Jeremiah 44:23

Because you burned incense and sinned against the LORD and did not obey the voice of the LORD or walk in His instruction, His statutes, and His testimonies, this disaster has befallen you, as you see today.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jeremiah addresses the Jewish exiles and women residing in Egypt, delivering a direct indictment for their idolatry. He speaks at the moment of national collapse, explaining why the disaster they currently witness has occurred.

The words — קִטַּרְתֶּם (ki.tar.Tem) translates literally to "you made smoke," denoting the ritual burning of incense. This action is paired with חֲטָאתֶם (cha.ta.Tem), "you had sinned," directly linking the cultic practice to covenant violation.

The thread — This pattern of disobedience triggering divine judgment recurs in 1 Kings 9:9, Daniel 9:11, and Nehemiah 13:18. Each passage attributes national disaster to the refusal to obey God’s voice and statutes.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that present suffering is the direct result of prior covenant disobedience. It requires the reader to accept that ignoring divine instruction produces observable consequences.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

מִפְּנֵי֩mi./pe.Nei<from>/ because אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherthat קִטַּרְתֶּ֜םki.tar.Temyou made smoke וַאֲשֶׁ֧רva./'a.Sherand/ that חֲטָאתֶ֣םcha.ta.Temyou had sinned לַיהוָ֗הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahweh וְלֹ֤אve./Lo'and/ not שְׁמַעְתֶּם֙she.ma'.Temyou listened בְּק֣וֹלbe./Kolto/ [the] voice of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh וּבְתֹרָת֧וֹu./ve./to.ra.T/oand/ in/ law/ his וּבְחֻקֹּתָ֛יוu./ve./chu.ko.Ta/vand/ in/ decrees/ his וּבְעֵדְוֹתָ֖יוu./ve./'e.de.vo.Ta/vand/ in/ testimonies/ his לֹ֣אlo'not הֲלַכְתֶּ֑םha.lakh.Temyou walked עַל־'al-there-כֵּ֞ןken-fore קָרָ֥אתka.Ratit has happened to אֶתְכֶ֛ם'et./Khem<obj.>/ you הָרָעָ֥הha./ra.'Ahthe/ calamity הַזֹּ֖אתha./Zot<the>/ this כַּיּ֥וֹםka/i.Yomas the/ day הַזֶּֽה׃ סha./Zeh<the>/ this

King James Version

Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.

Cross-references

1 Kings 9:9 And others will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the LORD their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—because of this, the LORD has brought all this disaster upon them.’”
Daniel 9:11 All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey Your voice; so the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You.
Nehemiah 13:18 Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
Psalms 119:150 Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law.
2 Chronicles 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
Psalms 78:56 But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
Psalms 119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked because they do not seek Your statutes.
Jeremiah 7:13 And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and because I have spoken to you again and again but you would not listen, and I have called to you but you would not answer,
Jeremiah 32:31 For this city has aroused My wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. Therefore I will remove it from My presence
Jeremiah 40:3 and now the LORD has fulfilled it; He has done just as He said. Because you people have sinned against the LORD and have not obeyed His voice, this thing has happened to you.