Lexical Summary meleketh: Work, craftsmanship, occupation Original Word: מְלֶכֶת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance queen From malak; a queen -- queen. see HEBREW malak NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as melek Definition queen NASB Translation queen (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְלֶ֫כֶת noun feminine queen (form difficult; compare Ol§ 147 d Köii, 169 n. GieJeremiah 7:18 BaNB 165, Anm. 2; ZMG xii. 1887, 606); — only construct הַשָּׁמַיִם ׳מ Jeremiah 7:18 4t. Jeremiah = queen of the heavens, a goddess; identification dubious; perhaps= Ištar, Venus, compare Schrbelow and others; (> = מְלֶאכֶת (Manuscripts), construct of מְלָאכָה (see לאך), worship of the heavens (CastLex. Syr.), or creative work of the heavens, collective = ׳צְבָא הַשּׁ host of heaven, Stabelow (compare ᵐ5); see SchrCOT Jeremiah 7:18; SBAk 1886, 477 ff., ZA iii. 1888, 353 ff., iv. 1889, 74 ff. StaZAW 1886,123 ff. 289 ff. KueGes. Abh. 186 ff. WeSkizzen iii. 38 NöZMG xli. 1889, 710 f. RSSemitic i. 57, 172 (ed. 2, 57, 189) GrünbZMG xiii.1888, 45); — only as worshipped by people of Jerusalem ׳הַשּׁ ׳לַעֲשׂוֺת כַּוָּנִים לִמְ Jeremiah 7:18 ("" הַסֵּךְ נְסָכִים לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים); ׳הַשּׁ ׳לְקַטֵּר לִמ Jeremiah 44:17,18,19,25 (all "" הַסֵּךְ לָהּ נְסָכִים). Topical Lexicon Definition And Biblical Occurrences The expression מְלֶכֶת הַשָּׁמָיִם, rendered “Queen of Heaven,” appears five times, all in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17; 44:18; 44:19; 44:25). It denotes a female deity whose veneration had found a foothold among the people of Judah. The Berean Standard Bible records the prophet’s words of rebuke: “The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead dough and make cakes to the Queen of Heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18). Each occurrence presents the same indictment—organized, family-wide participation in a cult that provoked the Lord’s wrath. Historical And Cultural Background Archaeology and comparative studies link this “Queen” to Near-Eastern fertility goddesses such as Ishtar (Akkadian), Astarte (Canaanite-Phoenician), or possibly the Egyptian Isis. These deities were celebrated as celestial sovereigns governing fertility, warfare, and the cycles of life. Offerings of cakes and libations, mentioned in Jeremiah, were common to their rites. Judah’s flirtation with this cult intensified during the late seventh and early sixth centuries B.C., when political alliances with Egypt and exposure to Babylonian religion were strong. What had begun as syncretistic accommodation became entrenched family religion, rivaling covenant loyalty to the LORD. Prophetic Confrontation In Jeremiah Jeremiah’s polemic is twofold: 1. It exposes the cult’s popularity—whole households participated (Jeremiah 7:18). When exiles in Egypt vowed to continue the practice, Jeremiah pronounced irrevocable judgment: “As for the word you have spoken… we will not listen to you!” (Jeremiah 44:16), sealing their fate under divine wrath (Jeremiah 44:26–30). Theological Significance 1. Exclusive Worship: The passages reaffirm the first commandment. Any elevation of a created power—celestial, political, or familial—constitutes idolatry. Practical Ministry Applications • Guarding Family Worship: The Jeremiah passages warn that homes can become altars of idolatry when cultural trends displace Scripture. Reflection In The Broader Canon While the explicit title “Queen of Heaven” is confined to Jeremiah, Scripture repeatedly denounces astral and fertility worship (2 Kings 17:16; Ezekiel 8:14–16). The New Testament echoes the call to flee idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14) and proclaims Christ as the sole “image of the invisible God… superior to every power” (Colossians 1:15-18). Thus the “Queen of Heaven” episodes provide a stark backdrop highlighting the majesty of the true King of Heaven. Forms and Transliterations לִמְלֶ֣כֶת לִמְלֶ֧כֶת למלכת lim·le·ḵeṯ limLechet limleḵeṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 7:18 HEB: לַעֲשׂ֨וֹת כַּוָּנִ֜ים לִמְלֶ֣כֶת הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וְהַסֵּ֤ךְ NAS: cakes for the queen of heaven; KJV: cakes to the queen of heaven, INT: to make cakes the queen of heaven and pour Jeremiah 44:17 Jeremiah 44:18 Jeremiah 44:19 Jeremiah 44:25 5 Occurrences |
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