Jeremiah 44:15-22

New International Version

¹⁵ Then all the men who knew that their wives^(A) were burning incense^(B) to other gods, along with all the women^(C) who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt,^(D) said to Jeremiah, ¹⁶ “We will not listen^(E) to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!^{(F) 17} We will certainly do everything we said we would:^(G) We will burn incense^(H) to the Queen of Heaven^(I) and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials^(J) did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.^(K) At that time we had plenty of food^(L) and were well off and suffered no harm.^{(M) 18} But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings^(N) to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.^(O)”

¹⁹ The women added, “When we burned incense^(P) to the Queen of Heaven^(Q) and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbands^(R) know that we were making cakes^(S) impressed with her image^(T) and pouring out drink offerings to her?”

²⁰ Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, ²¹ “Did not the Lord remember^(U) and call to mind the incense^(V) burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem^(W) by you and your ancestors,^(X) your kings and your officials and the people of the land?^{(Y) 22} When the Lord could no longer endure^(Z) your wicked actions and the detestable things you did, your land became a curse^(AA) and a desolate waste^(AB) without inhabitants, as it is today.^(AC)