Jer 44:17-19 | JFB | STEP | 17. whatsoever ... goeth ... out of our ... mouth-- whatever vow we have uttered to our gods ( ; ; ). The source of all superstitions is that men oppose their own will and fancies to God's commands. queen of heaven-- (See on ); 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 ; . In fact, God had often chastised them for their idolatry (see ); 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 ( ; ). So Esau ( ).

‏ Jeremiah 44:17-19

17. whatsoever ... goeth ... out of our ... mouth--whatever vow we have uttered to our gods (Jr 44:25; De 23:23; Jud 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 Jr 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 Pr 1:32; Ec 8:11-13. In fact, God had often chastised them for their idolatry (see Jud 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 (De 8:3; Joh 6:27). So Esau (He 12:16).

18. They impute their calamities to their service of God, but these are often marks of His favor, not of wrath, to do His people good at their latter end (De 8:16).

19. make ... cakes to worship her--Maurer translates, "to form her image." Crescent-shaped cakes were offered to the moon. Vulgate supports English Version.

without our men--The women mentioned (Jr 44:15); "a great multitude" here speak: we have not engaged in secret night orgies which might justly be regarded unfavorably by our husbands: our sacred rites have been open, and with their privity. They wish to show how unreasonable it is that Jeremiah should oppose himself alone to the act of all, not merely women, but men also. The guilty, like these women, desire to shield themselves under the complicity of others. Instead of helping one another towards heaven, husband and wife often ripen one another for hell.