Jeremiah 44

Great(i) 1 This is the worde that was shewed to Ieremy, concernyng all the Iewes: which dwelt in Egypte: at Migdol, at Taphnis, at Noph, & in the lande of Patures. 2 Thus sayethe the Lorde of hostes, the God of Israel: Ye haue sene all the misery, that I haue brought vpon Ierusalem, and vpon the cityes of Iuda: so that thys daye they are desolate, and no man dwellynge therin: 3 and that because of the greate blasphemies which they committed, to prouoke me vnto anger. In that they went backe to do sacrifyce and worship vnto straunge goddes: whom nether ye, ner youre fathers haue knowne. 4 Howebeit, I sent vnto them my seruauntes all the prophetes. I rose vp early, I sent vnto them, and gaue them warnyng. O do no soche abhominable thynges, & thynges that I hate. 5 But they wolde not folowe ner herken, to turne from their wickednes, & to do nomore sacrifyces vnto straunge goddes. 6 Wherfore myne indignation and wrath was kyndled, and it brente vp the cytyes of Iuda, the feldes with the stretes of Ierusalem, so that they were made waste and desolate, as it is come to passe thys daye. 7 Nowe therfore, thus sayth the Lorde of hoostes, the God of Israel: Howe happeneth it, that ye do so greate euyll vnto youre awne soules: thus to destroye the men and wemen, chyldren and babes of Iuda? so that none of you is lefte, 8 because ye prouoke me vnto wrathe with the worckes of youre awne handes: when ye offer vnto straunge goddes in the lande of Egipt, where as ye be gone to dwell. That ye myght vtterly peryshe, and that ye myght be reuyled and shamefully intreated of all natyons. 9 Or haue ye nowe forgotten the wickednes of your forefathers, the wickednes of the kinges of Iuda and their wyues, the wyckednes that ye youre selues and youre wyues haue done in the lande of Iuda, in the cytie and in the lande of Ierusalem. 10 Yet are ye not sory vnto this daye, ye feare not, nether walke ye in my lawe and in my commaundementes, that I haue geuen vnto you and youre forefathers. 11 Therfore thus sayeth the Lorde of hoostes, the God of Israel: I am stedfastly aduised and determyned to punysshe you, & to rote out all Iuda. 12 As for the remnaunt of Iuda, that purposly wente into Egipt, ther to dwell, I wyll take them, and they shall all be destroyed. In the lande of Egypt shall they perysshe, beynge consumed with the swearde and with honger. For from the leest vnto the moost, they shall perysshe with the swearde and with honger. Moreouer, they shalbe reuyled, abhorred, shamed, and confounded. 13 For I wyll viset them that dwell in Egypte, as I haue visyted Ierusalem, with the swearde, with honger and with pestilence. 14 So that none of the remnaunt of Iuda, which are gone to dwell in Egipte, shall be left to come agayne into the lande of Iuda all though they thynke to come thyther agayne, and to dwell there. For none shall come agayne, but soch as are fledd awaye. 15 Then all the men which knewe that their wyues had offred vnto straunge goddes, and a greate sorte of wyues that stode there, yee, and all the people that dwelt there in Egipt in the cytie of Patures, answerde Ieremye, and sayde: 16 As for the wordes that thou hast spoken vnto vs, in the name of the Lorde, we wyll in no wyse heare them: 17 but whatsoeuer goeth out of oure awne mouthe, that we wyll do. We wyll do sacrifyce and offer oblatyons vnto the quene of heauen, lyke as we and our forefathers, oure kynges and oure heades haue done in the cytie of Iuda, and in the stretes and feldes of Ierusalem. For then had we plenteousnes of vitayles, then were we in prosperyte, and no mysfortune came vpon vs. 18 But sens we left to burne incense, and to do sacrifyce vnto the quene of heauen, we haue had scarcenesse of all thynges, and perisshe with the swearde and honger. 19 Last of all, when we wemen dyd sacrifyce and offered vnto the quene of heauen, dyd we make her cakes and poure vnto her drinckofferinges, euen to that ymage dyd we sacrifyce and seruice, without oure husbandes wylles? 20 Then sayde Ieremy vnto all the people, to the men, to the wemen, and to all the folke, which had geuen him that answere: 21 Dyd not the Lorde remember the sacrifyces that ye, youre forefathers, youre kynges and rulers, with all the people, haue offered in the cyties of Iuda, in the stretes and lande of Ierusalem? and hath he not consydered thys in his mynde? 22 In somoch that the Lorde might no longer suffer the wyckednes of youre inuencyons, and the abhomynable thynges, which ye dyd? Is not youre lande desolate and voyde: yee, abhorred and accursed, so that no man dwelleth therein eny more, as it is come to passe thys daye? 23 Dyd not all thys happen vnto you, because ye made soch sacrifyces to ydols, and synned agaynst the Lorde. Ye haue not folowed hys voyce, to walke in hys lawe, in his ordynaunces and statutes. Yee, this is the cause, that all misfortune happened vnto you, as it is come to passe this daye. 24 Moreouer, Ieremy spake vnto all the people and to all the wemen. Heare the worde of the Lorde all Iuda, ye that be in the lande of Egipt. 25 Thus sayth the Lord of hoostes the God of Israel. Ye and your wyues haue spoken with youre awne mouth, the thinge that ye haue fulfylled in dede. Yee, thus haue ye sayde: We wyll nott fayle, but perfourme the vowes that we haue vowed, we will do sacrifyce & powre out drinckofferinges to the quene of heauen. Purposly wyll ye set vp your awne meanynges and perfourme your vowes. 26 And therfore, heare the wordes of the Lorde, all Iuda, ye that dwell in the lande of Egipte. Beholde, I haue sworne by my greate name, sayth the Lorde: that my name shall not be rehearsed thorowe eny mans mouthe of Iuda, in all the lande of Egipte, to saye: The Lorde God lyueth, 27 for I wyll watche, to plage them, and not for theyr wealthe. And all the men of Iuda that be in the lande of Egypte shall peryshe with the swearde, and with honger, vntyll they be vtterly destroyed. 28 Neuertheles, those that fledd awaye for the swearde, shall come agayne into the lande of Iuda: but there shall be very feawe of them. And all the remnaunt of Iuda, that are gone into Egypte, there to dwell, shall knowe whose wordes shall be founde true: theyrs or myne. 29 Take thys for a token that I wyll viset you in this place, sayth the Lord: and that ye maye knowe that I (without doubte) will perfourme my purpose vpon you to punyshe you. 30 Beholde, sayth the Lorde, I wyll delyuer Pharao Hophrea kynge of Egipte into the handes of his enemyes that seke after his lyfe: euen as I gaue Zedekias the king of Iuda, into the handes of Nabuchodonosor kynge of Babilon hys enemye which sought after his lyfe.