for a reproach.

44:13. And I will visit them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have
visited Jerusalem by the sword, and by famine and by pestilence.

44:14. And there shall be none that shall escape, and remain of the
remnant of the Jews that are gone to sojourn in the land of Egypt: and
that shall return into the land of Juda, to which they have a desire to
return to dwell there: there shall none return but they that shall flee.

44:15. Then all the men that knew that their wives sacrificed to other
gods: and all the women of whom there stood by a great multitude, and
all the people of them that dwelt in the land of Egypt in Phatures,
answered Jeremias, saying:

44:16. As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the
Lord, we will not hearken to thee:

44:17. But we will certainly do every word that shall proceed out of our
own mouth, to sacrifice to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink
offerings to her, as we and our fathers have done, our kings, and our
princes in the cities of Juda, and in the streets of Jerusalem: and we
were filled with bread, and it was well with us, and we saw no evil.

The queen of heaven... The moon, which they worshipped under this name.

44:18. But since we left off to offer sacrifice to the queen of heaven,
and to pour out frank offerings to her, we have wanted all things, and
have been consumed by the sword, and by famine.

44:19. And if we offer sacrifice to the queen of heaven, and pour out
drink offerings to her: did we make cakes to worship her, to pour out
drink offerings to her, without our husbands?

44:20. And Jeremias spoke to all the people, to the men, and to the
women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying:

44:21. Was it not the sacrifice that you offered in the cities of Juda,
and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings, and
your princes, and the people of the land, which the Lord hath
remembered, and hath it not entered into his heart?

44:22. So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of
your doings, and because of the abominations which you have committed:
therefore your land is become a desolation, and an astonishment, and a
curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.

44:23. Because you have sacrificed to idols, and have sinned against the
Lord: and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have not walked in
his law, and in his commandments, and in his testimonies: t