17 "But rather e we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths , by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves , our forefathers , our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem ; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune . 18 "But since e we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine ." 19 "And," said the women, "when we were burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without e our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 44:17-19
Commentary on Jeremiah 44:15-19
(Read Jeremiah 44:15-19)
These daring sinners do not attempt excuses, but declare they will do that which is forbidden. Those who disobey God, commonly grow worse and worse, and the heart is more hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Here is the real language of the rebellious heart. Even the afflictions which should have parted them from their sins, were taken so as to confirm them in their sins. It is sad when those who should quicken each other to what is good, and so help one another to heaven, harden each other in sin, and so ripen one another for hell. To mingle idolatry with Divine worship, and to reject the mediation of Christ, are provoking to God, and ruinous to men. All who worship images, or honour saints, and angels, and the queen of heaven, should recollect what came from the idolatrous practices of the Jews.