Jeremiah 44:20

 Jeremiah 44:20 says, Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,   Verse twenty-one adds, The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?  In answering the people of Judah’s claim that they were being punished for not worshipping the queen of heaven enough, Jeremiah asked them if they did not know that God had seen their idolatry and had been long-suffering in giving them time to repent.   Though God will give us time to repent today, there is coming a day when we will run out of time to do so.  Verse twenty-two continues, So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.  Jeremiah said that because of God's punishment of their sin and idolatry that their land was desolate.  We cannot blame God if we end up suffering His punishment.  Verse twenty-three, concludes, Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.  Jeremiah told the people of Judah that the blame for their destruction was their sin and idolatry, just as each individual today is responsible for the results of their own sin and idolatry.  God called them to repentance and they would not listen, and those who will not listen to God's call to repentance today through faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord can be certain of His everlasting punishment.  Verse twenty-four declares, Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:  Jeremiah once again called on all the people of Judah that had fled to Egypt to hear God's word.  No matter where we may go to look for safety and security in the world today, if it isn't by faith in God, we will never find it.  Verse twenty-five adds, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.  Jeremiah said that God recognized their determination to continue in their idolatry.  Verse twenty-six continues, Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.  God said that He had sworn by His own name that none of the people in Judah would ever again use His name.  They were worshipping other gods, but still at times mentioning God with the false gods, and God said that they would do it no more.  We cannot attempt to make God just one of many gods and find forgiveness from Him.  There is but one God and there is but one way to salvation, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.   Verse twenty-seven states, Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.  God said that He was no longer going to look over those of Judah who were in Egypt with good, but with evil.  They had lost God's protection because of their own disobedience and were now going to face His punishment instead.   Verse twenty-eight adds, Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs.  God said that a very small remnant would return to Judah, which would be proof of who was right, the false gods or the one true God.  Verse twenty-nine continues, And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the LORD, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil:  God said that the sign that they would get was that they would be punished where they were.  We may think that we have safety outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ, but we never will. Verse thirty concludes, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.  God said that the Pharoah of Egypt was going to be destroyed just as Zedekiah was. 

Jeremiah 44:11

 Jeremiah 44:11 says, Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah. The people of Judah had fled to Egypt and continued in their defiance of God.  God said that since they would not listen to His warnings and return to Him that He was going to utterly destroy them.  No matter where people go today,  if they refuse to listen to God's call to repentance and instead continue to worship false gods, they will one day face His judgment.   Verse twelve adds, 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.  God said that all who fled to Egypt for protection instead of obeying Him would die by the sword or pestilence.  If people look for safety anywhere today other than in God, they will one day face the utter destruction of all that they put their faith in.  Instead of being a blessing to God, the people of Judah were going to become a reproach.   Verse thirteen continues, For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:  God said that His punishment of them had not been escaped by fleeing to Egypt.  They were still guilty of the same sins and would face the same punishment.   There is nowhere that we can go that God's law does not apply.  Verse fourteen concludes,  So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape.  God said that even though those who had escaped to Egypt had a desire to return to Judah, none would.  No matter what people may hope today, if they do not come to God through faith in Jesus Christ they will not be going to live in Heaven one day.  Verse fifteen states, Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,  All those who dwelt in Egypt, men and women, answered Jeremiah.  Verse sixteen adds, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.  They said that they would not obey the word of God that Jeremiah had spoken to them, just as many people will not obey to the gospel today.  Verse seventeen continues, But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.  The people said they would continue to worship the queen of heaven as their fathers, kings and princes had done, and that everything went well for them.  They were in Egypt where they had fled for their lives,  but were still putting their faith in false gods that they credited with bringing them peace and prosperity in the past.  Some people will never give up worshipping false gods no matter how badly things go.  Verse eighteen declares, But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.  They credited not worshipping the queen of heaven as being the source of their suffering.  Verse nineteen adds, And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?  The women asked if they had worshipped the queen of heaven without the knowledge of the men.  No matter who is responsible for the worship or false gods, and even if everyone joins in, it will never be right.

Jeremiah 44:1

 Jeremiah 44:1 says, The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,  Verse two adds, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,  God's word came to Jeremiah concerning the Jews who had fled to Egypt and were dispensed throughout Egypt.  Jeremiah was to go to them and remind them of the desolation that God had brought on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah.  Verse three continues, 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.  Jeremiah was to also remind them that it was because of their idolatry that this had happened.  Like them, people today cannot follow false gods, especially those who claim to be His people, and expect to not suffer God's punishment for it.  Verse four states, Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.  God said that He sent them prophets who rose up early to call on the people of Judah, a part of God's chosen people, to not commit this abomination of idolatry.  God still sends people today, those who are followers of Christ, to call on others to follow Him and to not chase after other false gods.  Verse five adds, But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.  God said that they did not listen, just as many people today refuse to listen to the gospel when it is presented to them.  Verse six continues, Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.  God said 8t was because the people of Judah refused to obey Him that He destroyed their land.  God gives everyone plenty of opportunities to accept salvation, and if they don't, it is their responsibility for facing His punishment, which will be an everlasting punishment.  Verse seven declares, Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;  God said that since they committed these sins that they were cut off from Judah, and especially the prosperous Judah that had been when they obeyed God.   Verse eight adds, In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whithser ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?  God said that even in Egypt that the people of Judah still worshipped false gods and had become a reproach among the nations.  If we profess to be Christians and allow idolatry to come into our lives, we are also a reproach to the world.  Verse nine asks, Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of especially Jerusalem?  God asked these remaining Jews if they  had forgotten the sins committed by the kings and people of Judah that God had destroyed for their wickedness.  We should learn from the examples of God's dealing with sin in the past.  Sin has not changed, nor has God's punishment of sin.  Still, we have Someone even greater than a prophet to call us to repentance and provide us with forgiveness, and that is Jesus Christ.   Verse ten continues, They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.  God said the people of Judah and those who were now scattered throughout Egypt refused to listen to and obey His word.  This will always be the choice that every individual must ultimately make.  

Jeremiah 43:1

 Jeremiah 43:1 says, And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words,  Verse two adds, Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:  After Jeremiah finished telling the people what God had said, which they had asked him to do, Azariah, Johanan and those referred to as the proud men said that he was lying about what God had said.  They said God had not sent Jeremiah to tell them not to go Egypt.  People today will often make up their mind about what they want to do and deny the word of God is true if it doesn't agree with them.  Veree three adds, But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.  They said that Baruch was the one who told Jeremiah what to say and that he did this so that the Chaldeans could kill them or take them away captive.  People today may claim that when we proclaim God's word that we are doing it for our own benefit, even if there is nothing to even remotely support this claim.  Jeremiah and Baruch were getting nothing out of proclaiming God's word.  Verse four proclaims, So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.  Johanan, the captains and all the people refused to obey God's word, just as the majority may refuse to today.  Verse five adds, But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;  Verse six continues, Even men, and women, and children, and the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.  Johanan took all the people left with Gedaliah with him.  Of course, they had to be willing to listen to him instead of Jeremiah.   People willing follow after those who deny God's word more often than they are forced to do so.  Verse seven concludes, So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.  Instead of obeying God, they went to Egypt.  Verse eight declares, Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, Jeremiah went with them to Egypt, because they were the people that God had sent him to prophesy to.  God was still with him, though.  Even if we end up somewhere that we feel that God really may not have wanted us to be, we still need to listen for His word to come to us.  Verse nine adds, Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;  God told Jeremiah to take  great stones and hide them in  the  brickkiln at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes.  He was to do this in the sight of the men of Judah.  Verse ten continues, And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.  God said for Jeremiah to tell the people of Judah that Nebuchadrezzar was going to set his throne on these stones.  There was to be no safety in Egypt, just as there is no safety for us today outside of the will of  God.  Verse eleven declares, And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.  God said that Nebuchadrezzar would defeat the Egyptians.  Verse twelve adds, And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace.  God said that Nebuchadrezzar would destroy the cities and the gods of Egypt.  The people of Judah would find no escape from God's word in Egypt and its gods, just as people today will find no escape from the truth of God's word, no matter where they look.  Verse thirteen concludes, He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.  God told Jeremiah that Nebuchadrezzar would destroy the gods of Egypt in Bethshemesh as well.  There is no place to escape from God's judgment when we refuse to believe His word.

Jeremiah 42:13

 Jeremiah 42:13 says, But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,  This is the warning of what would happen if the people of Judah refused to obey God.  God wants to bless us if we obey Him, but we wait to face His judgment if we don't.  Verse fourteen states, Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:  God warned them against going into Egypt thinking that they would find safety and security there.  We will never find security outside of God's will.  Verse fifteen declares, And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;  God addresses the remnant of Judah, those who were supposed to be His people.  Verse sixteen adds, Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.  God said if they chose to go to Egypt that the things they feared would follow them there and they would die there.  If people today fail to put their faith in God and listen to His call to salvation, there will be no safety and security in this world and they will die separated from Him.  Verse seventeen continues, So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.  God said that no one who went to Egypt would escape this fate, and no one who rejects Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord will escape everlasting punishment today.  Verse eighteen declares, For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.  God said that just as He had judged Jerusalem and it had been destroyed because of the disbelief of those there, so would His judgment come on those who continued to disobey Him and look for deliverance by their own design, and this is still true today.  Verse nineteen adds, The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.  God specifically told this remnant to not go to Egypt.  God's word for people today is just as precise.  People can look to God for saovation or they can ignore His call and face the consequences.  Verse twenty continues, For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.  Jeremiah reminded them that they had come to him asking that he go to God for them and seek God's word for them, and that they said that they would obey His word.  When we seek God's will and He makes it known to us, then we better be willing to follow His word.  Verse twenty-one states, And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you. Jeremiah said that after he did as they asked that they still refused to listen.  It is ultimately up to each individual whether they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord or not.  All we can do is share the gospel with them.  Verse twenty-two concludes, Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.  Jeremiah said that they would surely die by the sword, famine, and pestilence if they went to Egypt.  If we today do not accept God's gift of salvation we will likewise go away to everlasting punishment. 

Jeremiah 42:1

 Jeremiah 42:1 says, Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,  Verse two adds, And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)  The ones who called themselves the remnant of the few of Judah came to Jeremiah asking that he beseech God for them.  Jeremiah had survived Ishmael's attack, and even though the people had ignored Jeremiah before when he prophesied for God, they now wanted him to pray for them. God had protected Jeremiah, just as He will those who are faithful to Him today.   Verse three continues, That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.  They referred to God as Jeremiah's God, and asked that Jeremiah determine what God would have them do.  These were people who referred to themselves as the remnant of Judah, but they did not call God their God.  If we are a follower of Christ, we are a part of the family of God and have direct access to Him.  If we are His in name only then we need someone else to pray for us that we might know the will of God, which begins by accepting Jesus Christ as one's personal Savior and Lord.   Verse four declares, Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.  Jeremiah said he would grant their request, and that he would tell them what God said, no matter what that was.  This is all we can ever do as well. Verse five states, Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.  The people asked that they would call on the LORD God of Jeremiah to be a witness that they would do whatever Jeremiah said his God told them to do.  They still were not calling God their God.  Verse six adds, Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.  Then, they said that they would obey the voice of the LORD their God, whether what He said was good or bad.  They now called God their God, as Jeremiah had referred to Him in granting their request.  If we expect God to answer our pratyers, we must sincerely acknowledge Him as our God.  Verse seven says, And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.  God did not immediately answer Jeremiah's prayer, just as He may not immediately answer ours.  Verse eight adds, Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,  Jeremiah called all the people together, from the greatest to the least.  God's word applies to all people, no matter their status in this world.  Verse nine continues, And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;  Jeremiah said that he would give them God's answer.  Verse ten states, If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.  Jeremiah told them that God said that if they stayed in the land that He would once again bless them because they would be obedient to Him.  This was the positive part of God's message, just as the gospel is the positive part of God's word today.  Verse eleven adds, Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. God told them to not fear the king of Babylon, because God would deliver them from him.  If we are Christians, we do not need to fear anyone in the world today, no matterhow power they may be.  Verse twelve continues, And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.  Once again, God said that if they obeyed Him, He would bless them.  If we want God's blessings, we must obey Him.

Jeremiah 41:10

 Jeremiah 41:10 says, Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.  Those that he didn't kill, Ishmael was carrying away captive to the Ammorites, including two of the king’s daughters.  These would have been the poor people who had been given the vineyards and land to utilize.   Matthew Henry says that Ishmael was probably going to give them to the Ammonites as a present and that it is a warning that we should never become to secure in our circumstances.  Verse eleven states, But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,  Verse twelve adds, Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.  When Johanan and the captains of the guard heard what Ishmael had done, they went after him and his forces.  If Gedaliah had listened to Johanan when he warned him about Ishmael, this would not have happened.  If we do not listen to God's warnings today, we should not be surprised if destruction comes in our life.  Verse thirteen declares, Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.  When the people with Ishmael saw Johanan and his forces coming, they were glad.  They may have been the enemy forces, but they were better than Ishmael.  Sometimes, we may have to choose the lesser of two evils, even if it still does not bring us complete freedom in the world.  Of course,  if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we are always spirituality free from the power of sin.  Verse fourteenth adds, So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.  Those who were being taken away captive did not wait for Johanan and his forces to get there, but turned around and ran toward them.  Likewise, when we realize sin has come into our life, we need to turn around and run to God for deliverance.  Verse fifteen states, But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.  Ishmael didn't stay to fight, but took eight men with him and fled to the Ammonites.  Ishmael may have felt powerful when fighting defenseless people, but he ran from those who were powerful.  We need to remember that as Christians we are never powerless and that God will always deliver us from the forces of evil, if not in this life, then in the one to come.  Verse sixteen adds, Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:  Verse seventeen continues, And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,  Johanan did not return the people to where they had been under the peaceful rule of Gedaliah, but took them to Egypt instead.   Verse eighteen concludes, Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.  Johanan did this because he was afraid of what the Chaldeans would do because of what Ishmael had done. The people still were not free, just as we cannot find spiritual freedom anywhere but in faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.