Read & explore together
The Stubbornness of the People
Jeremiah 44:15–19 records a direct refusal to hear a word spoken in Yahweh’s name. The passage shows a large group defending its worship of another deity and explaining why it will continue.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
In these verses, Jeremiah is answered by men and women living in the land of Egypt, in Pathros. The reply comes from a great assembly. Rather than accepting the word Jeremiah has spoken in Yahweh’s name, the people openly reject it and justify their own chosen practice.
Jeremiah 44:15–19Main takeaway
This passage shows people stubbornly refusing Yahweh’s word and defending their own worship by appealing to what they think has worked for them.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A public answer from the peopleThe reply does not come from one person alone. The passage names men who knew about their wives’ offerings, women standing by, and a great assembly of people living in Egypt, in Pathros.
Explanation
The reply does not come from one person alone. The passage names men who knew about their wives’ offerings, women standing by, and a great assembly of people living in Egypt, in Pathros. This makes the answer sound public, united, and deliberate rather than hidden or uncertain.
02A direct refusal to listenThe people answer Jeremiah plainly: they will not listen to the word he spoke to them in Yahweh’s name.
Explanation
The people answer Jeremiah plainly: they will not listen to the word he spoke to them in Yahweh’s name. The issue here is not confusion about what Jeremiah said. It is a willing rejection of the message because they do not intend to obey it.
03Their defence of worshipping the queen of the skyThe people insist they will keep their own spoken vow: burning incense and pouring out drink offerings to the queen of the sky.
Explanation
The people insist they will keep their own spoken vow: burning incense and pouring out drink offerings to the queen of the sky. They point to earlier practice by themselves, their fathers, kings, and princes, and claim that at that time they had food, were well, and saw no evil.
04How they explain their troublesThey argue the opposite as well. According to their explanation, trouble came after they stopped these offerings.
Explanation
They argue the opposite as well. According to their explanation, trouble came after they stopped these offerings. They say they lacked all things and were consumed by sword and famine. The women add that these acts were done with their husbands’ involvement, showing this worship had household support.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What words show that the people are rejecting Jeremiah on purpose, not by mistake?
Look for their direct response to the word spoken in Yahweh’s name and notice how clear their refusal is.
02How do the people try to justify worshipping the queen of the sky?
List the reasons they give, including past custom, leaders who did the same, and the results they say they experienced.
03What does verse 19 add to our understanding of how widespread this practice was?
Notice the women’s reference to cakes, drink offerings, and their husbands’ knowledge or participation.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Jeremiah 44:15–19
15Then all the men who knew that their wives burned incense to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, even all the people who lived in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
16“As for the word that you have spoken to us in Yahweh’s name, we will not listen to you.
17But we will certainly perform every word that has gone out of our mouth, to burn incense to the queen of the sky and to pour out drink offerings to 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 we had plenty of food, and were well, and saw no evil.
18But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of the sky, and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.”
19The women said, “When we burned incense to the queen of the sky and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her, without our husbands?”