And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
JEREMIAH 19:7KJVWhat does Jeremiah 19:7 mean?
Jeremiah 19:7 says that God will ruin the plans and strategies of Judah and Jerusalem in a specific place, leading to their defeat by their enemies. The verse describes a coming disaster where many people will die in battle, and their bodies will be left unburied, becoming food for birds and wild animals.
In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to warn the people of Judah and Jerusalem about the consequences of their actions. The setting is a public announcement of judgment, likely near Jerusalem, where Jeremiah is delivering a message of coming destruction because the people have turned away from God. The verse uses vivid language to show the seriousness of the coming punishment and the total collapse of the community’s defenses and plans.
The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 19:7
- "make void" (בָּקַע, baqaʿ): This word means to break open or shatter, not just to cancel. Here, it emphasizes that God will completely destroy the plans and advice ("counsel") of Judah and Jerusalem, leaving them helpless.
- "counsel" (עֵצָה, ʿetsah): This word refers to advice, plans, or strategies. The verse highlights that even the best ideas or defenses of the people will be made useless.
- "carcases" (פֶּגֶר, peger): This word is a blunt term for dead bodies, stressing the grim reality of the coming judgment.
- "meat" (אֹכֶל, okhel): This word means food. The verse’s use of it underlines the shame and horror of the dead being left unburied, which was a sign of total defeat and disgrace in ancient times.
Why Jeremiah 19:7 matters
- Jeremiah 19:7 makes clear that the coming disaster is not just military defeat but a total collapse of the people’s ability to protect themselves, as even their best plans will be shattered.
- The verse connects to the larger warning in Jeremiah 19, where God uses Jeremiah to act out and announce the seriousness of the people’s unfaithfulness and the consequences that will follow.
- The graphic detail about bodies being left for animals highlights the depth of the coming judgment and serves as a warning about the seriousness of turning away from God’s ways.