King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
Complete Jewish Bible:
But they neither listened nor obeyed, so as to turn from their wickedness and stop offering to other gods.
Berean Standard Bible:
But they did not listen or incline their ears; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods.
American Standard Version:
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
But they hearkened{H8085} not, nor inclined{H5186} their ear{H241} to turn{H7725} from their wickedness{H7451}, to burn no incense{H6999} unto other{H312} gods{H430}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Revelation 2:21
- And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
Revelation 2:22
- Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Isaiah 48:18
- O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
Jeremiah 44:17
- But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for [then] had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
Jeremiah 44:21
- The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it [not] into his mind?
Isaiah 48:4
- Because I knew that thou [art] obstinate, and thy neck [is] an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
Jeremiah 7:24
- But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels [and] in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
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Commentary for Jeremiah 44:5
Jeremiah 44:5 is part of the larger narrative found in the book of Jeremiah, which details the prophet's messages and interactions with the people of Judah. This verse specifically addresses the obstinance of the people in continuing their idolatrous practices despite the warnings and pleas from the prophet Jeremiah.
The historical context of this verse is set during a tumultuous period in Judah's history. The kingdom had been conquered by the Babylonians, and many of its people, including King Jehoiachin, had been taken into exile. Jeremiah, who was left among the remnants of the population in Judah, continued to prophesy to those who remained, as well as to those who had fled to Egypt against his advice.
In Jeremiah 44:5, the themes of disobedience and idolatry are central. The verse reflects the people's refusal to listen to Jeremiah's warnings and their determination to continue worshipping other gods, which was a direct violation of the Mosaic Covenant. This covenant, established in the Torah, required the exclusive worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel. Despite the impending and actual judgments that had already begun to unfold, the people were steadfast in their rebellion, symbolized by their persistent offerings of incense to foreign deities.
The verse captures the tragic consequences of a hardened heart and the refusal to heed divine counsel. It underscores the struggle between the call to faithfulness to Yahweh and the allure of pagan practices that were prevalent in the ancient Near Eastern context. Jeremiah's message here is a stark reminder of the importance of obedience and the perils of religious syncretism, which ultimately led to the downfall of the Kingdom of Judah and the subsequent exile of its people.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H5186
There are 207 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָטָה
Transliteration: nâṭâh
Pronunciation: naw-taw'
Description: a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application; [phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield. - Strong's Number: H241
There are 652 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֹזֶן
Transliteration: ʼôzen
Pronunciation: o'-zen
Description: from אָזַן; broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man); [phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show. - Strong's Number: H7725
There are 952 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׁוּב
Transliteration: shûwb
Pronunciation: shoob
Description: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw. - Strong's Number: H7451
There are 623 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רַע
Transliteration: raʻ
Pronunciation: rah
Description: from רָעַע; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.). - Strong's Number: H6999
There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָטַר
Transliteration: qâṭar
Pronunciation: kaw-tar'
Description: a primitive root (identical with through the idea of fumigation in a close place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants); to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship); burn (incense, sacrifice) (upon), (altar for) incense, kindle, offer (incense, a sacrifice). - Strong's Number: H312
There are 271 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַחֵר
Transliteration: ʼachêr
Pronunciation: akh-air'
Description: from אָחַר; properly, hinder; generally, next, other, etc.; (an-) other man, following, next, strange. - Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.