Does Jeremiah 44:17–19, mentioning worship of the “Queen of Heaven,” conflict with monotheism or other biblical teachings?

Historical and Cultural Context

The passage in Jeremiah 44:17–19 depicts a remnant of Judahites living in Egypt after the destruction of Jerusalem. They had fled to avoid the Babylonian invasion (Jeremiah 43:1–7). Amid the upheaval, many claimed that worshiping the “Queen of Heaven” (a pagan deity likely patterned after Canaanite or Babylonian goddesses such as Ashtoreth/Ishtar) once brought them prosperity. They believed ceasing those rituals led to their downfall.

The text states:

“Instead, we will do everything we vowed: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and pour out drink offerings to her just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster. But from the time we ceased burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been perishing by sword and famine.”

“And,” said the women, “when we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands’ knowledge that we baked sacrificial cakes shaped in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?” (Jeremiah 44:17–19)

Description of the “Queen of Heaven”

1. The phrase “Queen of Heaven” is tied to a fertility or war goddess in the Near East. Archaeological studies at sites like Ugarit indicate that figures resembling goddesses associated with fertility were worshiped across many cultures in the region. The mention of cakes and drink offerings suggests ritual offerings made to a feminine deity revered for provision and protection.

2. The text does not endorse this deity but rather shows the people’s continued disobedience. Jeremiah, a prophet tasked with calling Judah back to sole worship of the God of Israel (Yahweh), exposes their lack of faith and warns of the consequences.

3. Other biblical passages (Jeremiah 7:18; Ezekiel 8:14) reference similar practices. Such repeated warnings show that Israel regularly struggled with syncretism, blending pagan worship into devotion to Yahweh.

Monotheism in the Hebrew Scriptures

1. From the earliest commands—such as Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One”—Scripture emphasizes that worship belongs exclusively to God. The narrative of the Hebrew Scriptures consistently portrays monotheism, distinguishing the God of Israel from false deities.

2. In Exodus 20:3–5, the Ten Commandments underscore the prohibition of idolatry: “You shall have no other gods before Me…You shall not bow down to them or worship them”. This imperative confronts any practice, including the veneration of a “Queen of Heaven,” that competes with Yahweh’s rightful place.

3. The worship described in Jeremiah 44:17–19 does not challenge the Bible’s lesson of monotheism but confirms it by illustrating what happens when individuals reject God and turn to idols. The passage is condemning the worship of the Queen of Heaven, not endorsing it.

Does This Conflict with Biblical Teachings on Monotheism?

1. The passage in Jeremiah 44 recounts the people’s rebellion. It does not present a theological endorsement of a second deity. Instead, it documents a real scenario in which some chose to worship a false goddess.

2. The biblical response to this worship is strongly negative. Jeremiah continually warns this remnant that their downfall was actually precipitated by a refusal to heed the one true God’s commands (Jeremiah 44:20–23). Far from contradicting monotheism, the passage reaffirms it by showing the disastrous effects of idolatry.

3. Contextually, archaeology from the region shows the presence of goddess figurines, but these artifacts align with the Bible’s record of Israel’s struggle with pagan neighbors. The biblical text highlights that such practices violated God’s covenant and led to judgment, demonstrating a consistent monotheistic stance.

Examination of Jeremiah’s Argument

1. Jeremiah contends that disobedience to Yahweh brings ruin (Jeremiah 44:2, 23). The people’s idolatrous logic (“we were prosperous when we sacrificed to the Queen of Heaven”) stands in direct opposition to the covenant they were bound to uphold.

2. Monotheism does not disallow the mention of outside deities; rather, it insists these so-called gods have no genuine power (Isaiah 44:9–11). The mention of a rival deity underscores God’s sovereignty, as it highlights the futility of idol worship.

3. The rhetorical force of Jeremiah’s confrontation emphasizes that ancient Israel’s persistent sin was idolatry. The record in Jeremiah 44 exhibits the repeated pattern: the people turn to idols, punishment follows, and the prophet calls them to repentance.

Consistency with Other Scriptures

1. No biblical conflict arises: references to the Queen of Heaven remain entirely negative. In Jeremiah 7:18, the prophet admonishes the act of baking cakes for her explicitly. This consistent denunciation of goddess worship ensures coherence with the broader divine command to worship only Yahweh.

2. The mention of the Queen of Heaven aligns with biblical warnings that people would adopt the practices of neighboring nations (Deuteronomy 18:9–14). Historically, as attested by widespread goddess figurines in Canaanite and Syrian excavations, the lure of such worship repeatedly tempted Israel.

3. The consistent message throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, affirms the existence of only one eternal God (Isaiah 45:5). Any mention of other gods in the Bible displays human rebellion and underscores why Israel must reject pagan worship.

Conclusion

The mention of the Queen of Heaven in Jeremiah 44:17–19 does not conflict with scriptural monotheism. Instead, it exemplifies the very problem the prophet condemns: forsaking the one true God for idols. The presence of this pagan worship in the text aligns with the historical pattern of syncretism that plagued Judah and Israel, yet it highlights the Bible’s uniform call to recognize the sovereignty of God alone.

Rather than endorsing a second deity, Jeremiah 44 vividly illustrates why Scripture repeatedly warns against idolatry. Far from creating a theological contradiction, this passage reinforces the covenantal framework that demands exclusive worship of Yahweh. Ultimately, the worship of the Queen of Heaven stands as a cautionary example for all generations to hold fast to the worship of the one true God.