Jeremiah 44:12 Meaning and Explanation
“And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The exiles in Egypt will be destroyed by sword and famine, becoming objects of horror.
The Context of Jeremiah 44:12
Complete annihilation awaits the remnant in Egypt.
What Does Jeremiah 44:12 Mean?
The specific judgment is total consumption: 'they shall all be consumed.' The dual catastrophes of sword and famine—representing both military defeat and deprivation—will affect everyone from the 'least even unto the greatest.' There is no escape by rank, wealth, or social status. The entire remnant faces the same fate they fled from, only in Egypt instead of Judah.
Beyond death, their memory becomes infamous. They become 'an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.' These terms mean they will be used as a curse formula by others, gazed upon with shock and horror, treated as shameful. The nations will remember them not as survivors but as a cautionary example of God's judgment against those who persist in rebellion.
Jeremiah 44:12 in the Original Language
klalah (קְלָלָה), 'curse' — to be spoken of as an evil wish or judgment upon others, marking them as objects of divine judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jeremiah 44:12
What does Jeremiah 44:12 mean?
The exiles in Egypt will be destroyed by sword and famine, becoming objects of horror.
What is the context of Jeremiah 44:12?
Complete annihilation awaits the remnant in Egypt.