Jeremiah 44:3

because of the evil they have done. They provoked Me to anger by continuing to burn incense and to serve other gods that neither they nor you nor your fathers ever knew.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Lord of Hosts speaks through Jeremiah to the Jewish remnant who fled to Egypt after Jerusalem’s destruction. He addresses them at the moment of their continued rebellion, tracing their current exile to past idolatry.

The words — לְ/הַכְעִסֵ֔/נִי (le./hakh.'i.Se./ni) means "to provoke Me to anger," and לְ/קַטֵּ֔ר (le./ka.Ter) means "to make smoke" or burn incense. These terms describe the active, repeated rituals that triggered divine judgment.

The thread — This pattern of serving unknown gods appears in Deuteronomy 29:26 and Deuteronomy 32:17, where Israel’s worship of unfamiliar deities is condemned. The same warning structure regarding secret enticement recurs in Deuteronomy 13:6.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that persistent rebellion against known commands produces inevitable consequences. It requires the reader to acknowledge that ignoring repeated prophetic warnings leaves no room for divine patience.

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

מִפְּנֵ֣יmi./pe.Nei<from>/ because of רָעָתָ֗םra.'a.Ta/mwickedness/ their אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sherwhich עָשׂוּ֙'a.Suthey did לְהַכְעִסֵ֔נִיle./hakh.'i.Se./nito/ provoke to anger/ me לָלֶ֣כֶתla./Le.khetby/ going לְקַטֵּ֔רle./ka.Terto/ make smoke לַעֲבֹ֖דla./'a.Vodto/ serve לֵאלֹהִ֣יםle./lo.Him<to>/ gods אֲחֵרִ֑ים'a.che.Rimother אֲשֶׁר֙'a.Sherwhich לֹ֣אlo'not יְדָע֔וּםye.da.'U/mthey had known/ them הֵ֖מָּהHe.mahthey אַתֶּ֥ם'a.Temyou וַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃va./'a.vo.tei./Khemand/ ancestors/ your

King James Version

Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 29:26 They went and served other gods, and they worshiped gods they had not known—gods that the LORD had not given to them.
Deuteronomy 13:6 If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
Deuteronomy 32:17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear.
Nehemiah 9:33 You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.
Jeremiah 2:17 Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?
Jeremiah 44:8 Why are you provoking Me to anger by the work of your hands by burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have gone to reside? As a result, you will be cut off and will become an object of cursing and reproach among all the nations of the earth.
Ezekiel 8:17 “Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose!
Daniel 9:5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances.
Ezra 9:6 and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.
Jeremiah 4:17 They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.