Question 1

Who are the people Jeremiah speaks to in Egypt in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah is speaking to Judeans who fled to Egypt after their land was destroyed. They had settled in several Egyptian places like Migdol, Tahpanhes, Noph, and Pathros. These people had seen with their own eyes how Jerusalem and the cities of Judah became empty and ruined because of sin. Even after all that, they kept on worshiping other gods in Egypt. God sends Jeremiah to this scattered group to confront their stubborn hearts, remind them of what happened back home, and warn them that the same judgment will reach them where they now live.

Question 2

What is the "queen of heaven" that the people burn incense to?

Accepted Answer

The “queen of heaven” in this passage is a false goddess the people chose to worship. They burned incense, poured out drink offerings, and made special cakes for her. Men and women were involved, and the women even appeal to their husbands’ knowledge of what they were doing. The people claim that life went better when they served this goddess and worse when they stopped. Jeremiah answers that this very worship is what God remembered and punished. By turning to this “queen of heaven,” they were turning away from the living God who had made Himself known to them.

Question 3

Why do the people refuse to listen to Jeremiah’s warning?

Accepted Answer

The people answer Jeremiah very openly and say they will not listen to what he speaks in God’s name. They prefer to “do whatever goes forth” from their own mouths. They look back and think times were better when they served the queen of heaven, with plenty of food and no trouble, so they blame their recent hardship on stopping that worship. This shows how hardened they are: they misread their history, ignore God’s clear word, and treat their own desires and vows as more trustworthy than God’s commands, even after seeing Jerusalem ruined.

Question 4

What does this passage teach about idolatry and its consequences?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that idolatry is not just a harmless habit but a “great evil” against people’s own souls. The Lord reminds them that Jerusalem became a desolation because they burned incense and served gods they did not know. He had sent many prophets, begging them not to do “this abominable thing” He hates, but they would not listen. Now, in Egypt, they repeat the same sin, and God says His anger will bring sword, famine, and pestilence there too. Idolatry brings shame, loss, and even the cutting off of families, not blessing and safety.

Question 5

Why does God remind them of the sins of their fathers and kings?

Accepted Answer

God asks if they have forgotten the wickedness of their fathers, their kings, their rulers’ wives, and their own sins in Judah and Jerusalem. This reminder is meant to wake them up. They had a long history of turning to other gods and were punished for it. The empty cities and ruined streets were right in front of them as proof. By recalling their past, God shows that they are not falling into something new, but repeating old sins they already know the outcome of. They should have learned from that history and humbled themselves, but they have not.

Question 6

What does it mean that God will "set" His face against them and watch over them for evil?

Accepted Answer

When God says He will “set” His face against them, it means He is firmly turning toward them in judgment, not favor. Earlier, He had watched over them to do them good, sending prophets early and often. Now He says He will watch over them for harm, not good, because they stubbornly choose idols. This is not random anger; it is a settled response to their refusal to repent after many warnings. For the men of Judah in Egypt, it means the sword and famine will follow them there, and many will die instead of finding the safety they imagined.

Question 7

Why is Pharaoh Hophra mentioned and given into his enemies’ hand?

Accepted Answer

God says He will give Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt, into the hands of his enemies, just like Zedekiah of Judah was given into the hand of the king of Babylon. This is given as a sign to the Judeans in Egypt. They were trusting Egypt as a safe place and likely looking to its king as a shield. By bringing down Pharaoh Hophra, God shows that no earthly power can protect those who choose rebellion. When the king they rely on falls, it will prove that God’s words about judgment in Egypt are sure and that His word, not theirs, stands.

Question 8

What is the small remnant that will return to Judah, and why is it mentioned?

Accepted Answer

Although God warns that the Judeans in Egypt will mostly be consumed by sword and famine, He also says a small number will escape and return to Judah. This shows that even in judgment, God keeps a remnant for Himself. These few will become living proof of whose words stood, God’s or the people’s. The majority vowed to keep serving the queen of heaven, but God’s promise of judgment and a spared remnant will come true. This small group also shows that God has not forgotten His people completely, even while He punishes their stubborn disobedience.

Question 9

How can this passage about Jews in Egypt speak to people today?

Accepted Answer

This passage warns against thinking we can see God’s judgment, ignore it, and still be safe by choosing our own way. The people in Egypt had clear evidence from the ruin of Jerusalem, yet they trusted their memories of better times in sin more than God’s word. Today, it calls us to watch what we give our hearts to, what we rely on for security, and what we think will make life “go well.” It reminds us to listen when God shows the harm of sin, to remember past lessons, and to turn back instead of digging in deeper.

Jeremiah 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,

Judgment on the Jews in Egypt

The Stubbornness of the People

Calamity for the Jews

Judgment on the Jews in Egypt

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Jeremiah 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,

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Judgment on the Jews in Egypt

The Stubbornness of the People

Calamity for the Jews

Judgment on the Jews in Egypt

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