Jeremiah 44:15-30 - The People's Stubborn Response
15 And all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great multitude, even all the people who lived in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah. And they said, 16 As for the Word that you have spoken to us in the name of Jehovah, we will not listen to you. 17 But we will certainly do whatever thing goes forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our rulers, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and were well, and saw no evil. 18 But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked all things, and have been devoured by the sword and by the famine.
19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make our cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her without our men?
20 And Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and to the women, and to all the people who had given him that answer: 21 The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, you, and your fathers, your kings, and your rulers, and the people of the land; did not Jehovah remember them? Yea, it came into His mind. 22 Yea, so that Jehovah could no longer hold back because of the evil of your doings, because of the abominations which you have committed! So your land is a waste, and a wonder, and a curse, without anyone in it, as it is today. 23 Because you have burned incense, and because you have sinned against Jehovah, and have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah, nor walked in His Law, nor in His statutes, nor did you walk in His testimonies, therefore this evil has happened to you, as at this day.
24 And Jeremiah said to all the people, and to all the women, Hear the Word of Jehovah, all Judah that is in the land of Egypt. 25 So says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, saying: You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hands, saying, We will surely fulfil our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to her. You will surely fulfil your vows and surely carry out your vows.
26 Therefore hear the Word of Jehovah, all Judah that lives in the land of Egypt. Behold, I have sworn by My great name, says Jehovah, that My name will no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord Jehovah lives. 27 Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good. And all the men of Judah in the land of Egypt shall be destroyed by the sword and by the famine, until there is an end of them. 28 Yet the small number that escapes the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah; and all the remnant of Judah (who have gone into the land of Egypt to live there) shall know whose word shall stand, Mine or theirs. 29 And this shall be a sign to you, says Jehovah, that I will punish you in this place so that you may know that My Words shall surely stand against you for evil. 30 So says Jehovah, Behold, I am giving Pharaoh-hophra, king of Egypt, into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy that sought his life.