14. From the few remaining in Judah, no fugitive or survivor who came to live here in the land of Egypt will be able to return to the land of Judah. Even though they want to return and live there, they won’t be able to return, except for some fugitives.
15. Then all the men who knew that their wives had made offerings to other gods, along with the great crowd of women who were present, as well as the people living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, all answered Jeremiah:
16. "We’re not going to listen to a word you have said to us in the Lord’s name!
17. No, we’re going to do exactly what we want: We’re going to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials, have done in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Then we had plenty to eat and we were thriving; we didn’t have any troubles.
18. But ever since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring drink offerings to her, we have been destroyed by the sword and by famine."
19. And the women added, "Do you think that we burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour drink offerings to her without our husbands’ support when we make cakes in her image and pour drink offerings to her?"
20. Jeremiah said to all the people, men and women alike, in fact everyone who had spoken this way:
21. "Do you really think the Lord was unaware of what you were up to in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem? Don’t you think the Lord knew that you and your ancestors were making offerings to other gods—along with your kings and officials, and the people of the land?
22. It got so bad that the Lord could no longer bear your evil and shameless acts; it was at that point that your land was reduced to an utter wasteland and a curse, as it is today.