Jeremiah 19:4-6

4 "Because * they have 1forsaken Me and have 2made this an alien place and have burned sacrifices in it to 3other gods, that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the 4blood of the innocent
5 and have built the 5high places of Baal to burn their 6sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter My mind;
6 therefore, behold, 7days are coming," declares the LORD, "when this place will no longer be called 8Topheth or 9the valley of Ben-hinnom *, but rather * the valley of Slaughter.

Jeremiah 19:4-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 19

In this chapter is foreshadowed, represented, and confirmed, the destruction of Jerusalem, by the breaking of a potter's vessel the prophet had in his hand; and by the place where he was bid to do this, and did it. The order for it, and the witnesses of it, and the place where it was done, are declared in Jer 19:1,2; the proclamation there of Jerusalem's ruin is made, Jer 19:3; the cause of it, their apostasy, idolatry, and shedding of innocent blood, Jer 19:4,5; the great slaughter of them by the sword and famine, Jer 19:6-9; and how easy, and irresistible, and irrecoverable, their destruction would be, are signified by the breaking of the bottle, Jer 19:10,11, when Jerusalem for its idolatry would become as defiled a place as Tophet, where the prophet was, Jer 19:12,13; from whence he came to the temple, and there repeated the proclamation of the evil that should come upon that city, and all the towns around it, Jer 19:14,15.

Cross References 9

  • 1. Deuteronomy 28:20; Isaiah 65:11; Jer 2:13, 17, 19; Jeremiah 17:13
  • 2. Ezekiel 7:22; Daniel 11:31
  • 3. Jeremiah 7:9; Jeremiah 11:13
  • 4. 2 Kings 21:6, 16; Jeremiah 2:34; Jeremiah 7:6
  • 5. Numbers 22:41; Jeremiah 32:35
  • 6. Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 17:17; Psalms 106:37, 38
  • 7. Jeremiah 7:32
  • 8. Isaiah 30:33
  • 9. Joshua 15:8

Footnotes 2

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.