Jeremiah 44:12
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The verse highlights that God’s judgment isn’t just about punishment, but also about creating a stark, unforgettable example. These people will become "an oath, a horror, a curse, and a taunt" – their fate will serve as a terrifying warning to all who witness it, forever demonstrating the devastating consequences of defying God. This goes beyond simple retribution; it’s about engraving a lesson of divine justice onto the world's memory.
I will take the remnant of Judah who have set their faces to come to the land of Egypt to live, and they shall all be consumed. In the land of Egypt they shall fall; by the sword and by famine they shall be consumed. From the least to the greatest, they shall die by the sword and by famine, and they shall become an oath, a horror, a curse, and a taunt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is speaking to the Jews who have fled to Egypt, ignoring his warnings and continuing their idolatrous practices. This passage directly follows God's pronouncements of judgment against their stubborn disobedience and the false security they placed in Egypt. The Lord declares He will turn His face against them, ensuring their destruction by sword and famine, making them a horrifying example of His wrath.
When people turn their backs on God's Word and His prophets, they are not just making a mistake – they are actively opposing the Almighty.
Jeremiah is delivering a message of undeniable truth from God, and it's critical to understand that God Himself is initiating the judgment. The phrase "I will set my face against you for evil" is not passive; it’s an active declaration of divine opposition. This isn't a cosmic accident or a system of karma. It’s the intentional, determined stance of the Creator against those who have deliberately rejected Him and His warnings. The people believed fleeing to Egypt would bring safety, but God declares He will actively pursue them there.
A Chosen Path of Opposition
What does complete destruction look like? Jeremiah doesn't hold back, painting a grim picture of total ruin for those who refuse to heed God's word.
The people sought refuge in Egypt, believing it was a safe haven. Jeremiah declares that Egypt will become their tomb. The judgment is absolute and indiscriminate, leaving no room for escape or survival.
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A Grim Fate
Understand the original words
She'erit · Hebrew Noun
Refers to a surviving portion of a group after a disaster or judgment, often holding theological significance as the group through whom God's promises continue.
Kalah · Hebrew Verb
A state of being brought to an end or annihilated; in a biblical context, it often refers to divine judgment resulting in total destruction.
Cherev · Hebrew Noun
An instrument of war or a metaphor for divine judgment; it is frequently cited in the Old Testament as a means through which God executes justice upon rebellious nations or individuals.
Ra'av · Hebrew Noun
A state of extreme scarcity of food, often used in Scripture as a sign of covenant judgment or divine discipline for disobedience.
Alah · Hebrew Noun
Something set apart as a witness to the consequence of breaking God's law, serving as an object lesson of divine wrath to others.
This passage highlights the devastating consequences of rejecting God's word and seeking refuge in disobedience. The remnant's choice to flee to Egypt, despite Jeremiah's clear warnings, leads to their prophesied doom, emphasizing that no refuge is safe when it's found outside of God's will.
587-586 BC
Jerusalem Falls and Temple Destroyed
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, conquer Judah, destroy Jerusalem and its temple, and deport many of its citizens. A small number of Jews remain in Judah.
c. 586 BC
Gedaliah Appointed Governor
The Babylonians appoint Gedaliah as governor over the remaining Jewish population in Judah, establishing a fragile period of local rule.
c. 586 BC
Assassination of Gedaliah
A Jewish nationalist named Ishmael assassinates Governor Gedaliah and his advisors, creating widespread fear and instability among the remaining Jews.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Flight to Egypt
Fearing Babylonian reprisal for Gedaliah's murder, a large group of Jews, including the prophet Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch, flee to Egypt, against Jeremiah's warnings.
c. 586-570 BC
Judgment in Egypt
Jeremiah delivers God's message that those who fled to Egypt will face destruction by sword and famine, becoming a curse, as prophesied in Jeremiah 44:12.
This passage directly foreshadows the destruction prophesied in Jeremiah 44:12, showing that God's judgment on those who fled to Egypt had already been declared.
Ezekiel 5:10Like Jeremiah's prophecy, Ezekiel foretells a devastating judgment of sword and famine upon Jerusalem and its inhabitants, highlighting the comprehensive nature of God's punishment for disobedience.
Deuteronomy 28:49-50This passage describes a future enemy nation that will attack Israel, echoing the idea of destruction by foreign powers, hunger, and a people becoming a curse, as seen in Jeremiah 44:12.
Leviticus 26:16-17This section of the Law warns that if Israel turns away from God, He will send terror, disease, and enemies against them, directly correlating with the swift and total destruction described in Jeremiah 44:12.
calvinJeremiah 44:11-12: "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah."
- 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 a…
gillJeremiah 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."
And I will take the remnant of Judah,.... Such as remained of that tribe in t…
The verse highlights that God’s judgment isn’t just about punishment, but also about creating a stark, unforgettable example. These people will become "an oath, a horror, a curse, and a taunt" – their fate will serve as a terrifying warning to all who witness it, forever demonstrating the devastating consequences of defying God. This goes beyond simple retribution; it’s about engraving a lesson of divine justice onto the world's memory.
Jeremiah is speaking to the Jews who have fled to Egypt, ignoring his warnings and continuing their idolatrous practices. This passage directly follows God's pronouncements of judgment against their stubborn disobedience and the false security they placed in Egypt. The Lord declares He will turn His face against them, ensuring their destruction by sword and famine, making them a horrifying example of His wrath.
Jeremiah is speaking to the Jews who have fled to Egypt, ignoring his warnings and continuing their idolatrous practices. This passage directly follows God's pronouncements of judgment against their stubborn disobedience and the false security they placed in Egypt. The Lord declares He will turn His face against them, ensuring their destruction by sword and famine, making them a horrifying example of His wrath.
"I will take the remnant of Judah who have set their faces to come to the land of Egypt to live, and they shall all be consumed. In the land of Egypt they shall fall; by the sword and by famine they shall be consumed. From the least to the…" — The verse highlights that God’s judgment isn’t just about punishment, but also about creating a stark, unforgettable example. These people will become "an oath, a horror, a curse, and a taunt" – thei…
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Last reviewed October 2026
