Jeremiah 44:20

KJV

¶ Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him [that] answer, saying,

KJV (with Strong's)

Then Jeremiah {H3414} said {H559} unto all the people {H5971}, to the men {H1397}, and to the women {H802}, and to all the people {H5971} which had given him that answer {H1697}{H6030}, saying {H559},

Complete Jewish Bible

Then Yirmeyahu said to all the people - to the men, the women, and all the people who had answered him back:

Berean Standard Bible

Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him,

American Standard Version

Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, even to all the people that had given him that answer, saying,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 44:20 marks a critical turning point in the prophet's final recorded confrontation with the rebellious Judahite remnant in Egypt. Having just received their brazen declaration of continued idolatry, particularly the worship of the "queen of heaven," Jeremiah now prepares to deliver God's severe and comprehensive rebuke. This verse sets the stage for a direct, solemn address, emphasizing that his message is for every individual—men and women alike—who had defiantly rejected the Lord's clear warnings.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse serves as the immediate precursor to Jeremiah's powerful and definitive prophetic response to the Judahites' open rebellion. In [Jeremiah 44:16-19](/jeremiah/44-16 "Jeremiah 44:16-19 - The People's Defiant Answer"), the people had boldly declared their unwavering intent to persist in burning incense and pouring out drink offerings to the "queen of heaven," claiming that their prosperity had ceased only when they abandoned these pagan rituals. Jeremiah 44:20 initiates the prophet's direct counter-argument and divine judgment, which extends through [Jeremiah 44:21-30](/jeremiah/44-21 "Jeremiah 44:21-30 - Jeremiah's Prophecy of Judgment"). It is a pivotal transitional verse, shifting from the people's defiant statement to God's resolute and final pronouncement through His messenger.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is Egypt, specifically cities like Tahpanhes, Migdol, and Memphis, where the Judahite remnant had fled after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE and the subsequent assassination of Gedaliah. This flight was in direct disobedience to God's command given through Jeremiah in [Jeremiah 42:1-22](/jeremiah/42 "Jeremiah 42 - The Remnant Seeks Counsel and Disobeys"). Culturally, the worship of the "queen of heaven" (likely Ishtar/Astarte, a prominent Mesopotamian and Canaanite fertility goddess) was a deeply ingrained practice among some Judahites, even before the exile. Their rationale for continuing this idolatry, as expressed in [Jeremiah 44:17](/jeremiah/44-17 "Jeremiah 44:17 - The People's Justification for Idolatry"), reveals a profound spiritual blindness and a syncretistic belief that defied the exclusive worship of Yahweh. They attributed their past prosperity to pagan deities and their current suffering to abandoning them, completely misinterpreting divine judgment.
* **Key Themes:** This verse encapsulates several critical themes prevalent in Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. It highlights the profound **Defiance and Rebellion** of God's people, who, despite witnessing the devastating consequences of their apostasy in Jerusalem, hardened their hearts and openly rejected divine counsel. It underscores the unwavering **Prophetic Authority and Confrontation**, as Jeremiah, God's faithful messenger, stands firm against popular idolatry and delivers an unpopular but necessary truth. Furthermore, it introduces the theme of the **Gravity of Disobedience**, signaling that the people's stubbornness has reached a point necessitating a direct and severe divine response, emphasizing that their "answer" was not a misunderstanding but a deliberate choice to persist in sin, inviting inevitable judgment as seen in [Jeremiah 44:26-27](/jeremiah/44-26 "Jeremiah 44:26-27 - God's Oath Against the Judahites in Egypt").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **said (Hebrew, _ʼâmar'_):** This primitive root signifies "to say" or "to speak" with great latitude, encompassing declaring, commanding, affirming, or even thinking. In this context, it denotes Jeremiah's authoritative and direct verbal response, indicating a formal pronouncement rather than a casual remark. It emphasizes the weight and divine origin of the words about to be uttered.
* **people (Hebrew, _ʻam'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to congregate," this term refers to a people as a congregated unit, a nation, or a community. Its repeated use in the verse ("all the people," "all the people") underscores the collective nature of the defiance and, consequently, the comprehensive scope of Jeremiah's address and the judgment that would follow. It highlights that the apostasy was not isolated but pervasive within the Judahite remnant.
* **answer (Hebrew, _dâbâr'_):** This word, often translated "word" or "matter," carries a broad semantic range, including speech, affair, or a thing spoken of. Here, it specifically refers to the defiant declaration made by the people in [Jeremiah 44:16-19](/jeremiah/44-16 "Jeremiah 44:16-19 - The People's Defiant Answer"). By using "answer," the text emphasizes that Jeremiah's subsequent words are a direct, divinely-inspired rebuttal to their specific act of rebellion and self-justification.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"¶ Then Jeremiah said unto all the people,"**: This opening clause, marked by the KJV's paragraph symbol, signals a significant shift and the commencement of Jeremiah's formal, divinely-commissioned response. It establishes Jeremiah as the active agent, speaking directly and authoritatively to the entire assembled community.
* **"to the men, and to the women, and to all the people"**: This phrase emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Jeremiah's audience and, by extension, the widespread nature of the idolatry and rebellion. By explicitly mentioning "men" and "women," the text highlights that the sin was not confined to a particular group or gender but permeated the entire remnant, making the coming judgment universally applicable. The repetition of "all the people" reinforces this inclusivity.
* **"which had given him [that] answer, saying,"**: This final clause directly links Jeremiah's impending speech to the specific, defiant declaration of the people found in the preceding verses. It underscores that Jeremiah's words are a direct, divine counter-argument to their stubborn resolve to continue worshiping the "queen of heaven," setting the stage for a direct confrontation of their false reasoning and idolatrous practices.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 44:20 employs several literary devices to heighten the drama and significance of the moment. The most prominent is **Direct Address**, as Jeremiah speaks explicitly "unto all the people, to the men, and to the women," leaving no ambiguity about the target of his message. This directness underscores the personal and communal accountability of the Judahites. **Repetition** is also evident in the phrase "all the people," which is used twice, emphasizing the universality of the defiance and the comprehensive scope of the prophet's impending rebuke. This repetition highlights that the sin was not isolated but a collective act. Furthermore, the verse functions as a **Transitional Marker**, signaling a pivotal shift from the people's defiant declaration to God's authoritative response through His prophet. The KJV's introductory paragraph mark ("¶") visually reinforces this solemn and significant transition, preparing the reader for the gravity of Jeremiah's subsequent words.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 44:20 is a powerful testament to the unwavering nature of God's truth confronting human rebellion. Theologically, it underscores the principle that God always provides a clear word, even when it is rejected, and that persistent disobedience carries severe consequences. The people's "answer" was not merely a misunderstanding but a deliberate choice to replace the living God with pagan deities, believing that idolatry brought prosperity—a profound theological error. Jeremiah's response, initiated here, embodies the prophetic role of standing in the gap, delivering God's uncompromising message regardless of its popularity or the people's hardened hearts. This moment highlights the divine patience that precedes judgment, yet also the inevitability of that judgment when grace is continually spurned.

* [Deuteronomy 8:19-20](/deuteronomy/8-19 "Deuteronomy 8:19-20 - Warning Against Forgetting God")
* [Isaiah 1:18-20](/isaiah/1-18 "Isaiah 1:18-20 - A Call to Repentance and Consequences")
* [Romans 1:21-25](/romans/1-21 "Romans 1:21-25 - The Folly of Suppressing Truth")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This verse serves as a profound warning for all generations, urging us to examine our own hearts and how we respond to God's word. The Judahites in Egypt were tragically self-deceived, clinging to a false narrative that their idolatry brought blessing, despite overwhelming evidence of God's judgment. This challenges us to be vigilant against rationalizing our own sins or seeking justification for choices that contradict biblical truth. Are there areas in our lives where we, like the Judahites, offer God "answers" that are rooted in our desires or perceived benefits, rather than in humble submission to His commands? We are called to listen attentively to God's voice, even when it challenges our comfort zones, popular opinions, or deeply ingrained habits. This passage also reminds us of the communal aspect of faith and sin; our choices, both individual and collective, have far-reaching spiritual consequences.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I be tempted to rationalize disobedience or believe that my own methods, rather than God's, will bring true prosperity or blessing?**
* **How do I respond when God's word, delivered through Scripture, spiritual leaders, or circumstances, directly confronts a belief or practice I hold dear?**
* **What is my responsibility in my community or family to speak truth, or to receive it, even when it is unpopular or challenging?**

### FAQ
**Why is Jeremiah's audience specified as "men and women" in this verse?**

Answer: The explicit mention of "men and women" underscores the pervasive and communal nature of the idolatry and rebellion among the Judahite remnant in Egypt. The worship of the "queen of heaven" was not confined to a specific group or gender; rather, it was a widespread practice that involved all segments of society. By addressing both men and women, Jeremiah emphasizes that the sin of apostasy was a collective act of defiance against God, and therefore, the impending divine judgment would be comprehensive, affecting everyone who had participated in this shared rebellion, as detailed in [Jeremiah 44:25-27](/jeremiah/44-25 "Jeremiah 44:25-27 - Jeremiah's Prophecy of Doom").

**What was "that answer" the people had given Jeremiah, to which he is now responding?**

Answer: "That answer" refers to the defiant and stubborn declaration made by the Judahite remnant in [Jeremiah 44:16-19](/jeremiah/44-16 "Jeremiah 44:16-19 - The People's Defiant Justification"). In those verses, the people explicitly stated their unwavering intention to continue burning incense and pouring out drink offerings to the "queen of heaven." They justified their idolatry by claiming that they experienced prosperity when they engaged in these rituals and only suffered disaster when they ceased, directly contradicting God's covenant and His clear warnings delivered through Jeremiah. Jeremiah 44:20 marks the prophet's direct, divinely-inspired rebuttal to this specific act of open rebellion and self-deception.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 44:20, though a scene of profound human rebellion, ultimately points to the necessity and glory of Christ. Jeremiah, standing as God's faithful prophet, confronts a people who have rejected the living God for idols, a pattern of human sin that echoes throughout salvation history. This prophetic confrontation foreshadows the ultimate confrontation between God's truth and human sin embodied in Jesus Christ. Where Jeremiah delivered God's word to a hardened people, Jesus himself is the [Word made flesh](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh"), the perfect revelation of God who came to a world that "did not know him" ([John 1:10](/john/1-10 "John 1:10 - The World Did Not Know Him")). The people's rejection of Jeremiah's message mirrors humanity's rejection of the Son of God, who came to save them from their idolatry and rebellion. Christ, unlike the defiant Judahites, perfectly obeyed the Father, offering himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin, thereby addressing the very idolatry and spiritual adultery of which the people of Jeremiah's day were guilty. Through His atoning work, He provides the only true "answer" to humanity's rebellion, offering not judgment but reconciliation and true spiritual prosperity, a peace and life that cannot be found in any false god or human justification ([Romans 5:1](/romans/5-1 "Romans 5:1 - Justification by Faith")). He is the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King, through whom God speaks His final and complete word to humanity ([Hebrews 1:1-2](/hebrews/1-1 "Hebrews 1:1-2 - God Speaks Through His Son")), calling all to turn from their self-deception and find life in Him alone.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.