“And now thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, infant and child, from the midst of Judah, leaving you no remnant?”
The full verse · Jeremiah 44:7 · KJV
now thus the , the of , the of ; Wherefore ye this against your , to cut from you and , and , of , to you none to ;
Asked by
Asked to
The Jewish remnant who had fled to Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem, including those dwelling in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and the land of Pathros.
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionGod uses this question to confront the exiles with the self-destructive nature of their idolatry, forcing them to face how their rebellion is bringing about their own annihilation rather than merely pronouncing judgment.
The Response
What Scripture recordsThe Jewish remnant responded with open defiance, declaring they would continue burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, as they and their fathers had done in Judah, insisting these practices had brought them prosperity before the judgment fell.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyGod’s question confronts the Jewish remnant with the self-destructive logic of their idolatry: their evil is not merely against divine law but against their own souls. The Hebrew nephesh, translated souls, encompasses their entire being and future existence. By asking why they commit this evil, God highlights the irrationality of rebellion; it cuts off man and woman, child and suckling, eliminating every generation and leaving no remnant. The interrogative form serves to penetrate their hardened hearts more effectively than a flat declaration could, inviting reflection on consequences they refuse to see. The theological weight is profound: sin is ultimately suicidal, and God’s warnings are expressions of divine mercy, offering one more opportunity for self-awareness before self-destruction becomes complete. Their rejection of this question seals their fate.
Your sin is not a victimless crime; it devours your future. This passage confronts the delusion that we can separate our spiritual choices from their relational, generational, and personal consequences. When God asks why we commit evil against ourselves, He exposes how rebellion against Him is ultimately self-destruction. The exiles blamed their judgment on abandoning idolatry rather than practicing it, a fatal inversion of cause and effect. We make the same error when we rationalize sinful patterns by pointing to temporary prosperity or blaming our suffering on obedience rather than disobedience. Proverbs 8:36 warns that those who sin against wisdom harm themselves, and all who hate God love death. The gospel offers escape from this suicidal trajectory through repentance, acknowledging that our way leads to death and Christ’s way leads to life (Romans 6:23).
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter?”
“What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee?”
“We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us?”
“Fear ye not me?”