Jeremiah 16 18

Jeremiah 16:18 kjv

And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.

Jeremiah 16:18 nkjv

And first I will repay double for their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable idols."

Jeremiah 16:18 niv

I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols."

Jeremiah 16:18 esv

But first I will doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations."

Jeremiah 16:18 nlt

I will double their punishment for all their sins, because they have defiled my land with lifeless images of their detestable gods and have filled my territory with their evil deeds."

Jeremiah 16 verses

Jeremiah 16 18 Meaning

God declares a complete and just judgment against the people of Judah for their deep-seated and widespread idolatry. This "doubly repay" signifies the certainty and comprehensiveness of divine retribution, perfectly fitting the severity of their offenses. Their worship of powerless, detestable images has profoundly polluted the very land that God Himself calls His own special possession and inheritance. This act of defilement is a direct breach of their covenant relationship, provoking God's holy wrath and necessitating an exhaustive reckoning.

Jeremiah 16 18 Context

Jeremiah 16 is a chapter heavily focused on pronounced judgment and the reasons for it, directly preceding the imminent Babylonian exile. God forbids Jeremiah from marrying or having children as a living sign of the devastating future, symbolizing that there would be no mourning or burial for the masses who would die during the impending invasion. The people's inquiry in Jer 16:10 regarding their "great iniquity" leads directly to God's accusation that their fathers' generation and their own have forsaken Him, serving other gods. Verse 18 then details the precise nature of this egregious sin: pervasive idolatry that has actively desecrated God's own promised land. Historically, this period saw Judah immersed in Baal worship, child sacrifice, and the use of Asherah poles and other foreign idols, blatant violations of the foundational covenant law. The land, meant to be holy, was instead corrupted, thereby necessitating the severe, definitive judgment God declares.

Jeremiah 16 18 Word analysis

• And I will doubly repay them: (וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֤י מִשְׁנֶה֙ — wəšillamtî mišneh)
  • וְשִׁלַּמְתִּי֙ (wəšillamtî): "And I will repay." From the verb שָׁלַם (shalam), meaning to be complete, to restore, to make good, to render a payment. Here, it denotes God's certain and just act of bringing recompense or punishment.
  • מִשְׁנֶה֙ (mišneh): "double, two-fold." This does not necessarily mean two times the amount, but often conveys fullness, completion, or thoroughness of the recompense, in measure fitting the offense. It implies that the penalty will be full, undeniable, and perfectly balanced with the magnitude of the sin. It can be found in legal contexts (e.g., Exod 22:4) to signify restitution, but in prophetic judgment, it emphasizes absolute finality.
• them: Refers to the people of Judah, the specific covenant nation under judgment.
• for their wickedness: (עֲוֹנָ֔ם — ‘awonam)
  • עֲוֹנָ֔ם (‘awonam): "their iniquity/guilt." From עָווֹן (‘awon), referring to moral evil, depravity, or twisted actions, and also the guilt that results from such actions and the punishment due to it. It highlights the inherent moral defectiveness of their actions.
• and their sin: (וְחַטָּאתָ֖ם — wəḥaṭṭā’tām)
  • וְחַטָּאתָ֖ם (wəḥaṭṭā’tām): "and their sin/sin-offering." From חַטָּאת (chaṭṭa’t), meaning a failing, error, offense, or missing the mark relative to God's standard. While ‘awon focuses on guilt and depravity, chaṭṭa’t focuses on the act of transgression itself. The dual term emphasizes the full scope of their offense.
• because they have defiled: (בְּחַלְּלָ֣ם — bəḥalləlām)
  • בְּחַלְּלָ֣ם (bəḥalləlām): "because they have defiled/profaned." From חָלַל (chalal), meaning to profane, defile, pollute, make common or unholy. It's a severe term, signifying the opposite of consecration, an intentional degradation of something sacred.
• my land: (אַרְצִ֔י — ‘arṭzî)
  • אַרְצִ֔י (‘arṭzî): "my land." The suffix makes it possessive. This is significant because the land of Israel was specifically designated by God as His own possession, a holy space tied to His covenant with Israel. Defiling it is an act of defiance against God's direct ownership.
• with the lifeless forms of their vile images: (בְּשִׁקּוּצֵ֣יהֶ֔ם — bəšiqqūṣêhem)
  • בְּשִׁקּוּצֵ֣יהֶ֔ם (bəšiqqūṣêhem): "with their detestable/abominable things/idols." From שִׁקּוּץ (shiqqūṣ), meaning an abominable or detestable thing, often specifically used for idols and cult objects that provoke God's revulsion. The NIV's "lifeless forms of their vile images" is a fitting expansion of this powerful term, emphasizing the inert, powerless nature of the idols they serve, contrasting with the living God. The term shiqqūṣ itself carries a derogatory nuance, akin to something disgusting or a "dung pellet" in Hebrew connotation.
• and have filled: (וּבְתוֹעֲבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם מָלְא֥וּ — ûḇəṯōʿăḇōṯêhem māl’û)
  • וּבְתוֹעֲבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם (ûḇəṯōʿăḇōṯêhem): "and with their abominations/detestable acts/things." From תּוֹעֵבָה (toʿēvāh), another strong term for something utterly repugnant and offensive to God, primarily referring to idolatry, but also other morally illicit acts (e.g., child sacrifice). It emphasizes the severity and perversity of their practices.
  • מָלְא֥וּ (māl’û): "they have filled." From מָלֵא (malē’), meaning to fill or be full. It denotes the pervasive, widespread, and thorough nature of their idolatry, indicating that the land was not merely touched but saturated with these practices.
• my inheritance: (נַחֲלָתִֽי — naḥalātî)
  • נַחֲלָתִֽי (naḥalātî): "my inheritance/possession." This term underscores God's personal claim over the land and, by extension, His people. It refers to a bequeathed possession or heritage, signifying an even deeper, more personal covenantal relationship than simply "my land." To defile "my inheritance" is a profound act of disrespect to the very legacy and portion God has set aside for Himself.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And I will doubly repay them for their wickedness and their sin": This phrase underlines God's unwavering justice. The "double repayment" signifies that the coming judgment will be full, proportionate, and unreserved, not necessarily twice the amount, but completely adequate for the collective "iniquity" and "sin" of the nation. It highlights that God does not overlook sin and will execute a fitting retribution.
• "because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images": This explicitly states the reason for the judgment. The act of "defiling" God's special, holy "land" with inanimate, powerless objects ("lifeless forms," "vile images" – shiqqūṣîm) is a severe affront. It represents a corruption of sacred space through the worship of things utterly opposed to the living God. This is an act of spiritual desecration against a God who values holiness.
• "and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols": This second clause reinforces the extent of the sin, emphasizing the pervasiveness. It indicates that idolatry wasn't an isolated practice but had permeated every aspect of the land, rendering it completely unholy. Using "my inheritance" further personalizes the offense, depicting the act as a violation of God's cherished personal property and sacred trust.

Jeremiah 16 18 Bonus section

The concept of "doubly repay" (מִשְׁנֶה - mišneh) finds parallels in both ancient Near Eastern legal codes and Israelite law, where it often implied a just and complete restitution, especially in cases of theft or damage where intentional malice or gross negligence was present (e.g., Exod 22:4, 7). Theologically, when applied to divine judgment, as seen here and in Isaiah 40:2 ("she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins"), it signifies that the punishment fully compensates for the crime, settling the account completely, often implying an intensive and exhaustive suffering that fully purges the guilt. It signifies an equivalence in severity and thoroughness, rather than a mathematical "two times more." Furthermore, the pollution of "My land" due to idolatry is not just symbolic; it aligns with the Old Testament concept of the land itself possessing a spiritual sensitivity. It could "vomit out" its inhabitants when its sanctity was violated by abominable practices, as warned in Leviticus 18:25, 28, and demonstrated in Israel's exile. This speaks to the tangible spiritual impact of sin, extending beyond individuals to their environment.

Jeremiah 16 18 Commentary

Jeremiah 16:18 reveals the depth of God's wrath, a direct consequence of Judah's systematic and flagrant idolatry. The pronouncement of "doubly repay" underscores the completeness and certainty of God's judgment, tailored to the gravity of the nation's spiritual apostasy. This is not arbitrary vengeance but divine justice for covenant violation. Their worship of inert "lifeless forms" and "detestable idols" (shiqqutzim and to'evot) profoundly defiled "My land" and "My inheritance" – terms emphasizing God's intimate and proprietorial claim over the sacred space given to Israel. This widespread spiritual harlotry degraded what God had consecrated, necessitating a cleansing judgment. The verse thus serves as a stark warning against the insidiousness and destructive power of idolatry, whether overt or covert, and God's unwavering commitment to holiness and justice.