¹⁷ Instead, we will do everything we promised:^[a] we will burn incense to the queen of heaven^[b] and offer drink offerings to her just as we, our ancestors, our kings, and our officials did in Judah’s cities^(A) and in Jerusalem’s streets. Then we had enough food, we were well off, and we saw no disaster, ¹⁸ but from the time we ceased to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to offer her drink offerings, we have lacked everything, and through sword and famine we have met our end.”^(B)

¹⁹ And the women said,^[c] “When we burned incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, was it apart from our husbands’ knowledge^(C) that we made sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”

²⁵ This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for you and your wives, you women have spoken with your mouths, and you men fulfilled it by your deeds, saying, “We will keep our vows that we have made to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings for her.” Go ahead, confirm your vows! Keep your vows!’