows” is that kind of final word.
- Parallel reigns. Zedekiah fell to Babylon; Hophra fell to his own subjects. When earthly powers fall, trust in them crumbles. The refugees’ hope in Egypt proved as fragile as their king.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God still give people over to their sins when they persistently rebel?
- How can we tell when a warning is the final warning, not just another call to repent?
- What does the small remnant say about God’s character? Is judgment ever the final word?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with the seriousness of persistent idolatry. The Jewish refugees in Egypt already rejected God’s spoken warnings; now they receive His sworn judgment. As a small group, consider how this ancient scene illuminates our own patterns of trust and rebellion.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think Jeremiah specifically addresses the women in verse 24? (Consider their role in the Queen of Heaven worship.)
- Read verse 25 carefully. What tone do you hear in “Establish then your vows, and perform your vows”? How does irony function as judgment?
- God swears by His own great name (v.26). Why would an all-powerful God need to use an oath? (See Hebrews 6:13, 18.)
- What is shocking about God saying He is watching over them for evil (v.27) when earlier He watched over His word for good (Jer 1:12)?
- The remnant is “few in number” (v.28). In what ways does this small hope keep the covenant promises alive?
- The fall of Pharaoh Hophra is a sign. How does a contemporary event confirm prophecy? What signs might God give today of His sovereign plans?
- How does this passage challenge your understanding of God’s patience and its limits?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 22:19 | Micaiah said, “Therefore hear Yahweh’s word. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. |
| Isaiah 1:10 | Hear Yahweh’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! |
| Isaiah 28:14 | Therefore hear Yahweh’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem: |
| Jeremiah 42:15 | now therefore hear Yahweh’s word, O remnant of Judah! Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘If you indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to live there, |
| Jeremiah 43:7 | They came into the land of Egypt, for they didn’t obey Yahweh’s voice; and they came to Tahpanhes. |
| Jeremiah 44:15 | Then all the men who knew that their wives burned incense to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, even all the people who lived in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, |
| Jeremiah 44:16 | “As for the word that you have spoken to us in Yahweh’s name, we will not listen to you. |
| Ezekiel 2:7 | You shall speak my words to them, whether they will hear or whether they will refuse; for they are most rebellious. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the historical figures and events behind this prophecy, drawing on Herodotus to show how it was literally fulfilled. He explains that Pharaoh's own general Amasis turned against him, sparking a civil war that weakened Egypt and made conquest easy for Nebuchadnezzar. The fire God kindled in Egypt was the rebellion of Pharaoh's subjects, and the enemy who sought his life was Amasis, his own appointed general.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads Jeremiah’s words as biting irony, not a prediction: since the people will take no warning, God tells them to go ahead and fulfill their idolatrous vows. God then swears by His own name that He repudiates His covenant, watching over them only for harm. The few survivors will flee Egypt back to Judah as fugitives from a lost battle.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes a contradiction in the passage: verse 26 says the Egyptian Jews will perish completely, while verses 27-28 allow some to escape. To resolve this, some scholars read verse 26 as ironic—a sarcastic invitation to abandon God’s worship—with later additions softening the judgment. Archaeological evidence confirms the Jewish community in Egypt actually flourished.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses the awful irony: the people thought their vows to the queen of heaven were binding, but God declares that vowing to do what is sinful is doubly criminal. He responds by swearing by His own great name that they will never again use His name in oaths, and He will watch over them for evil until they are destroyed.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights God's ironic contrast: the people were faithful to their idolatrous vows but unfaithful to Him. God responds by swearing by His own great name to bring judgment. The fall of Pharaoh-Hophra will serve as a sign that God's words, not theirs, will stand, confirming their coming ruin.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draws attention to the feminine verb forms in the Hebrew text, noting that Jeremiah's rebuke is aimed chiefly at the wives, who clung most stubbornly to the worship of the queen of heaven. They also detect irony in God's words about the people "performing their vows" — making such vows was never commanded, so no obligation to keep them can justify the sin.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the prediction of Pharaoh Hophra's fall as a deliberate sign to shatter the Jews' mistaken belief that they were beyond God's reach in Egypt. He connects this to Herodotus' account of King Apries' arrogant boast that no god could unseat him. The prophecy serves as God's direct answer to that provocation and a pledge that His threats against the people will also stand.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that God kept a precise record of every idolatrous act the people committed, and their claim to have forgotten it only shows their self-deception. The judgment they fled to Egypt to escape would follow them there, because God's memory is not limited by geography.