Jeremiah 44:11

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.

Therefore thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068} of hosts {H6635}, the God {H430} of Israel {H3478}; Behold, I will set {H7760} my face {H6440} against you for evil {H7451}, and to cut off {H3772} all Judah {H3063}.

"Therefore here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'I will decree disaster for you and destroy all of Y'hudah.

Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I will set My face to bring disaster and to cut off all Judah.

Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, even to cut off all Judah.

Jeremiah 44:11 presents a stark declaration of divine judgment against the remnant of Judah who had fled to Egypt after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. This verse encapsulates God's unwavering resolve to punish their persistent idolatry and disobedience.

Historical and Cultural Context

This prophecy from Jeremiah is delivered during a turbulent period following the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Despite God's explicit warnings through Jeremiah not to seek refuge in Egypt, a significant portion of the Jewish remnant, including women and children, chose to go there, defying the divine command (see Jeremiah 42:19). Once in Egypt, they continued, and even intensified, their idolatrous practices, most notably the worship of the "queen of heaven," a pagan goddess (as detailed in Jeremiah 44:17). Jeremiah 44:11 serves as a direct divine response to this rebellion, indicating that their flight would not save them from God's hand but rather bring further calamity.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment for Disobedience: The primary theme is God's severe judgment on those who deliberately disregard His commands. The phrase "I will set my face against you for evil" signifies God's determined opposition and the certainty of His punitive action.
  • Consequences of Idolatry: The verse is a direct consequence of the people's stubborn adherence to idol worship, specifically in a land that was historically a source of spiritual danger for Israel. God's covenant with Israel demanded exclusive worship, and their failure led to dire outcomes (compare with Exodus 20:3).
  • God's Unwavering Resolve: The titles "the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel" emphasize His supreme authority and His covenant relationship with His people, underscoring that His word of judgment is absolute and unavoidable. His "setting His face" is a powerful anthropomorphism depicting His firm intention to bring about the announced disaster.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "set my face against you" (Hebrew: śām pānay - literally "set my face") is a potent idiom in Hebrew, conveying a strong sense of determined opposition or resolute intention. While God often "sets His face" towards His people for blessing and favor (as in Numbers 6:25), here it is explicitly "for evil" (Hebrew: l'ra'ah - for calamity, disaster, or harm), indicating a direct and negative divine intervention. This highlights the severity of their actions in God's eyes.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 44:11 serves as a timeless reminder of the serious consequences of persistent disobedience and idolatry. It teaches that:

  1. God Takes Sin Seriously: Our actions have consequences, especially when we deliberately defy God's clear instructions.
  2. No Escape from God's Justice: Fleeing from one geographical location or circumstance does not remove one from the reach of divine justice if rebellion persists in the heart.
  3. The Importance of True Worship: The call to exclusive worship of the one true God remains central. Any form of idolatry, whether overt or subtle (e.g., placing anything above God in our lives), invites spiritual peril. This verse underscores the need for genuine repentance and turning back to God's ways.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 21:10

    For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

  • Amos 9:4

    And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

  • Leviticus 26:17

    And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

  • Psalms 34:16

    The face of the LORD [is] against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

  • Leviticus 20:5

    Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.

  • Leviticus 20:6

    And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

  • Leviticus 17:10

    ¶ And whatsoever man [there be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

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