Jeremiah 15:4 kjv
And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 15:4 nkjv
I will hand them over to trouble, to all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 15:4 niv
I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 15:4 esv
And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 15:4 nlt
Because of the wicked things Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem, I will make my people an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Jeremiah 15 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 21:1-16 | Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned... He did evil in the eyes of the LORD... and made Judah sin... | Manasseh's wickedness |
| 2 Kgs 23:26-27 | Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn from the heat of his great wrath... because of all the provocations... Manasseh had provoked him. | Judgment because of Manasseh |
| 2 Kgs 24:3-4 | Surely these things happened to Judah according to the LORD's command... because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, including the shedding of innocent blood... | Manasseh's sins for exile |
| 2 Chr 33:1-10 | Manasseh was twelve years old... He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations... He even sacrificed his children... | Manasseh's comprehensive evil |
| Deut 28:25 | The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies... you will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. | Warning of international terror |
| Jer 24:9 | I will make them abhorrent and an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth... | Prophecy of similar judgment |
| Jer 29:18 | I will pursue them... I will make them an object of horror and scorn... | Jeremiah's similar prophecy |
| Jer 34:17 | I will make you an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. | Jeremiah's curse for covenant breach |
| Deut 28:37 | You will become a thing of horror, a byword and an object of ridicule among all the peoples... | Exile as object of scorn |
| Lev 26:33 | I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. | Consequence of covenant breach |
| Exod 34:7 | ...yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation. | Generational consequence of sin |
| Lam 5:7 | Our ancestors sinned and are no more, but we bear the weight of their sins. | Carrying past sins' weight |
| Isa 1:4 | Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD... | Judah's deep-seated sin |
| Jer 7:12-15 | Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling... And what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name... and to you, just as I did to all the people of Ephraim. | God's judgment on past sanctuary for sin |
| Jer 16:10-13 | And when you tell this people all these things and they ask you, "Why has the LORD decreed such a great disaster against us?"... | Inevitable judgment for apostasy |
| Ps 9:16 | The LORD is known by the justice he executes; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. | God's just judgment |
| Ez 18:2-3 | "What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'?"... | Refutation of automatic generational guilt (personal accountability) |
| Ez 18:19-20 | "The one who sins is the one who will die." | Personal responsibility for sin |
| Hos 4:1-3 | Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you... because there is no faithfulness, no love... | God's charge against Israel for unfaithfulness |
| Mic 3:12 | Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets. | Prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction |
| Neh 9:26 | But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your Law... | Israel's history of rebellion |
| Zech 1:2-6 | "Therefore, tell them, 'This is what the LORD Almighty says: Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty... 'Your ancestors, where are they?'" | Calling for repentance and consequence of unrepentant ancestors |
| Matt 23:35-36 | And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah... Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation. | Jesus linking past shedding of innocent blood to current generation's judgment |
Jeremiah 15 verses
Jeremiah 15 4 Meaning
This verse declares God's solemn decree that He will cause the people of Judah to become an object of terror and abhorrence among all nations of the earth. This severe judgment is explicitly attributed to the widespread and deep-seated wickedness perpetrated by King Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, within the holy city of Jerusalem. It signifies a divine, inescapable punishment for profound national apostasy and sin.
Jeremiah 15 4 Context
Jeremiah 15 opens with a stark declaration of God's unyielding judgment against Judah. The previous chapter (Jer 14) described a severe drought, leading Jeremiah to intercede, but God refused to relent. In Jer 15:1-3, God reiterates His decision, stating that even if Moses and Samuel stood before Him, His heart would not turn towards the people; instead, He decrees four kinds of destroyers (sword, famine, pestilence, captivity). Verse 4 immediately follows this, identifying the profound, enduring sin of King Manasseh as the ultimate historical cause for this comprehensive and irreversible national catastrophe. This situates the verse within a broader narrative of Judah's impending doom due to a deep-seated rejection of God's covenant, exacerbated by Manasseh's reign. Historically, King Manasseh (ruled c. 697-642 BC) was the son of the righteous King Hezekiah. Manasseh's reign was characterized by widespread idolatry, including Baal worship, human sacrifice, and divination, effectively undoing his father's reforms and establishing pagan practices within the Temple precincts in Jerusalem. This entrenched sin contributed to a national spiritual decline that later reforms by kings like Josiah could not fully reverse, making Manasseh's legacy a pivotal factor in God's judgment against Judah leading to the Babylonian exile.
Jeremiah 15 4 Word analysis
- And I will make them: The Hebrew is וְנָתַתִּים (v'natattim), literally "and I will give them" or "and I will place them/set them." This phrasing indicates divine agency; God is the active initiator and executor of this judgment, not a passive observer. It underscores His sovereignty in the impending calamity.
- a horror: The Hebrew is לְזַוְעָה (l'zav'ah), derived from the root זוע (zava'), meaning to shake, tremble, or shudder. It denotes an object of terror, revulsion, or abhorrence, something that causes a strong emotional reaction of fear and disgust. This is a severe state of international disgrace, where Judah becomes a dreadful spectacle and warning to other nations.
- to all the kingdoms of the earth: This emphasizes the universality and public nature of Judah's judgment. Their fall would not be a localized event but an astonishing demonstration of divine justice witnessed and marveled at by surrounding and distant nations. It highlights the magnitude of their sin and its consequence.
- because of what: The Hebrew uses the preposition בְּגֶלֶל (b'gelel), which means "because of" or "on account of." This firmly establishes a causal link between Manasseh's actions and the pronounced judgment.
- Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah: This explicit identification connects the national suffering to the historical individual responsible for leading Judah into deep apostasy. Manasseh's father, Hezekiah, was known for his piety and reforms, making Manasseh's wickedness a tragic and particularly egregious reversal.
- did in Jerusalem: The specific location is significant. Manasseh's idolatry, human sacrifice, and shedding of innocent blood were not merely external but profoundly corrupted the heart of Judah's spiritual and political life—the very city where God had chosen to place His name and where His Temple stood. This localized detail amplifies the severity of his desecration and subsequent judgment.
Jeremiah 15 4 Bonus section
While Ezekiel 18 emphasizes individual responsibility, Jeremiah 15:4 (and other passages like Exod 34:7) speaks to a corporate and intergenerational consequence, rather than guilt for sins committed by previous generations. Manasseh's actions created a national culture and institutionalized idolatry that permeated society for decades. The subsequent generations did not suffer for Manasseh's personal sins, but rather they suffered the consequences of the spiritual climate he fostered and the deep-seated idolatry he normalized, which they themselves perpetuated. Manasseh's rule saw him shed "very much innocent blood" (2 Kgs 21:16), making Jerusalem awash with blood, a transgression echoing down to Jesus' time (Matt 23:35). The specific acts included erecting Asherah poles and altars to Baal in the Temple courts, passing children through fire, and practicing sorcery, which directly defied Mosaic Law and God's covenant with Israel. The irony of Manasseh being the son of Hezekiah, one of Judah's most devout kings, profoundly underscores the stark human capacity for moral decline, even from a righteous heritage. This serves as a warning about the persistent dangers of backsliding and the cumulative effect of unrepentant sin on a nation.
Jeremiah 15 4 Commentary
Jeremiah 15:4 delivers a powerful pronouncement of divine judgment, pinpointing the long-term, devastating consequences of deep-seated sin. God's declaration to make Judah "a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth" reveals an international disgrace, a vivid testimony to His justice against a people who repeatedly provoked Him. The primary catalyst for this irreversible national doom is attributed specifically to the prolonged and extensive wickedness of King Manasseh. Although Manasseh eventually repented, the systemic corruption and deep-rooted idolatry he introduced throughout Judah, particularly within Jerusalem, proved so pervasive that subsequent efforts to reform could not avert the ultimate national catastrophe. This verse illustrates that while individual repentance can secure personal redemption, profound and sustained national apostasy, especially from leadership, can set in motion consequences that even a later generation cannot fully escape, leading to corporate judgment. It highlights God's unyielding demand for holiness and covenant fidelity, and His sovereign right to execute justice when His patience is exhausted by pervasive and persistent rebellion.