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.
But we will certainly {H6213} do {H6213} whatsoever thing {H1697} goeth forth {H3318} out of our own mouth {H6310}, to burn incense {H6999} unto the queen {H4446} of heaven {H8064}, and to pour out {H5258} drink offerings {H5262} unto her, as we have done {H6213}, we, and our fathers {H1}, our kings {H4428}, and our princes {H8269}, in the cities {H5892} of Judah {H3063}, and in the streets {H2351} of Jerusalem {H3389}: for then had we plenty {H7646} of victuals {H3899}, and were well {H2896}, and saw {H7200} no evil {H7451}.
Instead, we will certainly continue to fulfill every word our mouths have spoken: we will offer incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our ancestors, our kings and our leaders, in the cities of Y'hudah and the streets of Yerushalayim. For then we had plenty of food; everything was fine, we didn't experience anything unpleasant.
Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster.
But we will certainly perform every word that is gone forth out of our 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.
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Nehemiah 9:34
Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. -
Jeremiah 7:18
The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead [their] dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. -
Deuteronomy 23:23
That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; [even] a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. -
Exodus 16:3
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, [and] when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. -
Ezekiel 20:8
But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. -
Hosea 2:5
For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give [me] my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. -
Hosea 2:9
Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax [given] to cover her nakedness.
Jeremiah 44:17 presents a stark and defiant declaration from the Jewish remnant who had fled to Egypt after the destruction of Jerusalem. It captures their stubborn refusal to abandon the idolatrous practices that had brought God's judgment upon Judah.
Historical and Cultural Context
This verse is set in the immediate aftermath of the Babylonian conquest and the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC). A group of survivors, against the explicit warnings of the prophet Jeremiah, chose to migrate to Egypt, seeking refuge and prosperity. In Egypt, they continued, and even intensified, their pagan worship. Jeremiah 44 records God's final, severe warning to these exiles. Verse 17 is their shocking, open rejection of God's word delivered through Jeremiah, demonstrating a deep-seated rebellion and a profound misunderstanding of their history. Their worship of the "Queen of Heaven" was a deeply entrenched practice, as evidenced by their claim that "we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes" engaged in it.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The term "Queen of Heaven" translates from the Hebrew Meleket haShamayim (מְלֶכֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם). This specific title points to a well-known pagan deity worshipped across Mesopotamia and the Levant. The repeated references to "burning incense" and "pouring out drink offerings" underscore the specific ritualistic practices associated with this cult, which were directly contrary to the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Practical Application
Jeremiah 44:17 serves as a powerful warning against the human tendency to rationalize sin and rebellion, especially when it appears to yield temporary benefits. We are prone to misinterpret circumstances, attributing blessings to our own misguided efforts or false gods, rather than to God's grace or His patient forbearance. This verse challenges us to:
The stubbornness displayed in this verse ultimately led to further divine judgment, underscoring the severe consequences of persistent rebellion against the Almighty.