Jeremiah 44:5

Translation
King James Version
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
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KJV (with Strong's)
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.
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Complete Jewish Bible
But they neither listened nor obeyed, so as to turn from their wickedness and stop offering to other gods.
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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.
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American Standard Version
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
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World English Bible Messianic
But they didn’t listen, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
But they would not heare nor incline their eare to turne from their wickednes, and to burne no more incense vnto other gods.
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Young's Literal Translation
and they have not hearkened nor inclined their ear, to turn back from their wickedness, not to make perfume to other gods,
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See also
Revelation 2:21Revelation 2:22Isaiah 48:18Jeremiah 44:17Jeremiah 44:21Isaiah 48:4Jeremiah 7:24
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SUMMARY

Jeremiah 44:5 profoundly captures the unyielding and deliberate rebellion of the Jewish remnant in Egypt, illustrating their entrenched historical pattern of rejecting God's divine warnings. Despite having witnessed the catastrophic consequences of national idolatry and disobedience—culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem—they remained stubbornly committed to their wicked practices, particularly the burning of incense and offering worship to false deities, rather than turning back to the one true God. This verse starkly highlights the tragic depth of their spiritual blindness and unrepentant heart, even in the face of overwhelming judgment and clear prophetic instruction.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 44 constitutes Jeremiah's final, poignant prophetic address to the Jewish survivors who, in direct defiance of God's explicit command delivered through Jeremiah (as detailed in Jeremiah 42), had fled to Egypt following the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. The chapter functions as a severe indictment of their persistent idolatry, directly correlating their past and present sins with the calamities that had befallen Judah. Verse 5 specifically serves as a retrospective summary, recalling the nation's long-standing pattern of disobedience that ultimately led to their downfall. It sets the stage for Jeremiah's subsequent declaration of further judgment upon them in Egypt for their unrepentant hearts and continued devotion to "the queen of heaven" (Jeremiah 44:17-19).
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for this verse is the Jewish remnant's settlement in Egypt, likely in places like Tahpanhes, after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Their flight was a direct act of rebellion against God's clear instruction through Jeremiah to remain in Judah (Jeremiah 42:19-22). The "wickedness" mentioned, particularly "burning incense unto other gods," refers to the pervasive idolatry that had afflicted Judah for centuries, involving the worship of various Canaanite, Mesopotamian, and Egyptian deities. In the ancient Near East, burning incense was a central and sacred act of worship, symbolizing devotion and offering. To offer incense to "other gods" was a profound violation of the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3) and a grave act of covenant infidelity. Even after experiencing the Babylonian exile—a direct consequence of this very sin—these survivors in Egypt stubbornly clung to their pagan practices, demonstrating a deep-seated cultural and spiritual resistance to Yahweh.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 44:5 significantly contributes to several overarching themes woven throughout the book of Jeremiah. Foremost is the theme of Stubborn Disobedience and Rebellion, vividly illustrating Judah's persistent refusal to heed God's warnings and prophetic calls to repentance (Jeremiah 7:23-26). This verse powerfully exemplifies the nation's Covenant Unfaithfulness, as their idolatry represented a direct breach of their covenant relationship with Yahweh, who had chosen them as His people and given them His law (Deuteronomy 28). The phrase "to turn from their wickedness" underscores the pervasive theme of Lack of Repentance, revealing a people unwilling to genuinely change their hearts and actions even after experiencing severe judgment. Finally, the verse implicitly showcases God's Righteous Judgment, demonstrating that the calamities that befell Judah were not arbitrary but a just and inevitable consequence of their unyielding sin, particularly their persistent idolatry (Jeremiah 25:8-11).

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • hearkened (Hebrew, shâmaʻ', H8085): This primitive root means "to hear intelligently," often carrying the strong implication of attention and obedience. In the negative ("hearkened not"), it signifies a deliberate refusal not merely to perceive the words spoken by God's prophets, but to internalize them, assent to them, and act upon them. It points to a profound spiritual deafness and an active rejection of divine instruction and authority.
  • inclined (Hebrew, nâṭâh', H5186): Meaning "to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away." When combined with ear (Hebrew, ʼôzen' from H241, meaning "the ear"), the phrase "inclined their ear" (H5186 + H241) denotes a conscious effort to pay attention, to lean in and listen intently with a receptive attitude. The negation "nor inclined their ear" therefore emphasizes a deliberate unwillingness to receive and process God's message, indicating a hardened heart that actively shut itself off from divine truth, choosing not to be persuaded or moved.
  • burn incense (Hebrew, qâṭar', H6999): This root means "to smoke, i.e., turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)." This word specifically refers to the ritual act of offering incense, a highly significant and sacred practice in ancient worship. The phrase "to burn no incense unto other gods" highlights that their refusal to turn from wickedness was directly tied to their continued, defiant practice of idolatry, where burning incense was a tangible, public, and central expression of their allegiance to false deities (H312 ʼachêr "other" and H430 ʼĕlôhîym "gods").

Verse Breakdown

  • "But they hearkened not": This opening clause immediately establishes the core indictment: a profound and active refusal on the part of the Jewish remnant to listen to God's voice, conveyed through His prophets. It implies more than a simple failure to hear; it signifies a deliberate rejection of divine communication and authority, a choice not to obey.
  • "nor inclined their ear": This phrase intensifies the preceding one, emphasizing the willful and intentional nature of their disobedience. It suggests that they made no effort whatsoever to pay attention, to be receptive, or to consider God's warnings, actively shutting themselves off from the truth and any possibility of internalizing it.
  • "to turn from their wickedness": This clause reveals the specific purpose of God's persistent call and the precise nature of their refusal. God desired them to repent, to change their course from the path of "wickedness" (Hebrew raʻ, H7451, signifying evil in both its natural and moral senses). Their failure to "turn" (Hebrew shûwb, H7725, meaning to turn back or away, often implying repentance and conversion) indicates a complete lack of genuine remorse, spiritual transformation, or desire to align with God's will.
  • "to burn no incense unto other gods": This final clause pinpoints the primary, tangible manifestation of their "wickedness" and the specific act of idolatry God commanded them to cease. Burning incense to "other gods" (Hebrew ʼachêr ʼĕlôhîym, H312 H430) was a direct, blatant, and public violation of the covenant, a clear sign of their spiritual adultery and allegiance to false deities, which they stubbornly and defiantly refused to abandon.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 44:5 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of profound rebellion and unrepentance. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the declaration "they hearkened not" is powerfully reinforced and intensified by the subsequent phrase "nor inclined their ear." This double negation emphasizes the depth, deliberateness, and active nature of their refusal to listen and obey. There is also a stark Contrast presented between God's persistent and gracious calling to repentance and the people's unyielding stubbornness and spiritual recalcitrance. The act of "burning incense unto other gods" serves as powerful Symbolism, representing not merely a specific ritual but the entire pervasive system of idolatry, covenant breaking, and spiritual apostasy that characterized Judah's unfaithfulness. The verse also utilizes Metonymy by using "ear" to represent the faculty of hearing, understanding, and ultimately, obedience, implying that their entire being and will were closed off to God's truth.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 44:5 serves as a stark theological commentary on humanity's inherent bent towards rebellion and the grave consequences of unrepentant sin. It underscores the biblical truth that true obedience begins with a receptive heart, willing to listen and respond to God's voice. The persistent idolatry of Judah, even after experiencing severe divine judgment, vividly illustrates the spiritual blindness that can grip a people, leading them to prefer self-chosen paths and false gods over the life-giving truth of Yahweh. This passage highlights God's long-suffering patience in continually calling His people to repentance, yet also His unwavering justice in bringing judgment when His calls are consistently and defiantly rejected. The core theological message is that spiritual flourishing and covenant faithfulness are inextricably linked to a humble, obedient heart that decisively turns away from evil and wholeheartedly embraces the one true God.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 44:5 offers a timeless and sobering reflection for believers today, challenging us to deeply examine the posture of our own hearts towards God's Word. The stubbornness of ancient Judah serves as a powerful cautionary tale: true spiritual health is not merely about hearing God's commands, but actively inclining our ears, internalizing His truth, and genuinely turning from anything that constitutes "wickedness" in His sight. In a world saturated with distractions and competing allegiances, we are prone to "burn incense to other gods" through our devotion to materialism, self-reliance, social approval, comfort, or even our own desires and ambitions, subtly or overtly. This verse calls us to a radical self-examination, asking if we are truly repentant when confronted with our sin, or if we, like Judah, are prone to resist correction and cling to patterns of disobedience, even in the face of clear consequences or divine warnings. Genuine repentance involves a decisive turning away from sin and a wholehearted turning towards God, embracing His will as our highest good and ultimate authority.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life am I prone to "hearken not" or "incline not my ear" to God's clear instructions or gentle promptings from His Word or Spirit?
  • What are the "other gods" or idols in my life—subtle or overt—to which I might be "burning incense" through my time, energy, affection, or priorities?
  • Am I truly willing "to turn from my wickedness," or do I find myself resisting genuine repentance and clinging to comfortable sins or unbiblical habits?
  • How can I cultivate a more receptive, humble, and obedient heart, learning from the tragic example of Judah to avoid their spiritual pitfalls and embrace God's transforming grace?

FAQ

What does "hearkened not, nor inclined their ear" truly mean in this context?

Answer: This phrase emphasizes a profound and willful rejection of God's message. "Hearkened not" (Hebrew shâmaʻ) implies a refusal to obey, not just to hear. "Nor inclined their ear" (Hebrew nâṭâh ʼôzen) intensifies this, suggesting a deliberate act of closing off one's receptivity. It means they actively chose not to listen attentively or respond obediently to the numerous warnings and calls to repentance that God sent through His prophets. It wasn't ignorance or a lack of understanding, but a conscious, stubborn resistance to divine truth and authority, rooted in a hardened heart.

Why was "burning incense unto other gods" such a significant sin for the Israelites?

Answer: Burning incense was a central and sacred act of worship in ancient cultures, a tangible expression of devotion and allegiance. For the Israelites, it was reserved exclusively for Yahweh, the one true God, as stipulated in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 30:7-8). To burn incense to "other gods" was a direct and blatant violation of the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3) and a profound act of spiritual adultery. It signified a rejection of their covenant relationship with Yahweh and an embrace of pagan deities, which often involved immoral and destructive practices. This specific act symbolized their complete spiritual apostasy and unfaithfulness, demonstrating a profound betrayal of the God who had redeemed them.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 44:5, with its depiction of unyielding human rebellion and persistent refusal to turn from wickedness, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The stubborn hearts of Judah, unwilling to "turn from their wickedness" or cease their idolatry, powerfully reveal humanity's desperate need for a radical transformation that mere prophetic warnings or even divine judgment cannot achieve. It is in Christ that God provides the means for true repentance and the power to obey. Where Israel failed to "hearken" and "incline their ear," Jesus perfectly embodied obedience, always doing the will of the Father (John 6:38). He is the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), providing the perfect sacrifice that atones for the very "wickedness" and idolatry that plagued Judah and continues to plague humanity. Through His indwelling Spirit, Christ grants a new heart and a new spirit, enabling believers to genuinely "turn" from sin and to worship God "in spirit and truth" (Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 4:23-24). The inability of Judah to cease burning incense to false gods is overcome by Christ, who calls us to worship the one true God alone, offering ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2), a worship made possible only through His redeeming work and empowering presence.

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Commentary on Jeremiah 44 verses 1–14

The Jews in Egypt were now dispersed into various parts of the country, into Migdol, and Noph, and other places, and Jeremiah was sent on an errand from God to them, which he delivered either when he had the most of them together in Pathros (Jer 44:15) or going about from place to place preaching to this purport. He delivered this message in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, and in it,

I. God puts them in mind of the desolations of Judah and Jerusalem, which, though the captives by the rivers of Babylon were daily mindful of (Psa 137:1), the fugitives in the cities of Egypt seem to have forgotten and needed to be put in mind of, though, one would have thought, they had not been so long out of sight as to become out of mind (Jer 44:2): You have seen what a deplorable condition Judah and Jerusalem are brought into; now will you consider whence those desolations came? From the wrath of God; it was his fury and his anger that kindled the fire which made Jerusalem and the cities of Judah waste and desolate (Jer 44:6); whoever were the instruments of the destruction, they were but instruments: it was a destruction from the Almighty.

II. He puts them in mind of the sins that brought those desolations upon Judah and Jerusalem. It was for their wickedness. It was this that provoked God to anger, and especially their idolatry, their serving other gods (Jer 44:3) and giving that honour to counterfeit deities, the creatures of their own fancy and the work of their own hands, which should have been given to the true God only. They forsook the God who was known among them, and whose name was great, for gods that they knew not, upstart deities, whose original was obscure and not worth taking notice of: "Neither they nor you, nor your fathers, could give any rational account why the God of Israel was exchanged for such impostors." They knew not that they were gods; nay, they could not but know that they were no gods.

III. He puts them in mind of the frequent and fair warnings he had given them by his word not to serve other gods, the contempt of which warnings was a great aggravation of their idolatry, Jer 44:4. The prophets were sent with a great deal of care to call to them, saying, Oh! do not this abominable thing that I hate. It becomes us to speak of sin with the utmost dread and detestation as an abominable thing; it is certainly so, for it is that which God hates, and we are sure that hid judgment is according to truth. Call it grievous, call it odious, that we may by all means possible put ourselves and others out of love with it. It becomes us to give warning of the danger of sin, and the fatal consequences of it, with all seriousness and earnestness: "Oh! do not do it. If you love God, do not, for it is provoking to him; if you love your own souls do not, for it is destructive to them." Let conscience do this for us in an hour of temptation, when we are ready to yield. O take heed! do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates; for, if God hates it, though shouldst hate it. But did they regard what God said to them? No: "They hearkened not, nor inclined their ear (Jer 44:5); they still persisted in their idolatries; and you see what came of it, therefore God's anger was poured out upon them, as at this day. Now this was intended for warning to you, who have not only heard the judgments of God's mouth, as they did, but have likewise seen the judgments of his hand, by which you should be startled and awakened, for they were inflicted in terrorem, that others might hear and fear and do no more as they did, lest they should fare as they fared."

IV. He reproves them for, and upbraids them with, their continued idolatries, now that they had come into Egypt (Jer 44:8): You burn incense to other gods in the land of Egypt. Therefore God forbade them to go into Egypt, because he knew it would be a snare to them. Those whom God sent into the land of the Chaldeans, though that was an idolatrous country, were there, by the power of God's grace, weaned from idolatry; but those who went against God's mind into the land of the Egyptians were there, by the power of their own corruptions, more wedded than ever to their idolatries; for, when we thrust ourselves without cause or call into places of temptation, it is just with God to leave us to ourselves. In doing this, 1. They did a great deal of injury to themselves and their families: "You commit this great evil against your souls (Jer 44:7), you wrong them, you deceive them with that which is false, you destroy them, for it will be fatal to them." Note, In sinning against God we sin against our own souls. "It is the ready way to cut yourselves off from all comfort and hope (Jer 44:8), to cut off your name and honour; so that you will, both by your sin and by your misery, become a curse and a reproach among all nations. It will become a proverb, As wretched as a Jew. It is the ready way to cut off from you all your relations, all that you shave have joy of and have your families built up in, man and woman, child and suckling, so that Judah shall be a land lost for want of heirs." 2. They filled up the measure of the iniquity of their fathers, and, as if that had been too little for them, added to it (Jer 44:9): "Have you forgotten the wickedness of those who are gone before you, that you are not humbled for it as you ought to be, and afraid of the consequences of it?" Have you forgotten the punishments of your fathers? so some read it. "Do you not know how dear their idolatry cost them? And yet dare you continue in that vain conversation received by tradition from you fathers, though you received the curse with it?" He reminds them of the sins and punishments of the kings of Judah, who, great as they were, escaped not the judgments of God for their idolatry; yea, and they should have taken warning by the wickedness of their wives, who had seduced them to idolatry. In the original it is, And of his wives, which, Dr. Lightfoot thinks, tacitly reflects upon Solomon's wives, particularly his Egyptian wives, to whom the idolatry of the kings of Judah owed its original. "Have you forgotten this, and what came of it, that you dare venture upon the same wicked courses?" See Neh 13:18, Neh 13:26. "Nay, to come to your own times, Have you forgotten your own wickedness and the wickedness of your wives, when you lived in prosperity in Jerusalem, and what ruin it brought upon you? But, alas! to what purpose do I speak to them?" (says God to the prophet, Jer 44:10) "they are not humbled unto this day, by all the humbling providences that they have been under. They have not feared, nor walked in my law." Note, Those that walk not in the law of God do thereby show that they are destitute of the fear of God.

V. He threatens their utter ruin for their persisting in their idolatry now that they were in Egypt. Judgment is given against them, as before (Jer 42:22), that they shall perish in Egypt; the decree has gone forth, and shall not be called back. They set their faces to go into the land of Egypt (Jer 44:12), were resolute in their purpose against God, and now God is resolute in his purpose against them: I will set my face to cut off all Judah, Jer 44:11. Those that think not only to affront, but to confront, God Almighty, will find themselves outfaced; for the face of the Lord is against those that do evil, Psa 34:16. It is here threatened concerning these idolatrous Jews in Egypt, 1. That they shall all be consumed, without exception; no degree nor order among them shall escape: They shall fall, from the least to the greatest (Jer 44:12), high and low, rich and poor. 2. That they shall be consumed by the very same judgments which God made use of for the punishment of Jerusalem, the sword, famine, and pestilence, Jer 44:12, Jer 44:13. They shall not be wasted by natural deaths, as Israel in the wilderness, but by these sore judgments, which, by flying into Egypt, they thought to get out of the reach of. 3. That none (except a very few that will narrowly escape) shall ever return to the land of Judah again, Jer 44:14. They thought, being nearer, that they stood fairer for a return to their own land than those that were carried to Babylon; yet those shall return, and these shall not; for the way in which God has promised us any comfort is much surer than that in which we have projected it for ourselves. Observe, Those that are fretful and discontented will be uneasy and fond of change wherever they are. The Israelites, when they were in the land of Judah, desired to go into Egypt (Jer 42:22), but when they were in Egypt they desired to return to the land of Judah again; they lifted up their soul to it (so it is in the margin), which denotes an earnest desire. But, because they would not dwell there when God commanded it, they shall not dwell they were they desire it. If we walk contrary to God, he will walk contrary to us. How can those expect to be well off who would not know when they were so, though God himself told them?

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–14. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
DISCOURSES AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 5:4.4
What was the reason for this? It was because the Jews were so arrogant and obstinate. They immediately forgot what God had done for them; they ascribed his kindness to demons and reckoned that his blessings had come from them. Even when the sea was divided for them, as they went forth from Egypt, and while other wonderful things were happening to them, they forgot the God who was performing these miracles and attributed them to others who were not gods. For they said to Aaron, “Make for us gods who will be our leaders.” And they said to Jeremiah, “We will not listen to what you say in the name of the Lord. Rather, we will continue doing what we had proposed: we will burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out libations to her, as we and our ancestors, our kings and princes have done. Then we had enough food to eat and we were well off; we suffered no misfortune. But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out libations to her, we are in need of everything and are being destroyed by the sword and by hunger.” The inspired prophets, then, foretold what would happen to the Jews so that they would ascribe none of the events to idols but would believe that both punishments and blessings always come from God: the punishment came for their sins and the blessings because of God’s love and kindness.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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