Focused Passage

Jeremiah 19:7-13

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

7 And in this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hands of those who seek their lives, and I will give their carcasses as food to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.

8 I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.

9 I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’

10 Then you are to shatter the jar in the presence of the men who accompany you,

11 and you are to proclaim to them that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I will shatter this nation and this city, like one shatters a potter’s jar that can never again be repaired. They will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room to bury them.

12 This is what I will do to this place and to its residents, declares the LORD. I will make this city like Topheth.

13 The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like that place, Topheth—all the houses on whose rooftops they burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

And in this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular place בַּמָּק֣וֹם H4725 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular I will ruin וּ֠בַקֹּתִי H1238 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the plans עֲצַ֨ת H6098 Noun - feminine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֤ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular and Jerusalem וִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ H3389 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular I will make them fall וְהִפַּלְתִּ֤ים H5307 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural by the sword בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ H2719 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular before לִפְנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct their enemies אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural by the hands וּבְיַ֖ד H3027 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of those who seek מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י H1245 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct their lives נַפְשָׁ֑ם H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural and I will give וְנָתַתִּ֤י H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker their carcasses נִבְלָתָם֙ H5038 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural as food לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל H3978 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular to the birds לְע֥וֹף H5775 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of the air הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural and the beasts וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥ת H929 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct of the earth הָאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • The Hebrew term for ruin sounds like the Hebrew for jar; see verses 1 and 10.
Verse 8

Original words

I will make וְשַׂמְתִּי֙ H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֹּ֔את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular city הָעִ֣יר H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular a desolation לְשַׁמָּ֖ה H8047 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular and an [object of] scorn וְלִשְׁרֵקָ֑ה H8322 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular All כֹּ֚ל H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct who pass עֹבֵ֣ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular by עָלֶ֔יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular will be appalled יִשֹּׁ֥ם H8074 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and will scoff וְיִשְׁרֹ֖ק H8319 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular at עַל־ H5921 Preposition all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct her wounds מַכֹּתֶֽהָ׃ H4347 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Literally and a hissing
Verse 9

Original words

I will make them eat וְהַֽאֲכַלְתִּ֞ים H398 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the flesh בְּשַׂ֣ר H1320 Noun - masculine singular construct of their sons בְּנֵיהֶ֗ם H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural and וְאֵת֙ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker בְּשַׂ֣ר בְּשַׂ֣ר H1320 Noun - masculine singular construct daughters בְּנֹתֵיהֶ֔ם H1323 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural and they will eat יֹאכֵ֑לוּ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural one וְאִ֥ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular another’s רֵעֵ֖הוּ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular flesh בְּשַׂר־ H1320 Noun - masculine singular construct in the siege בְּמָצוֹר֙ H4692 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and distress וּבְמָצ֔וֹק H4689 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative inflicted יָצִ֧יקוּ H6693 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural on them לָהֶ֛ם Preposition | third person masculine plural by their enemies אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural who seek וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י H1245 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct their lives נַפְשָֽׁם׃ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 10

Original words

Then you are to shatter וְשָׁבַרְתָּ֖ H7665 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular the jar הַבַּקְבֻּ֑ק H1228 Article | Noun - masculine singular in the presence לְעֵינֵי֙ H5869 Preposition-l | Noun - cdc of the men הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים H582 Article | Noun - masculine plural who accompany הַהֹלְכִ֖ים H1980 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural you אוֹתָֽךְ׃ H854 Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

and you are to proclaim וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to them אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural that this is what כֹּה־ H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֗וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural . . . כָּ֣כָה H3602 Adverb says אָמַ֣ר׀ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular I will shatter אֶשְׁבֹּ֞ר H7665 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֶּה֙ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker nation הָעָ֤ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular and this הַזֹּ֔את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular city הָעִ֣יר H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular like כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative one shatters יִשְׁבֹּר֙ H7665 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker a potter’s הַיּוֹצֵ֔ר H3335 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular jar כְּלִ֣י H3627 Noun - masculine singular construct that אֲשֶׁ֛ר H834 Pronoun - relative can יוּכַ֥ל H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular never לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle again ע֑וֹד H5750 Adverb be repaired לְהֵרָפֵ֖ה H7495 Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct They will bury the dead יִקְבְּר֔וּ H6912 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in Topheth וּבְתֹ֣פֶת H8612 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular until there is no more מֵאֵ֥ין H369 Preposition-m | Adverb room מָק֖וֹם H4725 Noun - masculine singular to bury [them] לִקְבּֽוֹר׃ H6912 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 12

Original words

This is what כֵּֽן־ H3651 Adverb I will do אֶעֱשֶׂ֞ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to this הַזֶּ֛ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular place לַמָּק֥וֹם H4725 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular and to its residents וּלְיֽוֹשְׁבָ֑יו H3427 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I will make וְלָתֵ֛ת H5414 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֹּ֖את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular city הָעִ֥יר H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular like Topheth כְּתֹֽפֶת׃ H8612 Preposition-k | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 13

Original words

The houses בָּתֵּ֣י H1004 Noun - masculine plural construct of Jerusalem יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular and the houses וּבָתֵּי֙ H1004 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct of the kings מַלְכֵ֣י H4428 Noun - masculine plural construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֔ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular will be וְהָי֞וּ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural defiled הַטְּמֵאִ֑ים H2931 Article | Adjective - masculine plural like that place כִּמְק֥וֹם H4725 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct Topheth הַתֹּ֖פֶת H8612 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular all לְכֹ֣ל H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct the houses הַבָּתִּ֗ים H1004 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative on עַל־ H5921 Preposition whose rooftops גַּגֹּֽתֵיהֶם֙ H1406 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural they burned incense קִטְּר֜וּ H6999 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural to all לְכֹל֙ H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct the host צְבָ֣א H6635 Noun - common singular construct of heaven הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural and poured out וְהַסֵּ֥ךְ H5258 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute drink offerings נְסָכִ֖ים H5262 Noun - masculine plural to other אֲחֵרִֽים׃פ H312 Adjective - masculine plural gods לֵאלֹהִ֥ים H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.