Jeremiah 44:15
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What's striking here is that the text highlights the men knew their wives were burning incense to other gods, not that they were necessarily doing it themselves. This detail reveals a widespread spiritual rot, where husbands allowed, and thus implicitly endorsed, the idolatry of their wives, making the whole community complicit in their rebellion against God.
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:
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah confronts the Jewish refugees in Egypt, specifically in Pathros, accusing them of returning to idolatry after the fall of Jerusalem. This passage marks a turning point where the people, particularly the women, openly reject Jeremiah's divine message and defiantly declare their intention to continue worshipping the "Queen of Heaven," even though many of their husbands were aware of their wives' idolatrous practices.
Jeremiah confronts a whole community, but who were the primary instigators? The text offers a subtle clue.
Jeremiah's message hits home, revealing a community entangled in idolatry. Notice how the text specifically calls out the men 'who knew that their wives had made offerings to other gods.' This isn't just a passive observation; it highlights a pattern where the women were the active participants in these forbidden rituals.
This suggests that idolatry, like a subtle poison, often spreads from a few to many. In this case, the women led the way, perhaps driven by devotion to the 'Queen of Heaven,' while their husbands, though not openly participating, were aware.
This passive acceptance is a dangerous form of complicity. It allowed the sin to take root and flourish within the community.
Facing disaster, this group chooses not just to ignore God's prophet, but to openly defy him.
This passage describes a 'great assembly' of people – men, women, and children – living in Pathros, Egypt. They aren't just individuals; they are a collective, united in their response to Jeremiah.
Despite their dire circumstances, having fled their homeland and living in exile, their immediate reaction is not repentance, but defiance. They have learned nothing from their past calamities; their obstinacy is 'irredeemable.' This overwhelming unity in rebellion is striking. It shows how deeply ingrained their sin had become, to the point where they collectively rejected God's messenger and His message.
Their united front against Jeremiah reveals a deep-seated spiritual blindness and arrogance, a 'madness of men' when Satan takes hold.
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Understand the original words
Qetoreth · Hebrew Noun
A forbidden act of worship directed toward any deity other than the one true God, which constitutes spiritual adultery and a violation of the first commandment.
This passage finds Jeremiah ministering to Judean refugees in Egypt after Jerusalem's destruction. Their defiance highlights how trauma and displacement can lead to clinging to familiar, even idolatrous, practices rather than seeking the Lord.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invades Judah and takes captives, including members of the royal family and elite. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, are taken to Babylon. Jerusalem's temple is plundered.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population. This event devastates the Judean kingdom and its people.
After 586 BC
Flight of Survivors to Egypt
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, many Judeans, including prominent leaders and priests, flee to Egypt, seeking refuge and establishing communities there. Jeremiah is among them.
c. 586 BC - 570 BC— this verse
Prophet Jeremiah ministers in Egypt
Jeremiah continues to prophesy to the Judean refugees in Egypt, including those in Pathros (Upper Egypt). He warns them against idolatry and condemns their continued disobedience.
This verse sets the stage for the entire exchange by reminding the people of God's absolute command against worshipping other gods, which Jeremiah's audience in Egypt is now openly defying.
Deuteronomy 11:16-17This passage warns about the severe consequences of turning to other gods, directly mirroring the judgment that Jeremiah is proclaiming to the exiles in Egypt who have done just that.
Judges 2:11-13This historical account shows a recurring pattern in Israel's history of turning away from God to worship other gods, especially after experiencing God's deliverance, just as this generation in Egypt did after their own calamities.
Romans 1:21-23Paul describes how people, knowing God, chose not to honor Him and instead exchanged the truth for a lie, worshiping created things, which echoes the stubborn refusal of Jeremiah's audience to heed God's truth.
1 Kings 18:21Elijah confronts the Israelites with a similar dilemma of spiritual unfaithfulness, asking them how long they will 'limp between two opinions,' a question that resonates with the divided loyalties of the exiles in Egypt.
barnesJeremiah 44:15: "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,"
Had burned incence - Omit "had;" burned incense. This appeal of the prophet was made at a public festival held somewhere in Pathros, i. e., Upper Egypt: for the women are assembled in a great congregation (compare Jeremiah 26:9 ), here formed for religious…
calvinJeremiah 44:15-16: "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,"
Then all the men which knew that their wives had burnt 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,
Et responderunt Jere…
What's striking here is that the text highlights the men knew their wives were burning incense to other gods, not that they were necessarily doing it themselves. This detail reveals a widespread spiritual rot, where husbands allowed, and thus implicitly endorsed, the idolatry of their wives, making the whole community complicit in their rebellion against God.
Jeremiah confronts the Jewish refugees in Egypt, specifically in Pathros, accusing them of returning to idolatry after the fall of Jerusalem. This passage marks a turning point where the people, particularly the women, openly reject Jeremiah's divine message and defiantly declare their intention to continue worshipping the "Queen of Heaven," even though many of their husbands were aware of their wives' idolatrous practices.
Jeremiah confronts the Jewish refugees in Egypt, specifically in Pathros, accusing them of returning to idolatry after the fall of Jerusalem. This passage marks a turning point where the people, particularly the women, openly reject Jeremiah's divine message and defiantly declare their intention to continue worshipping the "Queen of Heaven," even though many of their husbands were aware of their wives' idolatrous practices.
"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:" — What's striking here is that the text highlights the men knew their wives were burning incense to other gods, not that they were necessarily doing it themselves. This detail reveals a widespread sp…
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Last reviewed October 2026
