Глава 44

The philanthropic Lord, through his servant the Prophet, again offers admonition to the Jews suffering from disobedience. And first he reminds of the disasters that befell Judea due to the iniquity of its former inhabitants, and then he reproaches the Jews contemporary to the Prophet, as having dared to do this and incurring God’s wrath. For he says: (Jer.44:7). Behold, “you are committing great wickedness against your own souls; I have made known to you, men and wives, infants and living creatures, from the midst of Judah, that not one of you may remain,” (Jer. 44:8) “to provoke Me to anger in the works of your hands, to burn incense with God in the land of Egypt, to dwell there in the land, that you may be cut off, and be cursed, and to reproach in all the languages of the earth." He reminds them of what was still fresh in their memory, those evil deeds that their fathers, kings and strong men dared to do, and those disasters of all kinds that befell them for this; and to this he adds a threat, calling himself the Lord of hosts and the God of Israel, so that they would be ashamed and afraid, having heard about the greatness of power, and having learned of God’s care for their ancestors. Jer.44:11. Behold, I set My face against you for evil. Those who are indignant tend to look menacingly, to turn an attentive gaze; and stop him for a long time on those who irritate him. Therefore, God expresses His threat in human form, and says: “I set My face against you for evil, so as to destroy” all of Judea. Then he says that they will be given over to famine and the sword, will be subjected to complete destruction, will be cursed, destroyed, cursed, reproached, and will suffer the same thing that those besieged in Jerusalem suffered. None of them will escape, none will return to the land of Judah. But all this did not frighten these pitiful, and immensely pitiful, people. On the contrary, everyone, both men and women, especially these Babylonians, cried out loudly: “Your words are intolerable to us.” And what’s worse, even recognizing them as divine, they openly contradicted them. For they said: (Jer.44:16). The word, “even if you spoke to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you” (Jer. 44:17) “because we will create every word that comes out of our mouth, burn incense to the queen of heaven, and pour out drink offerings to her, as we, and our fathers, and our kings, and our princes, have done in the cities of Judah”, at the crossroads Jerusalem ones. “Queen of Heaven” is called Aphrodite, whom the Greeks also call Urania. They say that by doing this when they were full they enjoyed the benefits; and leaving her service, they were given over to war and famine. Then the wives shamelessly cried: Jer.44:19. When we incense for the queen of heaven, and pour out libations to her, food without our husbands, create unleavened bread for her, and pour out libations to her? The deed is wicked, but what is said is true; because above, in what we have already explained, the God of all things said: “Do you not see what these people are doing?” “Their sons gather wood, and their fathers kindle the fire, and their wives knead flour, that they may make unleavened bread for the host of heaven” (Jer. 7:17,18). The Prophet gave everyone this answer: for this very superstition and for this idolatrous charm. The Lord God has imposed upon you all kinds of punishments. For such are the fruits of breaking the law. But you, seeing these fruits, furiously indulged in this delight. in your confessions, “and fulfill your vows.” (Jer.44:26). Otherwise, “hear the word of the Lord: Behold, I have sworn by My great name, saying the Lord God, if anyone should call My name in the mouth of all Judah, saying: As the Lord lives, in all the land of Egypt.” This oath again made it clear that the One who swore has nothing higher than Himself. The Lord threatens the Jews living in Egypt with ultimate destruction; for this he expressed by what was said now; but what follows is in accordance with this; because he threatens them with hunger and sword, and those who escape this with resettlement. all those who were left behind by Judah and settled in the land of Egypt, whose word shall endure, Mine, or theirs? . From the very events they will learn the truth of My words. Jer.44:29. And this is a sign to you, says the Lord: that I will visit you in this place. into evil, “let you know that My words will truly be fulfilled against you for evil.” An actual event will prove the truth of these words. For just as I delivered Zedekiah to the king of Babylon, so I will deliver Pharaoh Baphri, to whom you are running, to Nebuchadnezzar. Wafriem calls the pharaoh, showing that this was his own name, and the name: pharaoh meant royal rank. This is how we call our kings: Tiberius Caesar and Claudius Caesar; one of these names is proper, and the other is characteristic of the royal rank.