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)

²⁶ You engaged in prostitution^(A) with the Egyptians,^(B) your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger^(C) with your increasing promiscuity.^(D)