Jeremiah 15:19 kjv
Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
Jeremiah 15:19 nkjv
Therefore thus says the LORD: "If you return, Then I will bring you back; You shall stand before Me; If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, But you must not return to them.
Jeremiah 15:19 niv
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
Jeremiah 15:19 esv
Therefore thus says the LORD: "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.
Jeremiah 15:19 nlt
This is how the LORD responds: "If you return to me, I will restore you
so you can continue to serve me.
If you speak good words rather than worthless ones,
you will be my spokesman.
You must influence them;
do not let them influence you!
Jeremiah 15 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 15:16 | Your words were found, and I ate them, and your word was to me a joy and rejoic-- | Deut 8:3 (God's word nourishment) |
| Jeremiah 1:7 | But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth,’ for to all to whom I se- | Ex 3:11 (Moses' reluctance) |
| Jeremiah 1:10 | See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to | Jer 18:7 (God's sovereign power) |
| Ezekiel 3:27 | but when I speak to you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Th-- | Ezek 2:7 (Prophet's commissioned speech) |
| Matthew 10:19 | When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you a- | Luke 12:11 (Jesus' counsel to disciples) |
| Luke 21:15 | for I will give you utterance and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be ab- | Prov 16:1 (Control of speech) |
| Acts 6:10 | but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. | Acts 14:3 (Apostles' boldness in speaking) |
| 1 Corinthians 2:13 | And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom, but taught by the Sp-- | 1 John 2:27 (Anointing of the Holy Spirit) |
| Jeremiah 23:28 | Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word sp-- | Jer 14:14 (False prophets) |
| Isaiah 55:11 | so shall my word that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, b-- | Ps 119:105 (Lamp to my feet) |
| Proverbs 15:28 | The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked o-- | Jer 15:19 (Separating precious from worthless) |
| 1 Peter 3:15 | but sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being prepared to make a-- | Titus 2:7 (Pattern of sound speech) |
| 2 Timothy 2:2 | and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faith- | 1 Tim 6:12 (Good fight of faith) |
| Revelation 1:16 | in his right hand seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and-- | Eph 6:17 (Sword of the Spirit) |
| Hebrews 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, pierc-- | Prov 12:18 (Tongue of the wise) |
| Jeremiah 5:14 | Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts: “Because they have uttered this wo-- | Deut 18:20 (Consequences of false prophecy) |
| Isaiah 30:9 | that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the-- | Jer 7:24 (Stubbornness of Israel) |
| Amos 3:7 | Surely the Lord God does nothing unless he reveals his secret counsel to his serva-- | Acts 15:15 (Prophecy confirmed) |
| 1 Corinthians 14:3 | On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, | Eph 4:29 (Edifying speech) |
| Romans 12:7 | if it is ministry, in his ministry; the teacher, in his teaching; | 1 Cor 12:28 (Gifts of the Spirit) |
Jeremiah 15 verses
Jeremiah 15 19 Meaning
This verse offers a stark conditional promise from God to Jeremiah. If Jeremiah separates what is precious from what is worthless, he will become like God's mouth, speaking divine truth. This separation speaks to discernment and purification, aligning one's message and life with God's own standards, leading to effective prophetic ministry.
Jeremiah 15 19 Context
Jeremiah 15 is set during a period of intense judgment upon Judah due to their persistent sin and rejection of God's prophets. God expresses His weariness with the people's unfaithfulness. In this chapter, Jeremiah intercedes for the people, but God reminds him of their deep corruption. Verse 19 comes as God is responding to Jeremiah's plea. God has just told Jeremiah that he has been a faithful conduit of His word. Now, God is outlining the conditions for Jeremiah's continued effectiveness as a prophet, emphasizing the need for divine discernment and separation in his message and ministry.
Jeremiah 15 19 Word Analysis
- If you turn back: "shuv" (שׁוּב) - a fundamental Hebrew verb meaning to turn, return, repent. It signifies a conscious decision to change direction, to leave a wrong path and go a right one. Here, it implies turning away from Jeremiah's current path of despair or ineffective intercession back to God's intended prophetic purpose.
- then I will turn you back: Similar to the above, "shuv" is used again, but in the causative form. God promises to restore Jeremiah to his prophetic calling and effectiveness. This is a divine act of re-commissioning.
- and you shall stand: "amad" (עָמַד) - to stand, endure, remain. It suggests stability, a firm position, and resilience, particularly in the face of opposition.
- before me: This prepositional phrase indicates presence before God, implying favor and direct access to divine presence.
- and if you take out: "ba-dil" (בָּדַל) - to separate, distinguish, divide. This verb highlights the act of discerning and segregating.
- the precious from the worthless: "yapha" (יָפֶה) - beautiful, precious, fine; "soa" (סָאָה) - worthlessness, refuse, chaff. This is a crucial dichotomy. "Precious" refers to what is valuable, pure, and divinely ordained, while "worthless" denotes what is common, useless, impure, or against God's will. The prophets were often called to separate the clean from the unclean, the true from the false.
- you shall be: "tiheyeh" (תִּהְיֶה) - you will become or be. It points to transformation and the manifestation of a new state or identity.
- as my mouth: This is a metaphor for direct authoritative speech, conveying God's own message and will without alteration or dilution.
- they shall turn to you: Again "shuv" (שׁוּב). It indicates that people will respond positively to the divinely empowered message, turning from their wicked ways. This is a result of Jeremiah speaking God's pure word.
- but you shall not turn to them: This reinforces the idea of faithfulness and adherence to God's perspective, not conforming to or being influenced by the corrupt practices or opinions of the people. It's a call to maintain prophetic integrity and separation from sin.
Word Groups Analysis:
- "turn back... turn you back": This parallel structure emphasizes a process of restoration and recommitment initiated by God in response to Jeremiah's renewed obedience.
- "take out the precious from the worthless": This phrase encapsulates the essence of prophetic purification and discernment, essential for delivering a pure message.
- "as my mouth" and "you shall not turn to them": These form a reciprocal promise: if Jeremiah becomes God's pure voice, then people will be influenced by that divine word, and Jeremiah must remain steadfast and uncompromised in that role.
Jeremiah 15 19 Bonus Section
The concept of "separating the precious from the worthless" resonates with priestly duties in the Old Testament, where distinction between clean and unclean was paramount for worship. This verse also reflects the spiritual warfare aspect of prophetic ministry, where the prophet must discern between God's voice and other misleading influences, whether demonic or cultural. The purity of the message directly correlates to its effectiveness in transforming lives and bringing about repentance, a theme consistently highlighted throughout Scripture regarding God's word.
Jeremiah 15 19 Commentary
Jeremiah 15:19 is a profound statement on the nature of true prophecy and divine-human partnership. It teaches that the effectiveness of God's messenger hinges on internal purity and discerning separation. Jeremiah, after expressing his weariness, is given a conditional restoration: if he aligns his heart and message with God's standards by distinguishing the precious from the worthless, God will empower him to stand firmly and speak His truth. This implies that prophetic ministry is not merely receiving messages but internalizing God's values, purifying one's own understanding, and speaking words that are God's own—words that have the power to turn people to God. Conversely, the prophet must resist turning to the corrupt ways of the people, maintaining a distinct and pure voice.