Add parallel Print Page Options

17 Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, their fathers light the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven,[a] while libations are poured out to other gods—all to offend me!(A) 19 Are they really offending me—oracle of the Lord—or rather themselves, to their own disgrace?(B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 7:18 Queen of Heaven: probably Astarte, goddess of fertility (cf. 1 Sm 31:10; 1 Kgs 11:5), worshiped particularly by women (cf. Jer 44:15–19). Such worship was evidently reinforced during the reign of King Manasseh (2 Kgs 21:3–7) and was revived after Josiah’s death.

17 Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven.(A) They pour out drink offerings(B) to other gods to arouse(C) my anger. 19 But am I the one they are provoking?(D) declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?(E)

Read full chapter