Jeremiah 44:28
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The verse reveals that the experience of the survivors will be the ultimate proof, not just for them, but for all who sojourned in Egypt. Their eventual return, few and humbled, will serve as undeniable evidence that God's pronouncements of judgment held true, while their own boasts and beliefs brought only ruin.
And those who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, who came to the land of Egypt to live, shall know whose word will stand, mine or theirs.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Judah, ignoring Jeremiah’s warnings, fled to Egypt after Jerusalem’s fall, seeking refuge and continuing their idolatrous practices. Now, God declares through Jeremiah that their supposed sanctuary will become their tomb; most will perish there, and only a few, humbled and few in number, will manage to return to Judah. This stark outcome will tragically prove that God’s pronouncements of judgment are absolute and unavoidable, unlike the false assurances they clung to.
Imagine expecting a triumphant return, only to find a handful trickling back. This verse paints a stark picture of how drastically reality can differ from our hopes.
Jeremiah has already prophesied doom for those who fled to Egypt against God's command (Jeremiah 44:27). This verse confirms that judgment. While a 'small number' will escape the sword and return to Judah, they are explicitly called 'few in number' or 'mere of number.' This is a deliberate contrast to the large, victorious return the people likely imagined. It highlights that God's judgment is thorough and that His pronouncements are not to be trifled with.
What happens when our cherished beliefs clash head-on with undeniable reality? This verse says everyone will 'know' the truth, but not all will learn it the easy way.
The core of this verse is the phrase, 'shall know whose word will stand, mine, or theirs.' The people had clung to their own words – promises of prosperity, assurances of safety, and the belief that their idolatry was acceptable (as seen in Jeremiah 44:17-19). Jeremiah, however, spoke God's word of impending judgment. This verse declares that through their disastrous experience in Egypt, all the remnant will ultimately 'know' – not just intellectually, but experientially – that God's word, with its warnings and threats, proved true, while their own hopes and pronouncements utterly failed. It’s a hard lesson learned through suffering.
Understand the original words
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she'erit · Hebrew Noun
A small portion of a people that survives a larger judgment or destruction; it often represents the faithful, but can refer generally to those who remain after a catastrophe.
This verse highlights the stark contrast between the false hope of security the Judean refugees found in Egypt through their idolatry, and the devastating reality of God's judgment that Jeremiah had prophesied.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports Jewish nobles and skilled workers, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and other prominent figures, to Babylon.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, deporting the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This is the final and most devastating exile event.
c. 582 BC— this verse
Flight to Egypt
After the destruction of Jerusalem, many Judean survivors flee to Egypt, seeking refuge. They bring their religious practices, including the worship of the Queen of Heaven, with them.
c. 571 BC
Jeremiah's Oracles in Egypt
Jeremiah delivers strong rebukes and prophecies of judgment against the Judeans who fled to Egypt and continued their idolatrous practices. This verse is part of those prophecies.
This passage echoes the theme of a 'remnant' returning, even after judgment, highlighting God's faithfulness to a chosen few amidst widespread destruction.
Deuteronomy 18:21-22Jeremiah's challenge to the people to 'know whose word will stand' directly relates to the criteria God gave for discerning true prophets: their words must come to pass.
Ezekiel 14:22-23This passage provides a similar context where survivors of judgment serve as a testament to God's justice and mercy, allowing people to 'know' that God has acted.
Jeremiah 42:15-16This verse is the direct prophecy that Jeremiah is referencing, where he warned that the very sword and famine they sought to escape by fleeing to Egypt would find them there.
Romans 3:3-4The core of Jeremiah's statement is about God's trustworthiness versus human presumption, a theme Paul also explores by emphasizing that God remains true even if everyone is shown to be a liar.
pooleJeremiah 44:28: "Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs."
This justifieth the restrained interpretation of none of the remnant , Jeremiah 44:14 ; for here it is plainly said that some should escape and return; but for the rest, they should there perish, and by that it would appear whether God’s wo…
jfbJeremiah 44:28: "Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs."
- small number—(see on [969]Jer 44:14; and Jer 42:17; Isa 27:13); compare "all-consumed" (Jer 44:27). A band easily counted, whereas they were expecting to return triumphantly in large numbers.shall know—most of them experimentally, and t…
The verse reveals that the experience of the survivors will be the ultimate proof, not just for them, but for all who sojourned in Egypt. Their eventual return, few and humbled, will serve as undeniable evidence that God's pronouncements of judgment held true, while their own boasts and beliefs brought only ruin.
The people of Judah, ignoring Jeremiah’s warnings, fled to Egypt after Jerusalem’s fall, seeking refuge and continuing their idolatrous practices. Now, God declares through Jeremiah that their supposed sanctuary will become their tomb; most will perish there, and only a few, humbled and few in number, will manage to return to Judah. This stark outcome will tragically prove that God’s pronouncements of judgment are absolute and unavoidable, unlike the false assurances they clung to.
The people of Judah, ignoring Jeremiah’s warnings, fled to Egypt after Jerusalem’s fall, seeking refuge and continuing their idolatrous practices. Now, God declares through Jeremiah that their supposed sanctuary will become their tomb; most will perish there, and only a few, humbled and few in number, will manage to return to Judah. This stark outcome will tragically prove that God’s pronouncements of judgment are absolute and unavoidable, unlike the false assurances they clung to.
"And those who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, who came to the land of Egypt to live, shall know whose word will stand, mine or theirs." — The verse reveals that the experience of the survivors will be the ultimate proof, not just for them, but for all who sojourned in Egypt. Their eventual return, few and humbled, will serve as und…
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Last reviewed October 2026
