Jeremía 7:18

Heilögum Biblíunni

18 Börnin tína saman eldivið og feðurnir kveikja eldinn, en konurnar hnoða deig til þess að gjöra af fórnarkökur handa himnadrottningunni, og færa öðrum guðum dreypifórnir til þess að skaprauna mér.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

children: Jeremiah 44:17-19, Jeremiah 44:25, 1 Corinthians 10:22

queen of heaven: or, frame, or workmanship of heaven, Though several manuscripts and editions have melachath "workmanship," instead of melecheth "queen" yet the latter reading seems the true one, as the LXX in the parallel place, and the Vulgate uniformly have "the queen of heaven;" by which there can be little doubt, is meant the Moon. Deuteronomy 4:19, Job 31:26-28

to pour: Jeremiah 19:13, Jeremiah 32:29, Deuteronomy 32:37, Deuteronomy 32:38, Psalms 16:4, Isaiah 57:6, Isaiah 65:11, Ezekiel 20:28

that they: Jeremiah 25:7, Isaiah 3:8, Isaiah 65:3

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 2:23 - little children 2 Kings 23:19 - to provoke the Lord Job 30:8 - children Jeremiah 17:2 - their children Jeremiah 44:9 - the wickedness of your Jeremiah 44:19 - we burned Ezekiel 24:8 - it might Hosea 2:8 - her corn

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The children gather wood,.... In the fields, or out of the neighbouring forest; not little children, but young men, who were able to cut down trees, and bear and carry burdens of wood:

and the fathers kindle the fire; take the wood of their children, lay it in order, and put fire to it; which shows that they approved of what their children did, and that what they did was by their direction and order:

and the women knead their dough; so that every age and sex were employed in idolatrous service, which is here intended; the corruption was universal; and therefore the whole body was ripe for ruin; nor would the Lord be entreated for them: and all this preparation was,

to make cakes for the queen of heaven; the moon, as Abarbinel; which rules by night, as the sun is the king that rules by day; and which was much worshipped by the Heathens, whom the Jews imitated. Some render it,

to the work, or workmanship, of heavens; q that is, to the whole host of heaven, sun, moon, and stars, which were worshipped in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem, 2 Kings 23:5. The Targum renders it,

"to the star of heaven;''

and Jarchi interprets it of some great star in the heaven, called the queen of heaven; and thinks that these cakes had the impress of a star upon them; see Amos 5:26 where mention is made of "Chiun, your image, the star of your god". The word "chiun" is akin to the word here translated cakes, and thought to be explained by a star; see also Acts 7:43 but it seems rather to be the moon, which is expressly called by Apuleius r the queen of heaven; and often by others Coelestis; and Urania by the Africans, as Tertullian s and Herodian t affirm; as also Beltis, by Abydenus u; and Baaltis, by Philo-Byblius, or Sanchoniatho w; which have the signification of "queen"; and these cakes might have the form of the moon upon them, and be made and offered in imitation of the shewbread:

and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods; not different from the queen of heaven, and the hosts thereof; for to her and them drink offerings were poured out, Jeremiah 44:18 but other gods besides the one, only, living, and true God:

that they may provoke me to anger; not that this was their intention, but so it was eventually.

q למלכת השמים "operi coelorum", Piscator, Gataker, Cocceius "machinae coelorum", Munster, Tigurine version; so Kimchi and Ben Melech. r Metamorph. l. 11. principio. s Apologet. c. 24. t Hist. l. 5. 1. 15. u Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 41. p. 456. w Apud ib. l. 2. c. 10. p. 38.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Children ... fathers ... women - All members of the family take part in this idolatry.

Cakes - Probably very similar to those offered at Athens to Artemis.

To the queen of heaven - A Persian and Assyrian deity, who was supposed to symbolize a quality possessed by moonlight of giving to nature its receptive power, as the sun represented its quickening power. The moon thus became generally the symbol of female productiveness, and was worshipped as such at Babylon. Disgraceful usages to which every woman was obliged once to submit formed part of her worship.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 7:18. The children gather wood — Here is a description of a whole family gathered together, and acting unitedly in idolatrous worship.

1. The children go and collect wood, and bring it to the place of sacrifice.

2. The fathers lay it in order, and kindle a fire.

3. The mother and her maids knead dough, make their batch, and out of it form cakes, and bake them for the honour of the queen of heaven; most probably the moon, though perhaps not exclusive of the sun and planets, generally called the host of heaven.

Family worship is a most amiable and becoming thing when performed according to truth. What a pity that so few families show such zeal for the worship of God as those apostate Israelites did for that of their idols!