Jeremiah 19:4 because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

◄ Jeremiah 19:4 ►

New International Version
For they have forsaken me and made this a place of foreign gods; they have burned incense in it to gods that neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah ever knew, and they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

New Living Translation
“‘For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods—idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children.

English Standard Version
Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents,

Berean Standard Bible
because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

King James Bible
Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;

New King James Version
“Because they have forsaken Me and made this an alien place, because they have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents

New American Standard Bible
Since they have abandoned Me and have made this place foreign, and have burned sacrifices in it to other gods that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and since they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent

NASB 1995
“Because they have forsaken Me and have made this an alien place and have burned sacrifices in it to other gods, that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent

NASB 1977
“Because they have forsaken Me and have made this an alien place and have burned sacrifices in it to other gods that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent

Legacy Standard Bible
Because they have forsaken Me and have made this a foreign place and have burned incense in it to other gods, that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent

Amplified Bible
Because the people [of Jerusalem] have abandoned (rejected) Me and have made this an alien and profaned place by burning sacrifices and incense in it to other gods, that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah ever knew, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent

Christian Standard Bible
because they have abandoned me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in it to other gods that they, their ancestors, and the kings of Judah have never known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in it to other gods that they, their fathers, and the kings of Judah have never known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

American Standard Version
Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, that they knew not, they and their fathers and the kings of Judah; and have filled this place with the blood of innocents,

English Revised Version
Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom they knew not, they and their fathers and the kings of Judah; and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The people, their ancestors, and the kings of Judah have abandoned me. They have made this place unrecognizable by burning incense as an offering to other gods that they hadn't heard of. They have filled this place with the blood of innocent people.

Good News Translation
I am going to do this because the people have abandoned me and defiled this place by offering sacrifices here to other gods--gods that neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah have known anything about. They have filled this place with the blood of innocent people,

International Standard Version
For they have forsaken me and have treated this place as foreign. In it they have burned incense to other gods that neither they, their ancestors, nor the kings of Judah knew. They have also filled this place with the blood of innocent people.

NET Bible
I will do so because these people have rejected me and have defiled this place. They have offered sacrifices in it to other gods which neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah knew anything about. They have filled it with the blood of innocent children.

New Heart English Bible
Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it to other gods, that they did not know, they and their fathers and the kings of Judah; and have filled this place with the blood of innocents,

Webster's Bible Translation
Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it to other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

World English Bible
Because they have forsaken me, and have defiled this place, and have burned incense in it to other gods that they didn’t know—they, their fathers, and the kings of Judah—and have filled this place with the blood of innocents,

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
because that they have forsaken Me, and make known this place, and make incense in it to other gods, that they did not know, they and their fathers, and the kings of Judah, and they have filled this place [with] innocent blood,

Young's Literal Translation
because that they have forsaken Me, and make known this place, and make perfume in it to other gods, that they knew not, they and their fathers, and the kings of Judah, and they have filled this place with innocent blood,

Smith's Literal Translation
Because they forsook me and rejected this place, and they will burn incense in it to other gods which they knew them not, they and their fathers, and the kings of Judah; and they filled this place with the blood of the innocent ones.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Because they have forsaken me, and have profaned this place: and have sacrificed therein to strange gods, whom neither they nor their fathers knew, nor the kings of Juda: and they have filled this place with the blood of innocents.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For they have abandoned me, and they have made this place foreign, and they have offered libations in it to foreign gods, whom neither they, nor their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known. And they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

New American Bible
All because they have forsaken me and profaned this place by burning incense to other gods which neither they nor their ancestors knew; and because the kings of Judah have filled this place with innocent blood,

New Revised Standard Version
Because the people have forsaken me, and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah have known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Because they have forsaken me and have polluted this place and have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because they have forsaken me and they defiled this place, and they placed in it incense to other gods which they and their fathers and the Kings of Judea had not known, and they filled this region with innocent blood

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
because they have forsaken Me, and have estranged this place, and have offered in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah; and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Because they forsook me, and profaned this place, and burnt incense in it to strange gods, which they and their fathers knew not; and the kings of Juda have filled this place with innocent blood,

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Broken Jar
…3saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on this place that the ears of all who hear of it will ring, 4because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. 5They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Kings 21:16
Moreover, Manasseh shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end, in addition to the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, doing evil in the sight of the LORD.

2 Kings 24:3-4
Surely this happened to Judah at the LORD’s command, to remove them from His presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all that he had done, / and also for the innocent blood he had shed. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was unwilling to forgive.

Ezekiel 22:3-4
and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O city who brings her own doom by shedding blood within her walls and making idols to defile herself, / you are guilty of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mockery to all the lands.

2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Psalm 106:37-38
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. / They shed innocent blood—the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.

Isaiah 57:5
who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

Ezekiel 16:20-21
You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough? / You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols.

Leviticus 18:21
You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Deuteronomy 12:31
You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

2 Kings 17:17
They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

2 Kings 23:10
He also desecrated Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.

Ezekiel 23:37
For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to Me, in the fire as food for their idols.

Hosea 4:2
Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

Matthew 23:35
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Luke 11:50-51
As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, / from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

Treasury of Scripture

Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it to other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;

they have.

Jeremiah 2:13,17,19,34
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water…

Jeremiah 5:6
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

Jeremiah 15:6
Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.

estranged.

2 Kings 21:4,5,7
And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name…

2 Kings 23:11,12
And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire…

2 Chronicles 33:4-7
Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever…

burned.

Jeremiah 7:9
Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

Jeremiah 11:13
For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

Jeremiah 18:15
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

filled.

Jeremiah 2:30,34
In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion…

Jeremiah 7:31,32
And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart…

Jeremiah 22:17
But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.

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Jeremiah 19

1. Under the type of breaking a potter's vessel, is foreshown the desolation of the Jews

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place
This phrase highlights the spiritual apostasy of the people of Judah. Abandoning God signifies a breach of the covenant relationship established at Sinai (Exodus 19-24). The term "foreign place" suggests that the land, once dedicated to Yahweh, has been defiled by idolatry, making it unrecognizable as a place of worship to the true God. This reflects the broader theme of Israel's unfaithfulness seen throughout the prophetic books, such as in Hosea 4:6, where the lack of knowledge of God leads to destruction.

They have burned incense in this place to other gods
Burning incense was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern religious rituals, symbolizing prayers or offerings to deities. The act of burning incense to other gods indicates a direct violation of the first commandment (Exodus 20:3). This idolatry was not only a religious betrayal but also a cultural assimilation into the practices of surrounding nations, which God had explicitly warned against (Deuteronomy 12:30-31). The reference to "this place" likely points to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, associated with idolatrous practices and later known as Gehenna, a symbol of judgment.

that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known
This phrase underscores the novelty and severity of the idolatry being practiced. The gods being worshiped were foreign to the traditional worship of Yahweh, indicating a departure from the faith of their ancestors. This highlights the generational shift away from the covenantal faithfulness expected by God. The mention of "kings of Judah" suggests that even the leadership, which should have upheld the worship of Yahweh, was complicit in this apostasy. This is reminiscent of the reforms of King Josiah (2 Kings 23), who sought to eradicate such practices.

They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent
The shedding of innocent blood likely refers to child sacrifices, a heinous practice associated with the worship of Molech, which was explicitly condemned in Leviticus 18:21 and 20:2-5. This act of violence and moral corruption was a grave sin in the eyes of God, leading to divine judgment. The phrase "blood of the innocent" also evokes the broader biblical theme of justice and the sanctity of life, as seen in Genesis 4:10 with Abel's blood crying out from the ground. This foreshadows the ultimate innocent blood shed by Jesus Christ, who, unlike these victims, willingly gave His life for the redemption of humanity (Hebrews 12:24).

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and judgment to the people of Judah.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which had turned away from God and engaged in idolatry.

3. Foreign gods
Deities worshiped by the surrounding nations, which the people of Judah adopted, forsaking the worship of Yahweh.

4. Kings of Judah
The rulers who, at various times, led the nation either towards or away from God, with many succumbing to idolatry.

5. The blood of the innocent
Refers to the practice of child sacrifice and other forms of innocent bloodshed that were part of the idolatrous practices.

Teaching Points

The Danger of Forsaking God
Turning away from God leads to spiritual and moral decay. Judah's idolatry serves as a warning against compromising our faith.

The Consequences of Idolatry
Idolatry not only offends God but also leads to destructive practices, such as the shedding of innocent blood. We must guard our hearts against modern forms of idolatry.

The Importance of Knowing God
The people worshiped gods "neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah ever knew." Knowing God personally and deeply is crucial to staying faithful.

The Role of Leadership
The kings of Judah had a significant influence on the spiritual direction of the nation. This highlights the responsibility of leaders to guide others towards God.

Repentance and Restoration
While this passage speaks of judgment, it also calls us to repentance. God desires to restore those who turn back to Him.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 19

Why does archaeology show that Judaism developed gradually rather than being revealed all at once?

Did the Moabite king sacrifice his son?

What is Paganism and its core beliefs?

What does the Bible say about human sacrifice?

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Have estranged this place.--i.e., have alienated it from Jehovah its true Lord, and given it to a strange god. The words refer specially to the guilt of Manasseh (2Chronicles 33:4).

The blood of innocents.--The words seem at first to refer to the Molech sacrifices, which had made the valley of Hinnom infamous. These, however, are mentioned separately in the next verse, and the prophet probably spoke rather here, as in Jeremiah 2:34; Jeremiah 7:6, of the "innocent blood" with which Manasseh had filled Jerusalem (2Kings 21:16; 2Kings 24:4, where the same word is used). . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - Have estranged this place; rather, have treated this place as strange; i.e. as one that did not belong to their God, that was unholy (comp. Jeremiah 16:18, "They have defiled ray land"). With the blood of innocents; comp." Innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters" (Psalm 106:38) - the children sacrificed in Hinnom to Moloch.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

because
יַ֣עַן ׀ (ya·‘an)
Adverb
Strong's 3282: Heed, purpose, to indicate the reason, cause

they have abandoned Me
עֲזָבֻ֗נִי (‘ă·zā·ḇu·nî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

and made this
הַזֶּה֙ (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

a foreign
וַֽיְנַכְּר֞וּ (way·nak·kə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5234: To regard, recognize

place.
הַמָּק֤וֹם (ham·mā·qō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

They have burned incense
וַיְקַטְּרוּ־ (way·qaṭ·ṭə·rū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6999: To smoke, turn into fragrance by fire

in it
בוֹ֙ (ḇōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

to other
אֲחֵרִ֔ים (’ă·ḥê·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

gods
לֵאלֹהִ֣ים (lê·lō·hîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

that
אֲשֶׁ֧ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

[neither] they
הֵ֥מָּה (hêm·māh)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

nor their fathers
וַאֲבֽוֹתֵיהֶ֖ם (wa·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯê·hem)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1: Father

nor the kings
וּמַלְכֵ֣י (ū·mal·ḵê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֑ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

have [ever]
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

known.
יְדָע֛וּם (yə·ḏā·‘ūm)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3045: To know

They have filled
וּמָֽלְא֛וּ (ū·mā·lə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of

this
הַזֶּ֖ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

place
הַמָּק֥וֹם (ham·mā·qō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

with the blood
דַּ֥ם (dam)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

of the innocent.
נְקִיִּֽם׃ (nə·qî·yim)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 5355: Clean, free from, exempt

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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 19:4 Because they have forsaken me and have (Jer.)