Jeremiah 44:5

But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.

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}.

But they neither listened nor obeyed, so as to turn from their wickedness and stop offering to other gods.

But they did not listen or incline their ears; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods.

But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.

Jeremiah 44:5 powerfully illustrates the deep-seated spiritual rebellion and unyielding disobedience of the people of Judah, even in the face of devastating judgment.

Context of Jeremiah 44:5

This verse is situated within Jeremiah's final prophecies, delivered to the Jewish remnant who had fled to Egypt, against God's explicit command, following the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. Jeremiah 44 records the prophet's stern warning to these survivors, reminding them that the calamities which befell their homeland were a direct result of their widespread idolatry and wickedness. Verse 5 specifically emphasizes their historical pattern of refusing to listen to God's prophets and turn from their evil ways, particularly their persistent practice of burning incense and offering worship to foreign gods, like the "queen of heaven," despite repeated divine warnings. This stubbornness ultimately led to their national downfall.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Stubborn Disobedience: The phrase "hearkened not, nor inclined their ear" highlights a deliberate and active refusal to listen to God's voice and obey His commands. It signifies not merely ignorance, but a willful hardening of the heart against divine instruction and a rejection of the path to righteousness.
  • Persistent Idolatry: The core of their "wickedness" was their devotion to "other gods," a direct violation of the first commandment given at Mount Sinai. Burning incense was a solemn act of worship, demonstrating their allegiance to false deities rather than the one true God.
  • Refusal to Repent: Despite witnessing the catastrophic fall of their nation and the exile of their people, the remnant remained unwilling "to turn from their wickedness." This illustrates a tragic failure to learn from consequences and embrace genuine repentance, suggesting that suffering alone does not guarantee a change of heart.
  • Divine Patience and Human Rebellion: The verse implicitly underscores God's long-suffering patience in continually calling His people to repentance, contrasted with humanity's persistent tendency towards rebellion and self-will.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew construction "hearkened not, nor inclined their ear" (לֹא שָׁמְעוּ וְלֹא הִטּוּ אֶת־אָזְנָם, lo sham'u v'lo hittu et oznam) powerfully conveys a profound and deliberate rejection. The verb shama' (שָׁמַע), "to hearken," often encompasses both hearing and obeying. "To incline the ear" (הִטּוּ אֶת־אָזְנָם, hittu et oznam) suggests a conscious effort to pay attention and receive instruction. The double negation emphasizes the depth of their unwillingness to respond to God's warnings and calls for a change of life. Their continued act of "burning incense unto other gods" was a tangible and defiant expression of their spiritual infidelity and covenant breaking.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 44:5 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual stubbornness and the profound dangers of unrepentant sin. For believers today, its message resonates:

  • Active Listening and Obedience: We are called not merely to hear God's Word but to actively "incline our ear" and obey it. Are there areas in our lives where we are stubbornly resisting God's guidance or clinging to "modern idols" like materialism, self-sufficiency, or the approval of others?
  • Learning from Consequences: Just as Judah failed to learn from its past, we must learn from our own mistakes and the lessons illuminated in biblical history. God's principles regarding righteousness and sin remain constant.
  • Embracing True Repentance: Genuine repentance involves a sincere turning away from sin and a wholehearted turning towards God, not merely regret over negative consequences. The opportunity for God's forgiveness and restoration is always available for those who genuinely humble themselves and repent.
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.

  • 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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