Jeremiah 44:2-17

MSTC^{(i) 2} Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel, "Ye have seen all the misery that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; so that this day they are desolate, and no man dwelling therein: ³ and that because of the great blasphemies, which they committed, to provoke me unto anger. In that they went back to do sacrifice, and worship unto strange gods: whom neither they, nor ye, nor your fathers have known. ⁴ Howbeit, I sent unto them my servants all the prophets: I rose up early, I sent unto them, and gave them warning. 'O do no such abominable things, and things that I hate.' ⁵ But they would not follow nor hearken, to turn from their wickedness, and to do no more sacrifice unto strange gods. ⁶ Wherefore mine indignation and wrath was kindled, and it burnt up the cities of Judah, the fields with the streets of Jerusalem, so that they were made waste and desolate, as it is come to pass this day. ⁷ Now therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: How happeneth it, that ye do so great evil unto your own souls, thus to destroy the men and women, children and babes of Judah? So that none of you is left, ⁸ because ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your own hands: when ye offer unto strange gods in the land of Egypt whereas ye be gone to dwell: That ye might utterly perish, and that ye might be reviled and shamefully intreated of all nations. ⁹ Or have ye now forgotten the wickedness of your forefathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah and their wives, the wickedness that ye yourselves and your wives have done in the land of Judah, in the city and in the land of Jerusalem? ¹⁰ Yet are ye not sorry this day. Ye fear not, neither walk ye in my law and my commandments, that I have given unto you and your forefathers. ¹¹ "Therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: I am steadfastly advised and determined to punish you, and to root out all Judah. ¹² As for the remnant of Judah that purposely went into Egypt, there to ease them of their misery: I will take them and they shall all be destroyed. In the land of Egypt shall they perish, being consumed with the sword and with hunger. For from the least unto the most, they shall perish with the sword and with hunger. Moreover, they shall be reviled, abhorred, shamed and confounded. ¹³ For I will visit them that dwell in Egypt, as I have visited Jerusalem: with the sword, with hunger and with pestilence. ¹⁴ So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone to dwell in Egypt shall be left to come again into the land of Judah although they think to come thither again, and to dwell there. For none shall come again, but such as are fled away." ¹⁵ Then all the men which knew that their wives had offered unto strange gods, and a great sort of wives that stood there, yea and all the people that dwelt there in Egypt in the city of Pathros, answered Jeremiah, and said, ¹⁶ "As for the words that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will in no wise hear them: ¹⁷ But whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, that will we do: We will do sacrifice, and offer oblations unto the Queen of heaven: like as we and our forefathers, our kings and our heads have done in the cities of Judah, and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had we plenteousness of victuals, then were we in prosperity, and no misfortune came upon us.