Jeremiah 1:16

16 And 1I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil 2in forsaking me. 3They have made offerings to other gods and 4worshiped the works of their own hands.

Jeremiah 1:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 1:16

And I will utter my judgments against them
Not against the kingdoms of the north, but against the people of the Jews. The sense is, that God would enter into judgment with this people, and pass sentence upon them, and execute it: touching all their wickedness;
or on account of all their sins and transgressions hereafter mentioned: who have forsaken me.
The Targum is, "who have forsaken my worship"; for to forsake the public worship of God, attendance on his word and ordinances, or to forsake the assembling of themselves together for such a purpose, is to forsake the Lord himself, the fountain of living waters; and this is to forsake their own mercies: and have burnt incense to other gods;
to the idols of the Gentile, as the Targum explains it; to Baal, to the queen of heaven, and to others: and worshipped the works of their own hands:
idols of gold, silver, brass, and wood, which their own hands formed and carved, and which argued great stupidity and ignorance.

Jeremiah 1:16 In-Context

14 Then the LORD said to me, "Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah.
16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.
17 But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.
18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Jeremiah 4:12
  • 2. Jeremiah 19:4; Jeremiah 22:9
  • 3. Jeremiah 7:9; Jeremiah 44:3
  • 4. Jeremiah 25:6, 7; Isaiah 2:8; Acts 7:41
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.