Lexical Summary
meleketh: Work, craftsmanship, occupation
Original Word:מְלֶכֶת
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:mleketh
Pronunciation:meh-leh-keth
Phonetic Spelling:(mel-eh'-keth)
KJV: queen
NASB:queen
Word Origin:[fromH4427 (מָלַך - To reign)]
1. a queen
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
queen
Frommalak; a queen -- queen.
see HEBREWmalak
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom the same as
melekDefinitionqueen
NASB Translationqueen (5).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(form difficult; compare Ol
§ 147 d Kö
ii, 169 n. Gie
Jeremiah 7:18 Ba
NB 165, Anm. 2; ZMG xii. 1887, 606); — only construct
Jeremiah 7:18 4t. Jeremiah =
queen of the heavens, a goddess; identification dubious; perhaps= Ištar, Venus, compare Schr
below and others; (> = (Manuscripts), construct of (see ),
worship of the heavens (Cast
Lex. Syr.), or creative
work of the heavens, collective =
host of heaven, Sta
below (compare ); see Schr
COTJeremiah 7:18; SBAk 1886, 477 ff., ZA iii. 1888, 353 ff., iv. 1889, 74 ff. Sta
ZAW 1886,123 ff. 289 ff. Kue
Ges. Abh. 186 ff. We
Skizzen iii. 38 Nö
ZMG xli. 1889, 710 f. RS
Semitic i. 57, 172 (ed. 2, 57, 189) Grünb
ZMG xiii.1888, 45); — only as worshipped by people of Jerusalem
Jeremiah 7:18 ("" );
Jeremiah 44:17,18,19,25 (all "" ).
Topical Lexicon
Definition And Biblical OccurrencesThe 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).
2. It traces Judah’s calamities—not to neglect of the Queen of Heaven (as the refugees in Egypt claimed,Jeremiah 44:17–19) but to forsaking the LORD (Jeremiah 44:22–23).
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.
2. Covenant Continuity: Rebellion against the LORD, not geopolitical misfortune, accounts for Judah’s downfall. The text vindicates God’s justice while preserving His consistency throughout Scripture (compareDeuteronomy 4:15–19).
3. Generational Influence: The cult spread through family roles—children, fathers, women—underscoring the generational impact of spiritual compromise (cf.Exodus 20:5–6).
Practical Ministry Applications
• Guarding Family Worship: The Jeremiah passages warn that homes can become altars of idolatry when cultural trends displace Scripture.
• Discipling in Discernment: Leaders must expose syncretism masquerading as harmless tradition.
• Intercession for Society: Jeremiah wept yet spoke firmly, modeling prayerful confrontation rather than passive accommodation.
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 limleḵeṯ
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