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 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 leaders 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 met our end by the sword and by famine.” 19“And,” said the women, “when we were 17burning 18sacrifices to the queen of heaven and 19pouring out drink offerings to her, was it 20without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes 21in 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 2223smoking sacrifices that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the 24streets of Jerusalem, you and your forefathers, your kings and your leaders, and the people of the land, did the Lord not 25remember them, and did all of this not come into His 26mind? 22So the Lord was 27no longer able to endure it, 28because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have committed; so your land has become a 29place of ruins, an object of horror, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. 23Since you have burned 30sacrifices and have sinned against the Lord and 31not obeyed the voice of the Lord nor 32walked in His Law, His statutes, or His testimonies, therefore this 33disaster has happened to you, as it has this day.”

24Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “34Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are 35in the land of Egypt! 25This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel 36says: ‘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.” 39By all means fulfill your vows, and be sure to perform your vows!’ 2640In return, hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt: ‘Behold, I have 41sworn by My great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that My name shall 42never be invoked again by the mouth of anyone of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “43As the Lord 44God lives.”