17 We will certainly do everything we said we would:w We will burn incensex to the Queen of Heaveny and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officialsz did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.a At that time we had plenty of foodb and were well off and suffered no harm.c 18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offeringsd to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.e”

19 The women added, “When we burned incensef to the Queen of Heaveng and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbandsh know that we were making cakesi impressed with her imagej and pouring out drink offerings to her?”

20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, 21 “Did not the Lord rememberk and call to mind the incensel burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalemm by you and your ancestors,n your kings and your officials and the people of the land?o 22 When the Lord could no longer endurep your wicked actions and the detestable things you did, your land became a curseq and a desolate waster without inhabitants, as it is today.s 23 Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him or followedt his law or his decreesu or his stipulations, this disasterv has come upon you, as you now see.”w

24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including the women,x “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah in Egypt.y 25 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wivesz have done what you said you would do when you promised, ‘We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.’a

“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!b