O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.

JEREMIAH 16:19KJV
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Jeremiah 16:19 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 16:19 mean?

Jeremiah 16:19 describes the prophet Jeremiah calling out to the LORD as his strength, fortress, and safe place during times of trouble, and foreseeing a time when people from distant nations will come to God, admitting that their ancestors followed falsehoods and worthless things. The verse highlights both Jeremiah’s personal trust in God and a future recognition of God by people from all over the world.

Jeremiah is speaking to God in the midst of a difficult time for Israel, expressing both his reliance on God and a vision of hope beyond Israel’s borders. The verse looks ahead to a day when non-Israelite nations ("the Gentiles") will realize that what they inherited from their ancestors—false beliefs and empty traditions—has no true value, and they will turn to the God of Israel.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 16:19

  • LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing a direct, covenant relationship.
  • strength (עֹז, 'oz): This word means might or power, showing that Jeremiah sees God as his source of inner resilience.
  • fortress (מָעוֹז, ma'oz): This term means a stronghold or place of safety, underlining God as a protector in dangerous times.
  • Gentiles (גּוֹי, goy): This word refers to nations or peoples outside Israel, making the verse about more than just Israel—it points to a worldwide impact.
  • lies (שֶׁקֶר, sheqer) and vanity (הֶבֶל, hevel): These words mean falsehood and emptiness, stressing that the traditions inherited by the nations are not just incorrect, but ultimately worthless.

Why Jeremiah 16:19 matters

  • Jeremiah 16:19 shows that God’s concern and future plans include all nations, not just Israel, which is a major theme in the book of Jeremiah and the wider Bible.
  • The verse clarifies that the “Gentiles” are not condemned forever but are pictured as eventually recognizing the emptiness of their inherited beliefs and turning to the true God.
  • The verse connects Jeremiah’s personal faith in God with a much larger vision of hope, where even those far from Israel will come to acknowledge God’s truth.

Where else these words appear

“refuge” Hebrew H4498 · used in 8 verses

  • 2 Samuel 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
  • Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
  • Jeremiah 25:35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.

“profit” Hebrew H3276 · used in 21 verses

  • 1 Samuel 12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
  • Proverbs 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
  • Isaiah 57:12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

“fortress” Hebrew H4581 · used in 35 verses

  • Judges 6:26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
  • Psalms 108:8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
  • Ezekiel 24:25 Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

“ends” Hebrew H657 · used in 43 verses

  • Numbers 13:28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
  • Psalms 59:13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
  • Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.