Queen of Heaven

QUEEN of Heaven: This is the Name that the Hebrew Idolaters used to give to the Moon. Jeremiah, chap. vii. ver. 8. says, The Children gather Wood, and the Fathers kindle the Fire, and the Women knead their Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven. And elsewhere, ch. xliv. ver. 16, 17, 18. the disobedient Israelites tell the same Prophet; As for the Word that thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own Mouth, to burn Incense unto the Queen of Heaven. — But since we left off to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out Drink-offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the Sword, and by the Famine. We think it to be the same that is call’d Meni in the Hebrew of Isaiah, chap. lxv. 2. But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy Mountain, that prepare a Table for that Troop, and that furnish the Drink-offering unto that Number. The Hebrew says, That prepare a Table for Gad, and furnish the Drink-offering to Meni. See the Article MENI. We take all these to be nothing else than the Moon, Astarte, Trivia, Hecate, Diana, the Heavenly Venus, Isis, according to the different Superstitions of the People. They set up Altars to her upon the Plat-forms or Roofs of their Houses, at the Corners of the Streets, near their Doors, and in Groves. They offer’d Cakes to her, kneaded up with Oyl or Honey, and made Libations to her with Wine and other Liquors. The Rabbins think they printed upon these Cakes the Resemblance of a Star, or Half-Moon.

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