Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD'S house; and said to all the people,

JEREMIAH 19:14KJV
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Jeremiah 19:14 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 19:14 mean?

Jeremiah 19:14 describes how the prophet Jeremiah left Tophet, where God had sent him to deliver a prophecy, and then went to the courtyard of the LORD’s temple to speak publicly to all the people gathered there. This verse marks Jeremiah’s transition from a specific prophetic act at Tophet to a broader announcement in a central, public place.

Jeremiah is the speaker, and he has just finished proclaiming God’s message of judgment at Tophet—a site associated with idolatrous practices outside Jerusalem. After completing that task, Jeremiah enters the temple area, a highly visible and significant location, to address the people directly. This move signals that his message is not just for a few but for everyone in Jerusalem, emphasizing the seriousness and scope of God’s warning.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 19:14

  • "Tophet" (תֹּפֶת, Tophet) refers to a notorious site in the Valley of Hinnom, linked with child sacrifice and idol worship. Mentioning this place highlights the gravity of the people’s sins and the reason for Jeremiah’s warning.
  • "Court" (חָצֵר, chatser) means the open area or courtyard of the temple, where people would gather. Jeremiah’s choice to stand here shows he is making God’s message public, not keeping it private or hidden.
  • "Prophesy" (נָבָא, nava) means to speak forth a message from God. The verse reminds the reader that Jeremiah is not acting on his own but is delivering a message he was sent to proclaim.

Why Jeremiah 19:14 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Jeremiah’s message was not just a private warning but was meant for the whole community, delivered in the most public and religiously significant place in Jerusalem.
  • The movement from Tophet to the temple court connects the sins committed outside the city with the spiritual life at the heart of the nation, showing that the consequences of idolatry reach everyone.
  • Jeremiah’s obedience in going where the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH) sent him, despite the unpopularity of his message, highlights the role of a true prophet as a faithful messenger, regardless of the audience’s response.

Where else these words appear

“Tophet” Hebrew H8612 · used in 8 verses

  • 2 Kings 23:10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
  • Jeremiah 7:32 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
  • Jeremiah 19:11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.

“prophesy” Hebrew H5012 · used in 102 verses

  • Numbers 11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
  • Jeremiah 20:6 And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.
  • Ezekiel 13:16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.

“Jeremiah” Hebrew H3414 · used in 133 verses

  • 2 Kings 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
  • Jeremiah 29:1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
  • Jeremiah 38:9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.