John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 44:19

"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 husbands?" — Jeremiah 44:19 (ASV)

They advanced another argument: that they were not a small segment, but the entire people, who prospered at that time when they offered incense to idols. We know that only a few remained of that large multitude who lived when the kingdom still existed. They said then that they were not the sole originators of this superstition, but that it was practiced by many people, indeed the whole populace, when Jerusalem was full of inhabitants and the entire country was populated.

Some interpret this as referring to the women, but incorrectly, in my opinion. The masculine gender is sometimes applied to women, but rarely, and it is an awkward construction; furthermore, it does not fit this passage, where the entire context shows that men are being spoken of. However, only one reason leads them to think so, and it is trivial.

It is said, Have we done this without our men? Therefore, when they said that they had not acted without the men, it immediately occurred to interpreters that the women were speaking; but the word used is in the masculine gender. It is well known that אנשים, anushim, sometimes mean the aged, and also the princes who govern, as is evident from other passages. But here that small group which remained presented the agreement of a large multitude, as though they had said, “We here are many against you who stand alone; but if you compare the ancient condition of the city and of the land with our miserable state—when the kingdom flourished, when the city remained safe, when the whole country was full of inhabitants—did they not all then, with one consent, worship the stars and the workmanship of the heavens? Since, then, this religion has been approved by the agreement of so many, what do you mean by attempting to take it away from us?”

We now, then, understand the Prophet's purpose, or rather, we understand the meaning of those whom he has presented as speakers. They then said that they did not offer incense and pour out libations without their men—that is, without that large multitude who afterwards perished or were consumed. Thus they set up a large number of men against him, like a cloud, just as the Papists do today, who only use popular agreement to fight against God's truth in order to overwhelm it. In the same way, these wretched men contended with Jeremiah. This pretext was their shield: that the entire people, before the city was demolished, followed these superstitions: We have, then, not done this without our men, pouring out libations and offering incense.