Jeremiah 44:15 kjv
Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
Jeremiah 44:15 nkjv
Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, with all the women who stood by, a great multitude, and all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying:
Jeremiah 44:15 niv
Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present?a large assembly?and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah,
Jeremiah 44:15 esv
Then all the men who knew that their wives had made offerings to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, all the people who lived in Pathros in the land of Egypt, answered Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 44:15 nlt
Then all the women present and all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to idols ? a great crowd of all the Judeans living in northern Egypt and southern Egypt ? answered Jeremiah,
Jeremiah 44 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 44:16 | "As for the message you spoke to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you!" | Directly continues the declaration of defiance |
| Jeremiah 44:17 | "Instead, we will carry out whatever we said, namely, to offer fragrant smoke to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out libations to her..." | Statement of continuing idolatry |
| Jeremiah 44:18 | "...just as we and our fathers, our kings and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem." | Justification through tradition and authority |
| Jeremiah 44:19 | "When we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out libations to her, did not we ourselves make her cakes for worship and pour out libations to her?”" | Pointing to prior engagement and supposed divine approval |
| Isaiah 44:14 | "He trims a fir tree, and the rain nourishes it." | Contrast with the powerless nature of idols |
| Isaiah 45:20 | "Gather yourselves and come; draw near, you remnant of the nations!" | Call to return to God |
| Jeremiah 7:18 | "Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The sons gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger." | Explicitly links women to Queen of Heaven worship |
| Hosea 4:13 | "They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn incense on the hills under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters act as prostitutes, and your married women as adulteresses." | Similar theme of idolatry leading to moral decay |
| Deuteronomy 18:10 | "There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering..." | Prohibition of pagan practices, including sacrifices |
| Romans 1:25 | "because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen." | Explanation of idol worship |
| 2 Kings 21:6 | "And he [Manasseh] made an Asherah, and Manasseh wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger." | Association of idolatry with kings and queens |
| Acts 7:41 | "And they made a calf in those days, and offered up a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands." | Depicts Israelite idolatry in the wilderness |
| John 4:23-24 | "But the hour is coming, and is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.”" | True worship versus superstitious practices |
| Psalm 115:4-8 | "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear; they have noses, but do not smell; they have hands, but do not feel; they have feet, but do not walk; they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them." | Description of the futility of idols |
| Jeremiah 10:5 | "They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”" | Parallels the powerlessness of idols |
| Galatians 5:7 | "You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?" | Call to reject misguided paths |
| 2 Corinthians 6:14 | "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" | Admonition against participating in pagan practices |
| 1 Corinthians 10:20 | "No, I will say that what they sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be sharing with demons." | Spiritual implications of idol worship |
| Romans 8:5-8 | "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit..." | Contrast between fleshly and spiritual living |
| Amos 5:26 | "You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god, your images, that you made for yourselves," | Identification of pagan deities |
| Acts 19:35 | "But when the town clerk had calmed the crowd, he said, 'Men of Ephesus, who is there of all mankind that does not know that this city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image that fell from heaven?'" | Historical parallel of goddess worship |
| Isaiah 8:19 | "And when they say to you, 'Inquire of the mediums and necromancers who whisper and mutter; should not a people inquire of their God? Should one inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?" | Condemnation of seeking wisdom from the occult |
Jeremiah 44 verses
Jeremiah 44 15 Meaning
The verse describes a firm, unified response from the women of Judah and Jerusalem, united in their idolatrous practice of making cakes for the "Queen of Heaven." They address Jeremiah and the priests directly, stating they will not listen to him but will continue their offerings and libations, citing the prosperity they experienced when they engaged in these practices. This declaration reveals their persistent disobedience and rejection of God's prophet, clinging to their forbidden rituals.
Jeremiah 44 15 Context
Jeremiah 44 is set in Egypt, following the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people. A remnant of Judah had fled to Egypt, despite Jeremiah's warnings, bringing the prophet with them. In Egypt, this remnant quickly reverted to their idolatrous practices, particularly the worship of the "Queen of Heaven." This chapter represents a sharp rebuke from God, conveyed through Jeremiah, to this group for their persistent apostasy and their attributing their current suffering not to their sin, but to ceasing their forbidden worship. This verse is part of the women's collective, defiant response to God's word delivered through Jeremiah, highlighting their entrenched resistance to true worship and their reliance on empirical experience (past prosperity) over divine revelation.
Jeremiah 44 15 Word Analysis
All (Hebrew: כָּל - kol): This signifies totality, completeness. It emphasizes the unified stance of all the women present.
the (Hebrew: הַ - ha): The definite article.
women (Hebrew: נָשִׁים - nashim): Plural of woman. In this context, it specifically refers to the women of Judah and Jerusalem.
that (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר - asher): Relative pronoun.
dwelt (Hebrew: יָשְׁבוּ - yashvu): Third person plural, past tense of "to sit" or "to dwell." It signifies their residence and settled presence.
in (Hebrew: בְּ - be): Preposition indicating location.
all (Hebrew: כָּל - kol): Again, totality.
the (Hebrew: הַ - ha): Definite article.
cities (Hebrew: עָרֵי - arei): Plural of "city," suggesting various towns.
of (Hebrew: –): Possessive construct.
Judah (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה - Yehudah): The southern kingdom of Israel.
and (Hebrew: וְ - ve): Conjunction.
in (Hebrew: בִּ - bi): Preposition.
Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלִָם - Yerushalayim): The capital city.
knew (Hebrew: יָדְעוּ - yad'u): Third person plural, past tense of "to know." This refers to their active participation and acknowledged performance.
that (Hebrew: כִּי - ki): Conjunction introducing a reason or statement.
their (Hebrew:־): Possessive pronoun.
kings (Hebrew: מְלָכִים - mlakhim): Plural of king. Refers to past rulers of Judah.
and (Hebrew: וְ - ve): Conjunction.
their (Hebrew:־): Possessive pronoun.
princes (Hebrew: שָׂרִים - sarim): Plural of "prince" or "officer." Refers to political leaders.
paid (Hebrew: נָתְנוּ - natnu): Third person plural, past tense of "to give." Here, it means to give over or assign tribute or worship.
to (Hebrew: אֶל - el): Preposition indicating direction or target.
her (Hebrew: אֹתָהּ - otah): Pronoun referring to the Queen of Heaven.
honour (Hebrew: מִנְחָה - minchah): Can mean tribute, offering, or gift. Here it specifically points to the rituals of worship.
and (Hebrew: וְ - ve): Conjunction.
to (Hebrew: אֶל - el): Preposition.
pour (Hebrew: מָסְכוּ - maschu): Third person plural, past tense of "to pour out" (libations).
out (Hebrew:־): Part of the verb "pour out."
drink (Hebrew: נֶסֶךְ - nesekh): Drink offering, libation.
offerings (Hebrew:־): Part of the noun "drink offering."
to (Hebrew: לָהּ - lah): Preposition "to" with the pronoun "her."
to (Hebrew:־): Part of the verb "pour out."
her (Hebrew:־): Refers to the Queen of Heaven.
Group Analysis: "All the women that dwelt in all the cities of Judah and in Jerusalem knew that their kings and their princes paid honour to her, and to pour out drink offerings to her"
- This phrase establishes that the idolatry was not fringe but had widespread and authoritative support. It was a cultural norm practiced by both the common populace and their leadership. The "knowing" implies their active participation or at least awareness and approval of these royal-sanctioned rituals. It paints a picture of systemic apostasy ingrained in their national identity.
Jeremiah 44 15 Bonus Section
The "Queen of Heaven" is commonly identified with the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar, also known as Astarte in Canaanite religion. This syncretistic worship was prevalent in ancient Israel and Judah, integrating foreign deities with or alongside Yahweh worship. The persistence of this cult, even among the exiles in Egypt, demonstrates how deeply ingrained and seductive idolatry can be, especially when linked to perceived success or cultural tradition. The act of making cakes (often sweetened with honey) and pouring out libations were common elements of ancient Near Eastern worship, often associated with fertility and divine appeasement. This collective response highlights the challenge Jeremiah faced in trying to bring repentance to a people hardened by sin and superstition.
Jeremiah 44 15 Commentary
This verse reveals the entrenched nature of the women's idolatry, which was not a private rebellion but a publicly acknowledged and historically sanctioned practice supported by their leadership. Their "knowledge" signifies active participation and endorsement, not mere ignorance. They are making a declaration of continued allegiance to the Queen of Heaven and defiance against God's prophet, linking their present troubles not to their sin but to a supposed abandonment of these forbidden rituals. Their argument rests on historical precedent and a warped understanding of causality – mistaking God’s permissive will for approval when they engaged in idolatry.