Jeremiah 44:17–25

¹⁷Instead, we will do everything we promised:^C we will burn incense to the queen of heaven^D and offer drink offerings to her just as we, our ancestors, our kings, and our officials did in Judah’s cities^b and in Jerusalem’s streets. Then we had enough food, we were well off, and we saw no disaster, ¹⁸but from the time we ceased to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to offer her drink offerings, we have lacked everything, and through sword and famine we have met our end.”^c

¹⁹And the women said,^A “When we burned incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, was it apart from our husbands’ knowledge^d that we made sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”

²⁰But Jeremiah responded to all the people—the men, women, and all the people who were answering him: ²¹“As for the incense you burned in Judah’s cities^e and in Jerusalem’s streets—you, your ancestors, your kings, your officials, and the people of the land—did the Lord not remember them? He brought this to mind. ²²The Lord can no longer bear your evil deeds and the detestable acts you have committed,^f so your land has become a waste, a desolation, and an example for cursing, without inhabitant, as you see today. ²³Because you burned incense and sinned against the Lord and didn’t obey the Lord^g and didn’t follow his instruction, his statutes, and his testimonies, this disaster has come to you, as you see today.”

²⁴Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who are in the land of Egypt.^{h 25}This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for you and your wives, you women have spoken with your mouths, and you men fulfilled it by your deeds, saying, “We will keep our vows that we have made to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings for her.” Go ahead, confirm your vows! Keep your vows!’