Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 44:24-30

"Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of Jehovah, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her: establish then your vows, and perform your vows. Therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith Jehovah, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, As the Lord Jehovah liveth. Behold, I watch over them for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them. And they that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose word shall stand, mine, or theirs. And this shall be the sign unto you, saith Jehovah, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil: Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy, and sought his life." — Jeremiah 44:24-30 (ASV)

Earnest as the preceding expostulation was, Jeremiah sees that it has produced no effect. He therefore utters his last warning, and with this last resistance to the sins of a debased and godless people, his earthly ministry closed.

And fulfilled with your hand (Jeremiah 44:25) — Your hands. Jeremiah pointed to their hands, in which they were carrying the crescent-shaped cakes they had vowed to the goddess. Their idolatry therefore was an accomplished deed, as the symbols held in their hands testified.

You will surely accomplish — Or, "Accomplish then your vows." It is not a prediction, but is ironical, and means that as they will take no warning, they must indeed have their way.

My name shall no more be named... (Jeremiah 44:26) — God swears by His own great Name that He will be their national God no longer. Yahweh repudiates His covenant-relation toward them.

I will watch (Jeremiah 44:27) — I am watching over them, not for good, but for evil: like a panther (Jeremiah 5:6) lying in wait to spring upon passengers.

Shall be consumed — This is the result of Yahweh’s repudiation of the covenant. When He was their God He watched over them for good: now His protection is withdrawn, and He is their enemy, because of the wickedness by which their rejection was made necessary. See the note on Jeremiah 6:9.

Literally (Jeremiah 44:28), And fugitives from the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, mere of number, i.e., so few that they can be counted: and all the remnant of Judah that are going etc. So unendurable will their sufferings in Egypt be, that the men now abandoning Judea in the hope of finding an asylum there will be glad to return like runaways from a lost battle.

Whose words... — Whose word will stand, from Me or from them? i.e., the one prediction that their descent into Egypt would be their ruin, which they denied.

Pharaoh-Hophra came to the throne the year before Jerusalem was captured. He reigned for 19 years, probably the last 10 years as a prisoner. See the notes on Jeremiah 37:5 and Jeremiah 46:12 (Jeremiah 44:30).