Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;
JEREMIAH 16:11KJVWhat does Jeremiah 16:11 mean?
Jeremiah 16:11 explains that the reason for the coming trouble on the people is because their ancestors abandoned God, followed and served other gods, worshipped them, and did not keep God's law. The verse makes clear that the people's current situation is a result of a long pattern of turning away from God.
In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah. The context is that Jeremiah is warning them about the consequences of their unfaithfulness. God tells Jeremiah exactly what to say: the people's ancestors broke their relationship with God by forsaking Him and turning to other gods, and this disobedience has continued. The verse highlights both the actions (serving and worshipping other gods) and the failure to keep God's law, showing the seriousness of their choices.
The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 16:11
- "forsaken" (עָזַב, ʿazav): This word appears twice and means to abandon or leave behind. The repetition stresses how completely the people have turned away from God.
- "walked after" (הָלַךְ אַחַר, halakh achar): This phrase means to follow or pursue, suggesting not just a casual interest in other gods but an active choice to go after them.
- "served" (עָבַד, avad) and "worshipped" (שָׁחָה, shachah): These words describe both the daily acts of service and the acts of reverence or bowing down to other gods, showing a full commitment to idolatry, not just occasional lapses.
- "law" (תּוֹרָה, torah): This word means instruction or teaching, not just legal rules. The verse points out that the people have rejected the guidance God gave them for living.
Why Jeremiah 16:11 matters
- Jeremiah 16:11 clarifies that the people's problems are not just about their own actions but are rooted in a long history of turning away from God, connecting the present with the past.
- The verse emphasizes that forsaking God involves both active choices (serving and worshipping other gods) and passive neglect (not keeping God's law).
- Understanding this verse helps make sense of the wider passage, where Jeremiah explains why judgment is coming and why God holds the people accountable for both their ancestors' and their own actions.