The Bible Says
Jeremiah 44:15-19 Meaning

In Jeremiah 44:15-19, the people who were living in Egypt, many of them originally from Judah, confronted Jeremiah. Verse 15 declares, Then all the men who were aware that their wives were burning sacrifices to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying (v. 15). Pathros, located in the Upper Egypt region south of Memphis, became a place of refuge for some Judeans after the fall of Jerusalem around 586 BC. Jeremiah, a prophet active from about 627 BC until sometime after 586 BC, had warned them not to adopt Egyptian practices, but here the people openly justify their worship of foreign deities. In many ways, their refusal to heed Jeremiah’s words reflects a deep-seated resistance against turning fully to the LORD, who had delivered them from destruction in Judah.

By taking up residence in the land of Egypt, these Judeans felt far removed from their homeland’s destruction and were lured into pagan rituals of the region. They state their case collectively, strengthened by their numbers. Their mention of men and women standing by suggests unity among them—an agreement to continue practices Jeremiah has condemned. This open rebuttal to God's prophet highlights a dramatic conflict: they were more convinced of the supposed benefits of idolatry than of the promises God had made to His people.

Next, they flatly refuse Jeremiah’s message: "As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you!" (v. 16). This open declaration of disobedience shows just how far the people had drifted from submission to the LORD’s authority. Instead of turning from idolatry, they double down and reject the prophet’s warnings. Such willful rebellion was a pattern in Judah’s history, where prophets like Isaiah and others tried to call them back to faithful worship, only to be met with refusal (Isaiah 30:9-11).

They continue by outlining their intentions: "But rather 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" (v. 17). The so-called "queen of heaven" may refer to a fertility goddess revered in the ancient Near East. These Judeans believe that worshiping her brought tangible blessings like prosperity and security.

In citing their forefathers, kings, and princes, they argue that idol worship was part of life in Judah before tragedy struck, attributing the disasters of famine and conquest to their halting of such offerings rather than the Bible’s explanation of these calamities resulting from disobedience to God (2 Kings 17:7-12). This rationalization reveals the deep cultural and spiritual confusion in their community.

They then explain their troubles: "But since 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" (v. 18). From their perspective, turning away from pagan worship coincided with the downfall of Jerusalem and the hardships that followed. Their misguided conclusion is that the LORD’s commandments are somehow detrimental, instead of recognizing how their sin led to judgment (Jeremiah 44:2-6).

Such a belief demonstrates the human tendency to interpret blessings and misfortunes through a distorted spiritual lens. In reality, God’s covenant promises to Israel were conditional on faithfully following Him (Deuteronomy 28). When Israel broke those covenant terms and worshiped idols, they forfeited His protection.

Lastly, the women express a collective defense of their activities: "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 our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?" (v. 19). They insist that the men also sanctioned these acts, absolving themselves individually by pointing to their husbands’ involvement. It underscores a community—wide endorsement of idolatry, with neither gender seeing a need to repent or change course.

In these statements, the hearts of the people are revealed. The women’s reference to their husbands shows that this was not merely a fringe activity by a few wayward individuals—rather, the entire group willingly participated or permitted pagan offerings. Jeremiah 44:15-19 highlights how sin can become entrenched in a community, as both social and familial bonds reinforce continued disobedience to God.

Though set in ancient Egypt, the defiance described here points forward to the timeless need for genuine faithfulness. Jesus would later emphasize heart obedience over mere external conformity (Mark 7:6-8), calling people to a worship that is both outwardly and inwardly devoted to the LORD. Even for believers today, there is a warning to examine our own loyalties and ensure our worship is directed to God alone (1 John 5:21).