Jeremiah 44:15-26

15Then 1all the men who were aware that their wives were burning 2sacrifices to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, 3including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying, 16“As for the 45message that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, 6we are not going to listen to you! 17But rather we will certainly 7carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, 8by burning 9sacrifices to the 10queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as 11we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had 12plenty of 13food and were well off and saw no 14misfortune. 18But since we stopped burning 15sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have 16lacked everything and have 17met our end by the sword and by famine.” 19“And,” said the women, “when we were 18burning 19sacrifices to the queen of heaven and 20were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it 21without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes 22in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”

20Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and women--even to all the people who were giving him such an answer--saying, 21“As for the 2324smoking sacrifices that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the 25streets of Jerusalem, you and your forefathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord 26remember them and did not all this come into His 27mind? 22So the Lord was 28no longer able to endure it, 29because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have committed; thus your land has become a 30ruin, an object of horror and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. 23Because you have burned 31sacrifices and have sinned against the Lord and 32not obeyed the voice of the Lord or 33walked in His law, His statutes or His testimonies, therefore this 34calamity has befallen you, as it has this day.”

24Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “35Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are 36in the land of Egypt, 25thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, as follows: ‘As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, “We will 37certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn 38sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” 3940Go ahead and confirm your vows, and certainly perform your vows!’ 2641Nevertheless hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, ‘Behold, I have 42sworn by My great name,’ says the Lord, ‘43never shall My name be invoked again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “44As the Lord 45God lives.”