Jeremiah 44:17

whatsoever . . . goeth . . . out of our . . . mouth--whatever vow we have uttered to our gods (Jer 44:25; Deu 23:23; Jdg 11:36). The source of all superstitions is that men oppose their own will and fancies to God's commands. queen of heaven--(See on Jer 7:18); Ashtaroth or Astarte. we . . . fathers . . . king, &c.--The evil was restricted to no one class: all from the highest to the lowest shared the guilt. then had we plenty--Fools attribute their seeming prosperity to God's connivance at their sin: but see Pro 1:32; Ecc 8:11-13. In fact, God had often chastised them for their idolatry (see Jdg 2:14); but it is the curse of impiety not to perceive the hand of God in calamities. victuals--Men cast away the bread of the soul for the bread that perisheth (Deu 8:3; Joh 6:27). So Esau (Heb 12:16).

But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouth,.... And not what went out of the mouth of God, or his prophet: but whoever they had resolved on within themselves to do, and had declared with their mouths they would, or had vowed with their lips; so Abarbinel interprets it of a vow; this they were determined to perform, let God and his prophet say what they would: to burn incense unto the queen of heaven; which, according to Abarbinel, was the moon, which is the queen of heaven, as the sun is king; it was called by the Heathens Coelestis and Urania: but there are some that think that some great star in heaven, that is king over the rest, is meant; so the Targum renders it, the star of heaven; which they understand of the sun, as Kimchi observes; the sun being much worshipped in Egypt; but Kimchi himself derives the word for "queen", here used, not from the root which signifies "to reign"; but from another, which signifies "to work"; and so renders it, "the work", or "frame of heaven"; the sun, moon, and stars; and so the Syriac version is "the host of heaven"; See Gill on Jer 7:18; and to this deity, be it what it will, they burned incense; and they were determined to continue it, and all other idolatrous rites and practices particularly: and to pour out drink offerings unto her; which was another part of ceremonial worship, which the true God required of the people of Israel; but were here resolved to give it to another god: as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem; they plead custom and prescription, antiquity and authority; the examples of ancestors and kings; the general practice of their nation, both in the metropolis of it, and in its several cities, where it not…

In this chapter we have, I. An awakening sermon which Jeremiah preaches to the Jews in Egypt, to reprove them for their idolatry, notwithstanding the warnings given them both by the word and the rod of God and to threaten the judgments of God against them for it (Jer 44:1-14). II. The impudent and impious contempt which the people put upon this admonition, and their declared resolution to persist in their idolatries notwithstanding, in despite of God and Jeremiah (Jer 44:15-19). III. The sentence passed upon them for their obstinacy, that they should all be cut off and perish in Egypt except a very small number; and, as a sign or earnest of it, the king of Egypt should shortly fall into the hands of the king of Babylon and be unable any longer to protect them (Jer 44:20-30).

44:17 The Judean refugees imagined that they had freedom. They apparently believed that obedience to the Lord entailed bondage and that their pagan worship was the way to fulfillment. • The Queen of Heaven was worshiped under a variety of names throughout the ancient Near East. In Assyria and Babylon she was called “Ishtar,” and the Canaanites called her “Astarte.” In the Old Testament, she is usually called “Ashtoreth” and associated with Baal. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth and built shrines for her, but Josiah eventually destroyed those shrines (2 Kgs 23:13; see 1 Kgs 11:5). Ashtoreth was associated with the planet Venus and with all types of reproduction among plants and animals, so she was a popular idol among farmers and herdsmen. Offerings of incense, food, and liquids were regarded as magical triggers that would induce reproduction and prosperity.