{"id":71516,"date":"2018-07-09T17:47:09","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-444\/"},"modified":"2023-10-18T11:13:51","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T08:13:51","slug":"wall-444","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-444\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-Jeremiah-44"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"444","date":"20270512","book":"Jeremiah","chapter":"444","chapter_main_number":"444","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"70807","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - Jeremiah Chapter 44 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - Jeremiah Chapter 44","slug":"jps-audio-bible-jeremiah-chapter-44","old_id":"70807","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"444","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Jeremiah Chapter 444","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-753876298\/jps_audio_bible_jeremiah_chapter_44","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Jeremiah","chapter":"444","chapter_main_number":"444","date":"20270512","wall_id":"444"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"118451","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Echoes Of King Josiah\u2019s Death ","post_title":"Echoes Of King Josiah\u2019s Death","slug":"echoes-of-king-josiahs-death","old_id":"118451","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"444","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Israelites\u2019 allegiances are still firmly with the Queen - of heaven\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

After reading the decision of the remaining Jews to flee to Egypt despite Jeremiah\u2019s warning not to, chapter 44 should not come as much of a shock. Yet, it is still amazing to read the response of the people to Jeremiah\u2019s condemnation of their idolatrous practice in Egypt:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But ever since we stopped making offerings to the Queen of Heaven and pouring libations to her, we have lacked everything, and we have been consumed by the sword and by famine (verse 18).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Despite everything that they see in front of them, these last remaining Israelites of Jerusalem cling to older ideas and fail to see the implications of their actions. Jeremiah responds in kind:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When GOD could no longer bear your evil practices and the abominations you committed, your land became a desolate ruin and a curse, without inhabitant, as is still the case (verse 22).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It was not that you stopped worshiping the Goddess of Heaven that caused your downfall, it was because you could not stop worshiping her. Some commentators believe that both Jeremiah and the people are talking about Josiah\u2019s lifetime when the king began a vast anti-idolatry campaign. Despite the king\u2019s best efforts, the people would worship in secret, hiding images of the goddess behind window panes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This must have been a very fraught exchange for Jeremiah given his closeness to king Josiah. II Chronicles 35:25 describes Jeremiah lamenting after Josiah\u2019s tragic death. The midrash explains that the fourth chapter of Lamentations is dedicated to Josiah as well as the 11<\/span>th<\/span> of the kinot, the dirges recited on Tisha B\u2019av. In that 11<\/span>th<\/span> kinah, there is a strange line that describes his death:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And he did not listen to the contract to return to the rear. For a decree was decreed for the dispute between Egyptians in Egypt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Josiah was killed by Pharaoh Neco. He did not heed the warnings of the prophets not to engage the Egyptian king, and instead let him pass through the land on the way to his battle with Assyria. It makes sense that the text references Egypt. What is odd is the phrasing. Why call it a dispute between Egyptians in Egypt? The attack happened in Israel. It would have made sense to say by Egypt. Perhaps this is a reference to the quarrel between Jeremiah and the Jews in Egypt now. Josiah\u2019s death was a result of the very thing that these Jews in Egypt continued to do, engaging in idolatry. Jeremiah wept for Josiah because he knew the same worship links the death of the king to the death of the remaining exiles years later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0A modern illustration depicting Inanna-Ishtar's descent into the\u00a0Underworld\u00a0taken from\u00a0Lewis Spence's\u00a0Myths and Legends of\u00a0Babylonia\u00a0and\u00a0Assyria\u00a0<\/em>(1916) \/ flickr api<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":118452,"alt":"","title":"-652e34f056fb7--652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar queen of heaven.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg.jpg","width":800,"height":1190,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg-202x300.jpg","medium-width":202,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg-688x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":688,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg-688x1024.jpg","large-width":688,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":1190,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":1190,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":1190,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/10\/652e34f056fb7-652e34f056fb8jer44-ishtar-queen-of-heaven.jpg-282x420.jpg","home_baner-width":282,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Echoes Of King Josiah\u2019s Death","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The Israelites\u2019 allegiances are still firmly with the Queen - 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He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"444","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Mysterious Egyptian pharaoh, made an example by Jeremiah\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In our chapter, Jeremiah continues his prophecies against the Judeans, who fled to Egypt taking with them the prophet and his secretary, Baruch against their will. Jeremiah begins this prophecy by reminding those Judeans whom he addresses how their idolatry and that of their forefathers caused the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah (44:2-3). Jeremiah continues to lambast his fellow Judeans for continuing in Egyptian exile their foreign worship and goes on to predict their imminent destruction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, the Judean exiles in Egypt angrily reject Jeremiah\u2019s warning. At the end of our chapter, Jeremiah offers proof of his prophecy of doom: \u201cAnd this shall be the sign to you\u2014declares the Lord\u2014that I am going to deal with you in this place, so that you may know that My threats of punishment against you will be fulfilled: Thus said the Lord: I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt, into the hands of his enemies, those who seek his life, just as I delivered King Zedekiah of Judah into the hands of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, his enemy who sought his life\u201d (verses 29-30).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Since the remaining final chapters of the Book of Jeremiah seem to be a kind of chronological flashback to earlier times, these final verses of our chapter apparently represent the last words of the Prophet Jeremiah recorded in Scripture. Moreover, the biblical text does not record what eventually became of Pharaoh Hophra, who is mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible only here at the end of our chapter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, extra-biblical sources add considerable information about Hophra, whose name in Egyptian hieroglyphics has been deciphered as Wahibre Haaibre. This pharaoh ruled Egypt in 589-570 BCE, as part of the 26<\/span>th<\/span> dynasty. The pharaohs of this dynasty were the last to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BCE. Their capital was the city of Sais in the Western Nile Delta north of ancient Memphis and present-day Cairo. The reign of this dynasty marks the beginning of the Late Period of ancient Egypt.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The 5<\/span>th<\/span> century BCE Greek historian, Herodotus -- referred to as \u201cThe Father of History\u201d \u2013 relates in his <\/span>Histories<\/span><\/i> (II 161-169) that Hophra, whom he refers to in Greek as Apries,<\/span> failed in his military adventures, leading to a rebellion against him in Egypt. He was overthrown by one of his generals, Amasis, who ruled Egypt as the last Pharaoh of the 26<\/span>th<\/span> dynasty, as Amasis II (or Ahmose II). According to Herodotus, Apries died at the hands of the Egyptian rebels and was buried in one of the local temples associated with his reign.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the early 20<\/span>th<\/span> century, the \u201cPalace of Apries\u201d was identified in Memphis and excavated. These excavations have continued until our day.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Midrash (Tanhuma Vaera 9, Tanhuma Buber Vaera 8) interprets the name Hophra (Hebrew HPRA\u2019) to suggest that because this pharaoh, like others, claimed to be a god, he was punished by being \u201cexposed\u201d (Hebrew root PRA\u2019) to a humiliating downfall.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Head of Apries, Louvre, 6th C. 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And is human connection worth the risk?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Israel\u2019s punishment was meant to be deprivation. Deprivation of their freedom, their land, their temple. They had entered a vicious cycle of abusing the gifts and tools that they had been given, so they were taken away.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Israel had been tasked with enlightening the world with the message of monotheism, but had not only failed but had themselves worshiped\u00a0 many gods. Exiled, some fled to Egypt, where they continued their pagan practices as if there had never been an exodus or a Moses. Even the banishment from the land and proximity to God hadn\u2019t taught them the required lesson. The punishment had failed, so Jeremiah tells them that they will be wiped out.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When something is easily attainable and always available it loses its desirability. Vendors, economists and singles have known this for centuries - if you want to make something ultra-desirable you make it scarce. Economists call them Veblen goods; in the dating game it is called \u201cplaying hard to get\u201d. The more unattainable, the more precious it must be, so the more we will sacrifice for it. The entire value of the thing is a factor of its unattainability, and hence prestige for the acquiror.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Israel was no longer willing to sacrifice anything for their local, familiar, available God, so he pressed the reset button in the hope that some of them would one day desire Him again. When everything becomes cheapened, sometimes the only way is to completely reset and start to rebuild again from a firmer footing. Only when the people couldn\u2019t sacrifice to God anymore did they miss it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n