Jeremiah 44:2
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,
Original Language Analysis
כֹּה
H3541
כֹּה
Strong's:
H3541
Word #:
1 of 26
properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
יְהוָ֤ה
the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֤ה
the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
3 of 26
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
צְבָאוֹת֙
of hosts
H6635
צְבָאוֹת֙
of hosts
Strong's:
H6635
Word #:
4 of 26
a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (speci
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
the God
H430
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
the God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
5 of 26
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
of Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
of Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
6 of 26
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
רְאִיתֶ֗ם
Ye have seen
H7200
רְאִיתֶ֗ם
Ye have seen
Strong's:
H7200
Word #:
8 of 26
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
אֵ֤ת
H853
אֵ֤ת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
9 of 26
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
10 of 26
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
12 of 26
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
הֵבֵ֙אתִי֙
that I have brought
H935
הֵבֵ֙אתִי֙
that I have brought
Strong's:
H935
Word #:
13 of 26
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
14 of 26
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם
upon Jerusalem
H3389
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם
upon Jerusalem
Strong's:
H3389
Word #:
15 of 26
jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine
וְעַ֖ל
H5921
וְעַ֖ל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
16 of 26
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
17 of 26
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
עָרֵ֣י
and upon all the cities
H5892
עָרֵ֣י
and upon all the cities
Strong's:
H5892
Word #:
18 of 26
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
יְהוּדָ֑ה
of Judah
H3063
יְהוּדָ֑ה
of Judah
Strong's:
H3063
Word #:
19 of 26
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
חָרְבָּה֙
they are a desolation
H2723
חָרְבָּה֙
they are a desolation
Strong's:
H2723
Word #:
21 of 26
properly, drought, i.e., (by implication) a desolation
הַיּ֣וֹם
and behold this day
H3117
הַיּ֣וֹם
and behold this day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
22 of 26
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
הַזֶּ֔ה
H2088
וְאֵ֥ין
H369
Cross References
Isaiah 6:11Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,Jeremiah 34:22Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.Jeremiah 9:11And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.Jeremiah 4:7The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.Micah 3:12Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Historical Context
By 582 BC, Jerusalem had lain in ruins for four years. Archaeological excavations confirm the destruction layer from 586 BC, showing massive fire damage and depopulation. The phrase 'no man dwelleth therein' reflects the demographic catastrophe—the population of Judah dropped from perhaps 75,000 to 20,000. These Egyptian refugees had witnessed this firsthand, making their continued idolatry in Egypt inexcusable.
Questions for Reflection
- How does witnessing God's judgment in others' lives affect your own response to His warnings?
- What 'desolations' in your spiritual life testify to the consequences of disobedience?
- Why do you think people can witness clear evidence of judgment yet persist in the same sins?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem—God appeals to empirical evidence, using the Hebrew perfect tense rəʾîtem (you have seen) to emphasize their eyewitness status. They personally witnessed Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BC, yet learned nothing from it. The phrase this day they are a desolation (hayyôm hēmmâ ḥorbâ) uses the demonstrative force of 'this very day' to stress the ongoing nature of the judgment—it wasn't ancient history but present reality.
No man dwelleth therein (ʾên yôšēb bāhem) echoes covenant curses in Leviticus 26:31-33 and Deuteronomy 28:51-52. The Hebrew ḥorbâ (desolation, waste) appears 42 times in Jeremiah, becoming his signature term for covenant judgment. God explicitly claims authorship: I have brought (hēbēʾtî), not Babylon. The Chaldeans were merely instruments; Yahweh was the ultimate cause, fulfilling His sworn covenant threats. This theological framing is crucial—history isn't random; God governs it according to His covenant.