Focused Passage

Jeremiah 19:1-6

The Broken Jar, Topheth, and the Disaster Judah Cannot Repair

The chapter moves from the LORD’s command to buy a potter’s jar and gather leaders, to a public oracle at the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to the naming of Judah’s abominations and bloodguilt, to the renaming of Topheth as the Valley of Slaughter, to siege horrors including cannibalism, to Jeremiah’s smashing of the jar as an irreversible sign, to the declaration that Jerusalem will become like Topheth, and finally to Jeremiah’s temple-court proclamation that disaster will come because the people stiffened their necks and would not listen.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 This is what the LORD says: “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take some of the elders of the people and leaders of the priests,

2 and go out to the Valley of Ben-hinnom near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. Proclaim there the words I speak to you,

3 saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on this place that the ears of all who hear of it will ring,

4 because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

5 They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.

6 So behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben-hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Ezekiel 8:11 Classic cross-references Hosea 12:10 Classic cross-references Isaiah 30:14 Classic cross-references Isaiah 30:29 Classic cross-references Isaiah 7:11 Classic cross-references

Original words

This is what כֹּ֚ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Go הָל֛וֹךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute and buy וְקָנִ֥יתָ H7069 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular a clay חָ֑רֶשׂ H2789 Noun - masculine singular jar בַקְבֻּ֖ק H1228 Noun - masculine singular construct from a potter יוֹצֵ֣ר H3335 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct Take some of the elders וּמִזִּקְנֵ֣י H2205 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine plural construct of the people הָעָ֔ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular and leaders וּמִזִּקְנֵ֖י H2205 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine plural construct of the priests הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ H3548 Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 2

Cross-references

Joshua 15:8 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 23:10 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 28:3 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 33:6 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 40:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

and go וְיָצָ֙אתָ֙ H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular out to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the Valley גֵּ֣יא H1516 Noun - proper - feminine singular of Ben-hinnom בֶן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הִנֹּ֔ם H2011 Noun - proper - אֲשֶׁ֕ר H834 Pronoun - relative near the entrance פֶּ֖תַח H6607 Noun - masculine singular construct of the Potsherd הַחֲרָסוּת H2777 Article | Noun - feminine singular Gate שַׁ֣עַר H8179 Noun - masculine singular construct Proclaim וְקָרָ֣אתָ H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular there שָּׁ֔ם H8033 Adverb - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the words הַדְּבָרִ֖ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I speak אֲדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular to you אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ H413 Preposition | second person masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

1 Samuel 3:11 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 21:12 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 17:20 Classic cross-references Hosea 2:2 Classic cross-references Isaiah 28:19 Classic cross-references

Original words

saying וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Hear שִׁמְע֣וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural the word דְבַר־ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular O kings מַלְכֵ֣י H4428 Noun - masculine plural construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֔ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular and residents וְיֹשְׁבֵ֖י H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct of Jerusalem יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular This is what כֹּֽה־ H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֜וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural the God אֱלֹהֵ֣י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . הִנְנִ֨י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular says אָמַר֩ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular I am going to bring מֵבִ֤יא H935 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular such disaster רָעָה֙ H7451 Adjective - feminine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular place הַמָּק֣וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative the ears אָזְנָֽיו׃ H241 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular of all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct who hear of it שֹׁמְעָ֖הּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular will ring תִּצַּ֥לְנָה H6750 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural

Verse 4

Cross-references

Jeremiah 2:34 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 1:16 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 21:16 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:20 Classic cross-references Isaiah 65:11 Classic cross-references

Original words

because יַ֣עַן׀ H3282 Adverb - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative they have abandoned Me עֲזָבֻ֗נִי H5800 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular and made this הַזֶּה֙ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular a foreign וַֽיְנַכְּר֞וּ H5234 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker place הַמָּק֤וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular They have burned incense וַיְקַטְּרוּ־ H6999 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural in [this place] בוֹ֙ Preposition | third person masculine singular to other אֲחֵרִ֔ים H312 Adjective - masculine plural gods לֵאלֹהִ֣ים H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural that אֲשֶׁ֧ר H834 Pronoun - relative [neither] they הֵ֥מָּה H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural nor their fathers וַאֲבֽוֹתֵיהֶ֖ם H1 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural nor the kings וּמַלְכֵ֣י H4428 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֑ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular have [ever] לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle known יְדָע֛וּם H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural They have filled וּמָֽלְא֛וּ H4390 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular place הַמָּק֥וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular with the blood דַּ֥ם H1818 Noun - masculine singular construct of the innocent נְקִיִּֽם׃ H5355 Adjective - masculine plural

Verse 5

Cross-references

Jeremiah 32:35 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:31 Classic cross-references Leviticus 18:21 Classic cross-references Psalms 106:37 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 16:20 Classic cross-references

Original words

They have built וּבָנ֞וּ H1129 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker high places בָּמ֣וֹת H1116 Noun - feminine plural construct to Baal הַבַּ֗עַל H1168 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular on which to burn לִשְׂרֹ֧ף H8313 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker their children בְּנֵיהֶ֛ם H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural in the fire בָּאֵ֖שׁ H784 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular as offerings עֹל֣וֹת H5930 Noun - feminine plural to Baal לַבָּ֑עַל H1168 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular something אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative I never לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle commanded צִוִּ֙יתִי֙ H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular or mentioned דִבַּ֔רְתִּי H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular . . . וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle nor וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle did it [even] enter עָלְתָ֖ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition My mind לִבִּֽי׃פ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

Verse 6

Cross-references

2 Kings 23:10 Classic cross-references Isaiah 30:33 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 7:32 Classic cross-references Joshua 15:8 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 19:2 Classic cross-references

Original words

So לָכֵ֞ן H3651 Adverb behold הִנֵּֽה־ H2009 Interjection the days יָמִ֤ים H3117 Noun - masculine plural are coming בָּאִים֙ H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular when this הַזֶּ֥ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular place לַמָּק֨וֹם H4725 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular will no וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle longer ע֛וֹד H5750 Adverb be called יִקָּרֵא֩ H7121 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Topheth הַתֹּ֖פֶת H8612 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular or the Valley וְגֵ֣יא H1516 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular of Ben-hinnom בֶן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הִנֹּ֑ם H2011 Noun - proper but כִּ֖י H3588 Conjunction . . . אִם־ H518 Conjunction the Valley גֵּ֥יא H1516 Noun - common singular construct of Slaughter הַהֲרֵגָֽה׃ H2028 Article | Noun - feminine singular

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