Jeremiah 44:17
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This verse reveals a shocking misinterpretation: the people blame God for their current hardship, not for their past prosperity, twisting Jeremiah's message to justify their continued idolatry. They believe their good fortune then was proof their worship of the "queen of heaven" was correct, rather than seeing their present suffering as a consequence of defying God.
But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Judah have fled to Egypt after the destruction of Jerusalem, and they are facing famine. When Jeremiah confronts them, relaying God's message, they defiantly declare their intention to continue their idolatrous practices, particularly worship of the "queen of heaven." They justify this by claiming their past prosperity and lack of disaster when they engaged in these rituals, rejecting Jeremiah's warnings as invalid.
What happens when people become so set in their ways that they choose to defy God, even after disaster strikes?
In Jeremiah 44:17, the people make a bold declaration: 'But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth.' This isn't just a casual promise; it's a defiant commitment, a vow. Notice how they emphasize 'out of our own mouth,' indicating their resolve to follow their own plans and words, rather than God's. This 'willfulness' and 'self-will' (as Calvin calls it) is identified as the very root of superstition and error. They were so determined to continue their worship of the 'queen of heaven' that they elevated their own spoken commitments above God's clear commands and Jeremiah's prophetic warnings. This is the heart of rebellion: prioritizing human pronouncements over divine instruction.
Is material success a sure sign that God approves of our actions and beliefs?
The people in Jeremiah 44:17 offer a powerful, yet deeply flawed, justification for their idolatry: 'for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.' They connect their past prosperity—fullness of food, well-being, and freedom from disaster—directly to their worship of the queen of heaven. This is a common trap: confusing temporal well-being with divine endorsement.
Think about it:
Ask a follow-up
How do 'we've always done it this way' and 'everyone important did it' become arguments against truth?
The people don't just rely on their own will; they bolster their rebellion with appeals to tradition and authority. They declare, 'as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.' This is a multi-layered defense:
This is the danger of tradition when it hardens the heart against God's Word. It becomes a shield for disobedience, not a guide toward righteousness.
Understand the original words
neder · Hebrew Noun
A solemn promise, oath, or dedication made to God, often involving a commitment to perform a specific action or abstain from certain behaviors. In a negative context, as seen here, it reflects a hardened commitment to idolatry.
qitter · Hebrew Verb
A ritualized gift presented to a deity to secure favor, appease wrath, or express worship. In biblical history, such offerings were strictly reserved for the worship of YHWH, and offering them to other gods is a direct violation of the first commandment.
meleket hashamayim · Hebrew Noun Phrase
An idolatrous deity, likely associated with the Canaanite Astarte or the Babylonian Ishtar. The worship of this figure was a pervasive syncretistic threat to the pure worship of YHWH in Judah.
nesek · Hebrew Noun
A liquid sacrifice (usually wine) poured out before an altar or idol as an act of worship or propitiation, commonly associated in the Old Testament with false worship practices.
tobah · Hebrew Noun
A state of material abundance and success. In the biblical worldview, true prosperity is defined by obedience to God, whereas the people here incorrectly equate material stability with the favor of false gods.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
A calamitous event or severe misfortune, often interpreted in the Old Testament as divine judgment or the consequence of turning away from God's covenant.
This passage reveals the deep-seated human tendency to cling to familiar, man-made traditions and perceived comforts, even in the face of overwhelming divine judgment. The Jews in Egypt, rather than learning from Jerusalem's destruction, double down on their idolatry, mistakenly believing their worship of the 'queen of heaven' brought them prosperity in the past and will continue to do so.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many citizens and scattering them among its vast territories. This event serves as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience to God.
626 BC
Jeremiah Begins His Prophetic Ministry
God calls Jeremiah to prophesy to Judah. His ministry takes place during a turbulent period marked by the decline of Assyria and the rise of Babylon.
609 BC
Death of King Josiah
King Josiah, who had led a religious reformation in Judah, is killed in battle at Megiddo. His death plunges the kingdom into instability and spiritual decline.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, prince of Babylon, besieges Jerusalem and carries away notable citizens, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
After a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's elite, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's armies finally destroy Jerusalem, raze the Temple, and carry off the majority of the remaining population into Babylonian exile. This catastrophic event fulfills Jeremiah's warnings.
c. 582 BC— this verse
Jeremiah 44 is Delivered
Following the utter destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, a remnant of Jews flees to Egypt, taking the prophet Jeremiah with them. In Egypt, they stubbornly cling to their idolatrous practices, particularly worship of the 'queen of heaven,' attributing their past prosperity to it and justifying their continued disobedience despite God's judgment.
This passage shows a similar human tendency to create and worship a tangible object (the golden calf) when feeling abandoned or uncertain, mirroring the Israelites' desperate turn to the 'queen of heaven'.
Deuteronomy 8:11-14This passage warns against forgetting God and becoming complacent due to prosperity, directly addressing the people's false conclusion that their abundance was a result of their idolatry.
1 Kings 18:21Elijah's confrontation with the Israelites on Mount Carmel highlights the dangerous practice of 'limping between two opinions,' trying to serve both God and other deities, much like the people in Jeremiah's time.
Proverbs 1:32This proverb speaks to the foolishness of those who are destroyed by their complacency and rejection of wisdom, echoing the people's self-deception that their prosperity meant God approved of their sin.
Romans 1:21-23This New Testament passage describes how people, though knowing God, 'did not honor him as God, nor give thanks,' instead exchanging the truth for a lie and worshipping created things, showing this human failing spans all of history.
calvinJeremiah 44:17: "But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto 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 had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil."
- But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to p…
barnesJeremiah 44:17: "But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto 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 had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil."
Whatsoever thing ... - Or, the whole word (or thing) which hath gone forth out of our mouth; i. e., the vows we have made. They wo…
This verse reveals a shocking misinterpretation: the people blame God for their current hardship, not for their past prosperity, twisting Jeremiah's message to justify their continued idolatry. They believe their good fortune then was proof their worship of the "queen of heaven" was correct, rather than seeing their present suffering as a consequence of defying God.
The people of Judah have fled to Egypt after the destruction of Jerusalem, and they are facing famine. When Jeremiah confronts them, relaying God's message, they defiantly declare their intention to continue their idolatrous practices, particularly worship of the "queen of heaven." They justify this by claiming their past prosperity and lack of disaster when they engaged in these rituals, rejecting Jeremiah's warnings as invalid.
The people of Judah have fled to Egypt after the destruction of Jerusalem, and they are facing famine. When Jeremiah confronts them, relaying God's message, they defiantly declare their intention to continue their idolatrous practices, particularly worship of the "queen of heaven." They justify this by claiming their past prosperity and lack of disaster when they engaged in these rituals, rejecting Jeremiah's warnings as invalid.
"But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusale…" — This verse reveals a shocking misinterpretation: the people blame God for their current hardship, not for their past prosperity, twisting Jeremiah's message to justify their continued idolatry. The…
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Last reviewed October 2026
