Jeremiah 44:30

Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.

Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}; Behold, I will give {H5414} Pharaohhophra {H6548} king {H4428} of Egypt {H4714} into the hand {H3027} of his enemies {H341}, and into the hand {H3027} of them that seek {H1245} his life {H5315}; as I gave {H5414} Zedekiah {H6667} king {H4428} of Judah {H3063} into the hand {H3027} of Nebuchadrezzar {H5019} king {H4428} of Babylon {H894}, his enemy {H341}, and that sought {H1245} his life {H5315}.

ADONAI says, 'I will hand over Pharaoh Hofra king of Egypt to his enemies, to those seeking his life - just as I handed Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah over to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel, his enemy, who sought his life.'"

This is what the LORD says: Behold, I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who seek his life, just as I delivered Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who was seeking his life.”

Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy, and sought his life.

Jeremiah 44:30 delivers a powerful and conclusive prophecy concerning Pharaoh-hophra, the king of Egypt, serving as a stark warning to the Judean remnant who had sought refuge there against God's explicit command.

Context

This verse comes at the very end of Jeremiah chapter 44, which details the prophet Jeremiah's final message to the Jewish remnant who had fled to Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem and the assassination of Gedaliah. Despite God's clear instructions through Jeremiah not to go to Egypt (Jeremiah 42:19), they stubbornly insisted, believing they would find safety there and continuing their idolatrous practices (Jeremiah 44:17). In response to their persistent disobedience and idolatry, God declares that He will bring judgment upon them in Egypt, and as a final, undeniable sign of His authority and impending judgment, He pronounces the downfall of Pharaoh-hophra, the very ruler in whom they placed their trust.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty and Judgment: The verse powerfully asserts God's absolute control over nations and their rulers. He is not merely the God of Israel but the Lord of all creation, capable of raising up and bringing down kings (Daniel 4:17). The judgment on Pharaoh-hophra underscores that no earthly power can stand against His will.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The fate of Pharaoh-hophra serves as a severe object lesson for the disobedient Judean remnant. Just as King Zedekiah suffered for his rebellion against God's word and the Babylonians, so too would Pharaoh-hophra, and by extension, those who sought refuge under his supposedly protective wing. It highlights that disobedience to God's commands leads to inevitable ruin.
  • Prophetic Fulfillment: Jeremiah's prophecies, often met with skepticism and ridicule, consistently proved true. The specific prediction of Pharaoh-hophra's demise, paralleled with Zedekiah's capture (Jeremiah 39:7), was a tangible demonstration of God's faithfulness to His word, both in warning and in judgment.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "Thus saith the LORD" (Hebrew: kōh 'āmar Yahweh) introduces this prophecy with the highest divine authority, indicating that this is a direct word from God, not Jeremiah's own opinion. Pharaoh-hophra is the biblical name for Apries, a historical Egyptian king (c. 589-570 BC) who was indeed overthrown and killed by his own people, led by Amasis II. The comparison to Zedekiah king of Judah, who was betrayed and captured by Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, emphasizes the certainty and severity of the impending judgment on Egypt's king, mirroring the recent devastating judgment on Judah's last king.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 44:30 reminds us that God's warnings are not empty threats; they are expressions of His righteous character and His active involvement in human history. We cannot escape the consequences of persistent disobedience or seek security in worldly powers that defy God's will. True safety and peace are found only in obedience to God's word and trusting in His divine provision, rather than relying on human strength or political alliances. This verse serves as a timeless call to humility, repentance, and unwavering faithfulness to the Lord.

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.

  • 2 Kings 25:4

    And the city was broken up, and all the men of war [fled] by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which [is] by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees [were] against the city round about:) and [the king] went the way toward the plain.

  • 2 Kings 25:7

    And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

  • Jeremiah 34:21

    And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which are gone up from you.

  • Jeremiah 43:9

    Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which [is] at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;

  • Jeremiah 43:13

    He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that [is] in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

  • Jeremiah 39:5

    But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.

  • Jeremiah 39:7

    Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.

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