And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?
Did we make her cakes to worship her? [Maurer translates lªha`ªtsibaah (H6087) 'to form her image.'] Crescent-shaped cakes were offered to the moon. The Vulgate supports the English version. The Hebrew root х `aatsaab (H6091)] expresses, to vex or grieve; implying that an idol causes nothing but sorrow and shame to its worshippers, without any profit, and grieves God, and stirs up His anger. Compare the Hebrew and the English version, Isaiah 63:10, where the same Hebrew word occurs.
Without our men. The women mentioned Jeremiah 44:15, "a great multitude," here spake: we have not engaged in secret night-orgies which might justly be regarded unfavourably by our husbands; our sacred rites have been open, and with their privity. They wish to show how unreasonable it is that Jeremiah should oppose himself alone to the act of all, not merely women, but men also. The guilty, like these women, desire to shield themselves under the complicity of others. Instead of helping one another toward heaven, husband and wife often ripen one another for hell.