What did the Jews say in Jeremiah 44:18 about why they were suffering?
In Jeremiah 44:18, the Jews said that since they had stopped burning incense to the Queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, they had lacked all things and were consumed by sword and famine. They blamed their suffering on having quit that worship.
Les explains that in Jeremiah 44:18 the Jews, or Israelites, were speaking back and said they had wanted all things and had been consumed by the sword and famine since they left off burning incense to the Queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her. He notes they were not recognizing that God was dealing with them; they were saying their problems came because they had quit worshipping the Queen of heaven. Les points out that this Queen of heaven was one of the primary goddesses of mythology, and in verse 19 they described making cakes and pouring out drink offerings to her. The women were the primary culprits, but Jeremiah answered all the people, and the passage shows how far pagan worship had penetrated the Jewish, or Israeli, community.
But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
More Questions
Why did the Jews blame their troubles on quitting the worship of the Queen of heaven?
The Jews were not recognizing that God was trying to deal with them; instead they reasoned that the reason for all their problems was that they had quit worshiping the Queen of heaven.