Jeremiah’s warnings against apostasy and his messages of doom continue in Egypt. The reason is that those emigrating from Judah to Egypt reinstate idolatrous worship. They have failed to learn from history. Another catastrophe is in the offing (44:1–14). Some Jews who left Judah after Nebuchadnezzar’s capture of Jerusalem settled in Egypt. Their religion is anything but a pure Yahweh religion. Burning incense and worshiping other gods are violations of the first commandment. God’s fierce anger is unleashed only after his repeated calls for repentance have been spurned.

By adopting the gods of Egypt, the remnant Jews jeopardize their own welfare and that of future descendants. The accusation part of the judgment speech focuses first on sins committed (44:8–9) and then on things left undon…