The Meaning of Jeremiah 44:3 Explained

Jeremiah 44:3

KJV: 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.

YLT: because of their wickedness that they have done, by provoking Me to anger, by going to make perfume, by serving other gods, that they knew not, they, ye, and your fathers.

Darby: because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense to serve other gods which they knew not, they, nor ye, nor your fathers.

ASV: 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, that they knew not, neither they, nor ye, nor your fathers.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 44:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 44

1  Jeremiah expresses the desolation of Judah for their idolatry
11  He prophesies the destruction of those who commit idolatry in Egypt
15  The obstinacy of the Jews
20  For which Jeremiah threatens them
29  and for a sign prophesies the destruction of Egypt

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 44:3 mean?

Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger in that they went to burn incense [and] to serve gods other whom not they did know they [nor] you nor your fathers
מִפְּנֵ֣י רָעָתָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ לְהַכְעִסֵ֔נִי לָלֶ֣כֶת לְקַטֵּ֔ר לַעֲבֹ֖ד לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּם הֵ֖מָּה אַתֶּ֥ם וַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם

מִפְּנֵ֣י  Because 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
רָעָתָ֗ם  of  their  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
עָשׂוּ֙  they  have  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לְהַכְעִסֵ֔נִי  to  provoke  Me  to  anger 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: כָּעַס  
Sense: to be angry, be vexed, be indignant, be wroth, be grieved, provoke to anger and wrath.
לָלֶ֣כֶת  in  that  they  went 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְקַטֵּ֔ר  to  burn  incense 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
לַעֲבֹ֖ד  [and]  to  serve 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
לֵאלֹהִ֣ים  gods 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲחֵרִ֑ים  other 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
אֲשֶׁר֙  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יְדָע֔וּם  they  did  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אַתֶּ֥ם  [nor]  you 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
וַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם  nor  your  fathers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.