15 Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods answered Jeremiah, along with all the women standing there in a large assembly, and all the people living in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, saying:
16 The word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you.
17 Instead, we will do everything we promised: we will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, just as we, our ancestors, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. At that time, we had plenty of food, prospered, and experienced no disaster.
18 But since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by sword and famine.
19 And when we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured drink offerings to her, did we do it without our husbands’ approval? Were they not with us when we made cakes shaped like her and poured drink offerings to her?
20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both the men and the women, who had given him this answer:
21 Does the burning of incense you, your ancestors, your kings, your officials, and the people of the land did in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem not remain in the LORD's memory and come to his attention?
22 Because the LORD could no longer endure the wickedness of your actions and the detestable things you committed, your land became a ruin, a desolation, and a curse, without inhabitants, as it is today.
23 It is because you burned incense, sinned against the LORD, and did not obey the voice of the LORD or walk in his law, decrees, or testimonies, that this disaster has come upon you, as it is today.
24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, especially the women, 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who are living in the land of Egypt.