Jeremiah 44:16-17
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While they acknowledge Jeremiah speaks "in the name of the LORD," their defiant "we will not listen" reveals a deeper rebellion: it's not a question of if God spoke, but a deliberate choice to reject His authority altogether. This isn't just defiance of Jeremiah; it's a bold, calculated rejection of God's will, choosing their own desires over His commands, even in their dire circumstances.
“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you. But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Judah, now refugees in Egypt after Jerusalem's fall, have turned back to idolatry, specifically worshipping the "queen of heaven." When Jeremiah confronts them with God's word, condemning this practice and warning of further judgment, they boldly reject him and his message. Instead of repenting, they resolve to continue their forbidden worship, asserting their defiance against both the prophet and the Lord he represents.
They heard God's message loud and clear, delivered by His prophet. But their response wasn't repentance; it was defiance.
In Jeremiah 44:16, the people of Judah, now refugees in Egypt, confront Jeremiah. They don't deny that he spoke to them in the name of the Lord. This is crucial – they acknowledge the divine authority behind his words. Yet, their immediate follow-up is a stark refusal: 'we will not listen to you.'
This isn't ignorance; it's willful rebellion. They know the source of the message, but they reject its content. This highlights a dangerous human tendency: to acknowledge God's existence and even His messengers, while simultaneously choosing to ignore His commands when they become inconvenient or challenging.
Their defiance reveals a heart already made up, a decision to walk in their own ways regardless of what God has declared. It’s a critical moment where divine authority meets human stubbornness head-on.
What drives such bold defiance against God’s prophet? It’s not a lack of understanding, but a deeper commitment to their own desires.
The people’s declaration, 'we will not listen to you,' stems from a core decision to follow their own will. They had recently returned to the idolatry of burning incense to the 'queen of heaven,' a practice they and their ancestors had engaged in. When Jeremiah confronted them, threatening destruction if they continued, their response wasn't to re-evaluate their actions, but to double down.
Their argument, as seen in the verses that follow, is essentially: 'We did this before and prospered (in our minds), and we suffered when we stopped. Therefore, we will continue.' This reveals a self-centered motivation – their loyalty was not to God, but to their own perceived comfort, tradition, and desires.
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This is the heart of rebellion: not necessarily a hatred for God, but an ultimate love for self and the pleasures or perceived benefits that sin offers. They chose their own 'way out' over God's prescribed path.
When people reject God's word, they don't just face abstract consequences; they harden their hearts and face inevitable judgment.
The people in Jeremiah 44 represent a profound spiritual blindness. Despite their calamitous journey to Egypt, fleeing the destruction of their homeland, they hadn't learned the lesson: their sin had led to their downfall. Instead of seeing Jeremiah’s message as a final, desperate plea for their well-being, they viewed him as an adversary.
Calvin points out that they had seen ample evidence of Jeremiah's integrity and God's judgment through their own suffering. Yet, they chose to label his warnings as 'fables' and reject his divine legation. This hardening of the heart is a serious spiritual condition, where repeated exposure to God's truth and warnings only serves to solidify defiance rather than foster repentance.
Their rejection of God’s prophet is not without consequence. The passage goes on to detail God’s judgment upon them for their continued idolatry. It’s a somber reminder that turning a deaf ear to God’s messengers and His Word ultimately leads to ruin.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of the one true God of Israel, revealed to Moses, signifying His self-existence and eternal faithfulness to His promises.
neder · Hebrew Noun
A solemn promise, oath, or dedication made to God, often involving a commitment to perform a specific action or abstain from certain behaviors. In a negative context, as seen here, it reflects a hardened commitment to idolatry.
qitter · Hebrew Verb
A ritualized gift presented to a deity to secure favor, appease wrath, or express worship. In biblical history, such offerings were strictly reserved for the worship of YHWH, and offering them to other gods is a direct violation of the first commandment.
meleket hashamayim · Hebrew Noun Phrase
An idolatrous deity, likely associated with the Canaanite Astarte or the Babylonian Ishtar. The worship of this figure was a pervasive syncretistic threat to the pure worship of YHWH in Judah.
nesek · Hebrew Noun
A liquid sacrifice (usually wine) poured out before an altar or idol as an act of worship or propitiation, commonly associated in the Old Testament with false worship practices.
tobah · Hebrew Noun
A state of material abundance and success. In the biblical worldview, true prosperity is defined by obedience to God, whereas the people here incorrectly equate material stability with the favor of false gods.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
A calamitous event or severe misfortune, often interpreted in the Old Testament as divine judgment or the consequence of turning away from God's covenant.
This verse captures the desperate defiance of Judean refugees in Egypt, who, after experiencing the destruction of their homeland and fleeing into exile, stubbornly refused to heed God's warning through Jeremiah, doubling down on their idolatrous practices even in their dire circumstances.
587-586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport many of the Judean elite. A small remnant remains.
c. 586 BC
Murder of Gedaliah
Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor, is assassinated by Judean rebels, leading to widespread fear among the remaining population.
c. 586 BC
Flight to Egypt
Fearing Babylonian reprisal after Gedaliah's murder, a large group of Judeans, including the prophet Jeremiah, flees to Egypt.
c. 586-571 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry in Egypt
Jeremiah prophesies to the Judeans in Egypt, warning them against idolatry and proclaiming impending judgment from God, especially in Tahpanhes and later, in Pathros.
c. 571 BC
Babylonian Conquest of Egypt
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Egypt, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment against the Judeans and Egyptians who defied God.
Pharaoh's defiant response, 'Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?', directly echoes this people's rejection of God's messenger, revealing a timeless pattern of rebellion against divine authority.
1 Samuel 8:19-20The people's desire for a king like other nations, despite Samuel's warnings, shows a similar stubborn refusal to listen to God's word and a preference for their own ways, mirroring Jeremiah's audience.
Proverbs 1:24-26This passage describes God calling out to the foolish who refuse to listen, predicting their future distress and His own laughter, which aligns with the severe consequences this group faced for their obstinacy.
Romans 1:28Paul speaks of people being given over to a 'disapproved mind' because they did not see fit to acknowledge God, a spiritual state that powerfully describes the unteachable spirit of those rejecting Jeremiah.
calvinJeremiah 44:15-16: "Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,"
Then all the men which knew that their wives had burnt incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
Et responderunt Jere…
gillJeremiah 44:16: "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee."
As for the word that thou has, spoken unto us in the name of the Lord,.... Which they did not believe that it came from the Lord, but was a device of the prophet's, and a lie, as in Jeremiah 43:2 ; and if it did come from the Lord, their impudence was risen to such a pitch, that they were determined not to regard it: we will not hearken unto thee: to thy words; neither to thy…
While they acknowledge Jeremiah speaks "in the name of the LORD," their defiant "we will not listen" reveals a deeper rebellion: it's not a question of if God spoke, but a deliberate choice to reject His authority altogether. This isn't just defiance of Jeremiah; it's a bold, calculated rejection of God's will, choosing their own desires over His commands, even in their dire circumstances.
The people of Judah, now refugees in Egypt after Jerusalem's fall, have turned back to idolatry, specifically worshipping the "queen of heaven." When Jeremiah confronts them with God's word, condemning this practice and warning of further judgment, they boldly reject him and his message. Instead of repenting, they resolve to continue their forbidden worship, asserting their defiance against both the prophet and the Lord he represents.
The people of Judah, now refugees in Egypt after Jerusalem's fall, have turned back to idolatry, specifically worshipping the "queen of heaven." When Jeremiah confronts them with God's word, condemning this practice and warning of further judgment, they boldly reject him and his message. Instead of repenting, they resolve to continue their forbidden worship, asserting their defiance against both the prophet and the Lord he represents.
"“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you. But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and…" — While they acknowledge Jeremiah speaks "in the name of the LORD," their defiant "we will not listen" reveals a deeper rebellion: it's not a question of if God spoke, but a deliberate choice to reje…
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Last reviewed October 2026
