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Commentary on Jeremiah 44 verses 15–19
We have here the people's obstinate refusal to submit to the power of the word of God in the mouth of Jeremiah. We have scarcely such an instance of downright daring contradiction to God himself as this, or such an avowed rebellion of the carnal mind. Observe,
I. The persons who thus set God and his judgments at defiance; it was not some one that was thus obstinate, but the generality of the Jews; and they were such as knew either themselves or their wives to be guilty of the idolatry Jeremiah had reproved, Jer 44:15. We find, 1. That the women had been more guilty of idolatry and superstition than the men, not because the men stuck closer to the true God and the true religion than the women, but, I fear, because they were generally atheists, and were for no God and no religion at all, and therefore could easily allow their wives to be of a false religion, and to worship false gods. 2. That it was consciousness of guilt that made them impatient of reproof: They knew that their wives had burnt incense to other gods, and that they had countenanced them in it, and the women that stood by knew that they had joined with them in their idolatrous usages; so that what Jeremiah said touched them in a sore place, which made them kick against the pricks, as children of Belial, that will not bear the yoke.
II. The reply which these persons made to Jeremiah, and in him to God himself; it is in effect the same with theirs who had the impudence to say to the Almighty, Depart from us; we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
1.They declare their resolution not to do as God commanded them, but what they themselves had a mind to do; that is, they would go on to worship the moon, here called the queen of heaven; yet some understand it of the sun, which was much worshipped in Egypt (Jer 43:13) and had been so at Jerusalem (Kg2 23:11), and they say that the Hebrew word for the sun being feminine it may not unfitly be called the queen of heaven. And others understand it of all the host of heaven, or the frame of heaven, the whole machine, Jer 7:18. These daring sinners do not now go about to make excuses for their refusal to obey, nor suggest that Jeremiah spoke from himself and not from God (as before, Jer 43:2), but they own that he spoke to them in the name of the Lord, and yet tell him flatly, in so many words, "We will not hearken unto thee; we will do that which is forbidden and run the hazard of that which is threatened." Note, Those that live in disobedience to God commonly grow worse and worse, and the heart is more and more hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Here is the genuine language of the rebellious heart: We will certainly do whatsoever thing goes forth out of our own mouth, let God and his prophets say what they please to the contrary. What they said many think who yet have not arrived at such a degree of impudence as to speak it out. It is that which the young man would be at in the days of his youth; he would walk in the way of his heart and the sight of his eyes, and would have and do every thing he has a mind to, Ecc 11:9.
2.They give some sort of reasons for their resolution; for the most absurd and unreasonably wicked men will have something to say for themselves, till the day comes when every mouth shall be stopped.
(1.)They plead many of those things which the advocates for Rome make the marks of a true church, and not only justify but magnify themselves with; and these Jews have as much right to them as the Romanists have. [1.] They plead antiquity: We are resolved to burn incense to the queen of heaven, for our fathers did so; it is a practice that pleads prescription; and why should we pretend to be wiser than our fathers? [2.] They plead authority. Those that had power practised it themselves and prescribed it to others: Our kings and our princes did it, whom God set over us, and who were of the seed of David. [3.] They plead unity. It was not here and there one that did it, but we, we all with one consent, we that are a great multitude (Jer 44:15), we did it. [4.] They plead universality. It was not done here and there, but in the cities of Judah. [5.] They plead visibility. It was not done in a corner, in dark and shady groves only, but in the streets, openly and publicly. [6.] They plead that it was the practice of the mother-church, the holy see; it was not now learned first in Egypt, but it had been done in Jerusalem. [7.] They plead prosperity: They had we plenty of bread, and of all good things; we were well and saw no evil. All the former pleas, I fear, were too true in fact; God's witnesses against their idolatry were few and hid; Elijah though that he was left alone: and this last might perhaps be true as to some particular persons, but, as to their nation, they were still under rebukes for their rebellions, and there was no peace to those that went out or came in, Ch2 15:5. But, supposing all to be true, yet this does not at all excuse them from idolatry; it is the law of God that we must be ruled and judged by, hot the practice of men.
(2.)They suggest that the judgments they had of late been under were brought upon them for leaving off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, Jer 44:18. So perversely did they misconstrue providence, though God, by his prophets, had so often explained it to them, and the thing itself spoke the direct contrary. Since we forsook our idolatries we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword, the true reason of which was because they still retained their idols in their heart and an affection to their old sins; but they would have it thought that it was because they had forsaken the acts of sin. Thus the afflictions which should have been for their welfare, to separate between them and their sins, being misinterpreted did but confirm them in their sins. Thus, in the first ages of Christianity, when God chastised the nations by any public calamities for opposing the Christians and persecuting them, they put a contrary sense upon the calamities, as if they were sent to punish them for conniving at the Christians and tolerating them, and cried, Christianos ad leones - Throw the Christians to the lions. Yet, if it had been true, as they said here, that since they returned to the service of the true God, the God of Israel, they had been in want and trouble, was that a reason why they should revolt from him again? That was as much as to say that they served not him, but their own bellies. Those who know God, and put their trust in him, will serve him, though he starve them, though he slay them, though they never see a good day with him in this world, being well assured that they shall not lose by him in the end.
(3.)They plead that, though the women were most forward and active in their idolatries, yet they did it with the consent and approbation of their husbands; the women were busy to make cakes for meat-offerings to the queen of heaven and to prepare and pour out the drink-offerings, Jer 44:19. We found, before, that this was their work, Jer 7:18. "But did we do it without our husbands, privately and unknown to them, so as to give them occasion to be jealous of us? No; the fathers kindled the fire while the women kneaded the dough; the men that were our heads, whom we were bound to learn of and to be obedient to, taught us to do it by their example." Note, It is sad when those who are in the nearest relation to each other, who should quicken each other to that which is good and so help one another to heaven, harden each other in sin and so ripen one another for hell. Some understand this as spoken by the husbands (Jer 44:15), who plead that they did not do it without their men, that is, without their elders and rulers, their great men, and men in authority; but, because the making of the cakes and the pouring out of the drink-offerings are expressly spoken of as the women's work (Jer 7:18), it seems rather to be understood as their plea: but it was a frivolous plea. What would it avail them to be able to say that it was according to their husbands' mind, when they knew that it was contrary to their God's mind?
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 44:17 powerfully encapsulates the audacious and unrepentant defiance of the Jewish remnant in Egypt. Despite God's clear prophetic warnings delivered through Jeremiah, this remnant stubbornly declared their unwavering commitment to the idolatrous worship of the "Queen of Heaven." They brazenly justified their rebellion by falsely attributing past prosperity and well-being to these pagan practices, thereby profoundly misinterpreting God's covenantal relationship with Israel and the true causes of their national suffering. This verse stands as a stark and sobering testament to humanity's deep-seated propensity for self-deception, spiritual blindness, and open rebellion against divine authority.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 44 is situated in the immediate aftermath of Jerusalem's catastrophic fall and destruction in 586 BC, and the subsequent flight of a Jewish remnant, including the prophet Jeremiah himself, to Egypt. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 44:1-14) meticulously detail Jeremiah's divine indictment and prophetic message delivered to these exiles scattered across various Egyptian cities. He sternly reminded them of Judah's recent downfall, which was a direct consequence of pervasive idolatry, and emphatically warned them against repeating these same grievous sins in their new refuge. Critically, God had explicitly forbidden them from seeking asylum in Egypt (Jeremiah 42:19), yet they defiantly chose to go (Jeremiah 43:7). Verse 17 represents their direct, collective, and unyielding response to Jeremiah's divine pronouncement, laying bare their hardened hearts and deep-seated commitment to paganism, even in the face of overwhelming evidence of God's judgment upon their nation. The subsequent verses (Jeremiah 44:18-19) further elaborate on their communal justification and the widespread nature of their idolatry, culminating in God's final, severe pronouncement of judgment specifically upon this rebellious remnant in Egypt (Jeremiah 44:20-30).
Historical & Cultural Context: The historical setting for this declaration is Egypt, specifically cities such as Migdol, Tahpanhes, Noph (Memphis), and Pathros (Upper Egypt), where the Jewish refugees had settled after the Babylonian conquest. Egypt had long been a traditional place of asylum for Judeans, a perceived safe haven, despite God's explicit command for His people to remain in the land of Judah. The worship of the "Queen of Heaven" was a pervasive and deeply entrenched cult throughout the ancient Near East, often identified with prominent goddesses like Ishtar (Babylonian/Assyrian), Astarte (Canaanite/Phoenician), or sometimes even linked to Egyptian deities like Isis. These goddesses were widely revered as patrons of fertility, warfare, and cosmic order. Her worship involved specific, well-known rituals, including the baking of cakes, the burning of incense, and the pouring out of libations, practices explicitly mentioned elsewhere in Jeremiah's prophecies (Jeremiah 7:18). The people's assertion that their past prosperity was directly linked to this idolatrous worship reflects a common pagan worldview, which posited that appeasing specific deities brought material blessings and averted misfortune. This belief stood in stark opposition to the monotheistic, covenantal theology of Yahweh, where blessings were contingent upon exclusive loyalty and obedience to His divine law.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully illuminates several recurring and critical themes found throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader Old Testament narrative. Firstly, Rebellion and Disobedience against God's explicit word is paramount, demonstrating a profound spiritual blindness and an audacious preference for human self-will over divine command. This echoes Israel's long and tragic history of stubbornness and stiff-necked rebellion, as vividly recounted in passages like Deuteronomy 9:7. Secondly, Idolatry is central to the verse, specifically the worship of the "Queen of Heaven," which constituted a direct and egregious violation of the first commandment and was a consistent source of God's righteous wrath upon Israel. This pagan practice was deeply ingrained, passed down through generations, and even sanctioned by various levels of leadership, illustrating the pervasive and corrupting nature of sin within the nation. Thirdly, the theme of False Justification and Self-Deception is glaringly evident, as the people rationalized their sin by fundamentally misinterpreting historical events, attributing past well-being to their idolatry rather than to God's patient forbearance, covenantal grace, or sovereign control. They tragically failed to connect their current suffering directly to their persistent disobedience, a truth repeatedly emphasized throughout prophetic literature and the Mosaic Law (e.g., the blessings and curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse is rich in Irony, as the people claim to have "saw no evil" when engaging in practices that were inherently evil in God's eyes and demonstrably led to their national catastrophe and exile. There is a powerful element of Defiance and Rebellion, vividly expressed through their resolute declaration, "we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth," which stands in direct and open opposition to the prophetic word of God delivered by Jeremiah. The phrase "Queen of Heaven" functions as potent Symbolism for all forms of idolatry, false security, and human-devised systems that displace the true God and His rightful authority. The verse also employs Rationalization, as the people attempt to justify their persistent sin by appealing to perceived past material benefits, showcasing humanity's profound capacity for self-deception in the face of divine truth and clear judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 44:17 serves as a chilling and timeless testament to humanity's stubborn resistance to divine truth and its persistent propensity for self-deception. The people's insistence on their idolatrous practices, brazenly justified by a distorted view of history and a superficial understanding of prosperity, profoundly underscores the grave danger of prioritizing perceived material benefit or personal comfort over faithful obedience to God. It reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of God's absolute sovereignty and the nature of His covenant, where true well-being, blessing, and peace are rooted in exclusive loyalty and faithfulness to Him, not in appeasing false gods or following human desires. This passage highlights the destructive cycle of generational sin and the severe, inevitable consequences of persistent rebellion against the Almighty, demonstrating unequivocally that outward prosperity does not equate to divine favor when it is built upon a foundation of disobedience and idolatry.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This verse serves as a profound and convicting mirror, reflecting our own human tendencies to rationalize sin and to prioritize perceived immediate benefits or comforts over God's unchanging truth and perfect will. We, too, can readily fall into the insidious trap of justifying our choices by pointing to temporary "success," material comfort, or the apparent absence of immediate negative consequences, all while ignoring the profound spiritual cost or the long-term, often unseen, consequences of disobedience. The "Queen of Heaven" may manifest in contemporary forms—whether it be the relentless pursuit of wealth, career advancement, the idolization of relationships, political ideologies, or even an overreliance on self and human wisdom—anything we trust in more than God for our ultimate security, identity, and well-being. This passage challenges us to critically examine our justifications, to discern with spiritual clarity whether our perceived "prosperity" is truly a blessing from God, received in obedience, or merely a temporary reprieve that distracts us from our spiritual rebellion. It calls us to a radical re-evaluation of what truly constitutes "well-being" and "evil," urging us to align our understanding with God's perfect, revealed standard, rather than our own flawed, self-serving perceptions.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the "Queen of Heaven" and why was her worship so appealing to the Israelites?
Answer: The "Queen of Heaven" (Hebrew: Meleket haShamayim) was a prominent pagan deity worshipped extensively across the ancient Near East, often identified with goddesses such as Ishtar (Babylonian/Assyrian), Astarte (Canaanite/Phoenician), or even, in some contexts, linked to Egyptian deities like Isis. She was widely associated with fertility, successful warfare, and general prosperity. Her worship involved specific rituals, including the burning of incense, the baking of special cakes, and the pouring out of drink offerings. She was appealing to the Israelites, as evidenced in passages like Jeremiah 7:18, because they believed her worship brought tangible material blessings, abundant harvests, and protection from misfortune or famine. This belief stood in stark contrast to the covenantal relationship with Yahweh, which demanded exclusive loyalty and obedience, and whose blessings were conditional on faithfulness, not on the ritualistic appeasement of multiple deities. The people in Jeremiah 44:17 explicitly state their reasoning: "for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil," clearly indicating their belief that her worship was the direct source of their perceived prosperity and peace.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 44:17 vividly portrays the deep-seated human condition of stubborn rebellion against God and the futile pursuit of false gods for security, provision, and well-being. This profound idolatry and self-justification, inherent in fallen humanity, demonstrates the radical transformation and new covenant that only Christ can provide. The rebellious people defiantly declared, "we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth," a stark and tragic contrast to the perfect, unwavering obedience of Jesus Christ, who declared, "I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me" (John 6:38). While the Israelites sought "plenty of victuals" and perceived "no evil" through their idolatrous practices, Christ offers true spiritual sustenance, declaring Himself to be the "bread of life" who satisfies every spiritual hunger (John 6:35). Moreover, He delivers us from the ultimate evil of sin and its wages, death, through His perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice on the cross (Romans 6:23). Jesus is the true King who perfectly fulfilled God's law, bore the curse of our disobedience, and established a kingdom founded on righteousness, grace, and truth, entirely unlike the fleeting, deceptive "prosperity" offered by human rebellion or false gods. Our true "well-being" and ultimate freedom from "evil" are found not in appeasing idols or following the dictates of our own rebellious hearts, but in repentance and faith in the one who perfectly obeyed God and bore the consequences of our idolatry, offering us true life, peace, and redemption from the dominion of darkness into His marvelous light (Colossians 1:13-14).