Jeremiah 44:12
And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.
Original Language Analysis
וְלָקַחְתִּ֞י
And I will take
H3947
וְלָקַחְתִּ֞י
And I will take
Strong's:
H3947
Word #:
1 of 31
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
2 of 31
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
שְׁאֵרִ֣ית
the remnant
H7611
שְׁאֵרִ֣ית
the remnant
Strong's:
H7611
Word #:
3 of 31
a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion
יְהוּדָ֗ה
of Judah
H3063
יְהוּדָ֗ה
of Judah
Strong's:
H3063
Word #:
4 of 31
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
5 of 31
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
שָׂ֨מוּ
that have set
H7760
שָׂ֨מוּ
that have set
Strong's:
H7760
Word #:
6 of 31
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
פְנֵיהֶ֜ם
their faces
H6440
פְנֵיהֶ֜ם
their faces
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
7 of 31
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
לָג֣וּר
to sojourn
H1481
לָג֣וּר
to sojourn
Strong's:
H1481
Word #:
11 of 31
properly, to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose), i.e., sojourn (as a guest); also to shrink, fear (as in a strange place);
שָׁם֒
H8033
יִתַּ֔מּוּ
there and they shall all be consumed
H8552
יִתַּ֔מּוּ
there and they shall all be consumed
Strong's:
H8552
Word #:
13 of 31
to complete, in a good or a bad sense, literal, or figurative, transitive or intransitive
כֹ֜ל
H3605
כֹ֜ל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
14 of 31
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
יִפֹּ֗לוּ
and fall
H5307
יִפֹּ֗לוּ
and fall
Strong's:
H5307
Word #:
17 of 31
to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
בַּחֶ֥רֶב
by the sword
H2719
בַּחֶ֥רֶב
by the sword
Strong's:
H2719
Word #:
18 of 31
drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement
יִתַּ֔מּוּ
there and they shall all be consumed
H8552
יִתַּ֔מּוּ
there and they shall all be consumed
Strong's:
H8552
Word #:
20 of 31
to complete, in a good or a bad sense, literal, or figurative, transitive or intransitive
מִקָּטֹן֙
from the least
H6996
מִקָּטֹן֙
from the least
Strong's:
H6996
Word #:
21 of 31
abbreviated, i.e., diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)
וְעַד
H5704
וְעַד
Strong's:
H5704
Word #:
22 of 31
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
גָּד֔וֹל
even unto the greatest
H1419
גָּד֔וֹל
even unto the greatest
Strong's:
H1419
Word #:
23 of 31
great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent
בַּחֶ֥רֶב
by the sword
H2719
בַּחֶ֥רֶב
by the sword
Strong's:
H2719
Word #:
24 of 31
drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement
יָמֻ֑תוּ
they shall die
H4191
יָמֻ֑תוּ
they shall die
Strong's:
H4191
Word #:
26 of 31
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
וְהָיוּ֙
H1961
וְהָיוּ֙
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
27 of 31
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
Cross References
Jeremiah 42:22Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.Isaiah 65:15And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
Historical Context
The comprehensive judgment—sword, famine, covering all social classes—indicates total destruction. Historical records don't mention these communities surviving. Unlike Babylonian exiles who returned and preserved Jewish identity, the Egyptian refugees disappeared from history, fulfilling this prophecy. Their fate became a cautionary tale: disobedience forfeits covenant protection regardless of heritage.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the image of 'setting faces' against each other (God versus the people) depict the tragedy of willful rebellion?
- What does it mean to become 'a curse and a reproach'—a proverbial example of judgment?
- How should the comprehensive nature of this judgment (all classes, multiple forms of death, permanent infamy) inform our view of covenant seriousness?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt—the ironic contrast is devastating. God sets His face against them (v. 11) because they set their faces (śāmû ʾet-pənêhem) toward Egypt. The identical idiom shows competing determinations: God's resolve versus theirs. They shall all be consumed (wətammû kullām)—tāmam (be consumed, finished, completed) uses the Qal perfect with prophetic certainty. Kullām (all of them) emphasizes totality.
They shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine lists covenant curse instruments (Leviticus 26:25-26; Deuteronomy 28:21-22). The repetition from the least even unto the greatest (miqqāṭōn wəʿad-gādôl) covers all social classes. The final phrase: they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach (wəhāyû ləʾālâ ûləšammâ wəliqləlâ ûləḥerpâ) uses four synonyms for cursed status: ʾālâ (oath-curse), šammâ (horror, desolation), qələlâ (curse), ḥerpâ (reproach, disgrace). This echoes Deuteronomy 28:37—they become a proverbial example of divine judgment, their name synonymous with curse.