Jeremiah 19 13

Jeremiah 19:13 kjv

And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

Jeremiah 19:13 nkjv

And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be defiled like the place of Tophet, because of all the houses on whose roofs they have burned incense to all the host of heaven, and poured out drink offerings to other gods." ' "

Jeremiah 19:13 niv

The houses in Jerusalem and those of the kings of Judah will be defiled like this place, Topheth?all the houses where they burned incense on the roofs to all the starry hosts and poured out drink offerings to other gods.'?"

Jeremiah 19:13 esv

The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah ? all the houses on whose roofs offerings have been offered to all the host of heaven, and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods ? shall be defiled like the place of Topheth.'"

Jeremiah 19:13 nlt

Yes, all the houses in Jerusalem, including the palace of Judah's kings, will become like Topheth ? all the houses where you burned incense on the rooftops to your star gods, and where liquid offerings were poured out to your idols.'"

Jeremiah 19 verses

Jeremiah 19 13 Meaning

Jeremiah 19:13 declares that the houses in Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be rendered impure and defiled, paralleling the horrific impurity of Tophet, a place infamous for child sacrifice. This defilement is presented as a direct consequence and just retribution for their widespread idolatry—specifically their practices of burning incense on rooftops to the celestial bodies (the host of heaven) and pouring out drink offerings to various pagan deities. The verse vividly links their sin to their impending judgment and ultimate desolation.

Jeremiah 19 13 Context

Jeremiah 19 is a vivid and stark prophecy of impending judgment against Jerusalem and Judah, delivered by Jeremiah in the Valley of Hinnom, outside the Potsherd Gate. The preceding verses (19:10-12) describe Jeremiah ceremonially breaking a potter's jar as a symbolic act, illustrating how God would utterly shatter Judah and Jerusalem—rendering them beyond repair, like the broken vessel. This act serves as a powerful metaphor for their irreversible destruction due to their pervasive sins. Verse 13 then explicitly connects this national ruin to their idolatry, explaining why they face such severe judgment. Their spiritual defilement through pagan worship—specifically child sacrifice in Tophet and astral worship on rooftops—is shown to lead directly to the physical defilement and desolation of their homes and city. Historically, this prophecy belongs to a time when Judah, under kings like Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, had fallen deep into syncretism and polytheism, despite the earlier reforms of King Josiah. It also stands as a direct polemic against the pervasive Canaanite-influenced practices of worshipping celestial bodies and child sacrifice, highlighting God's abhorrence of such acts as direct rebellion against His covenant.

Jeremiah 19 13 Word analysis

• וְהָי֞וּ (və·hā·yū) – "And they will become" / "And will be": A strong prophetic declaration. This verb form (perfect consecutive) signifies a definite, inevitable future event. It’s not a possibility but a certain outcome from God’s perspective, emphasizing divine judgment.
• בָּתֵּ֣י (bā·ttê) – "Houses of": The construct plural form of "bayit." This refers to residential dwellings, not just temples. The impurity would penetrate into the everyday lives and living spaces of the people.
• יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם (yə·rū·šā·lam) – "Jerusalem": The capital city, chosen by God as His dwelling place (Zion), meant to be holy. Its defilement is a profound blasphemy and tragedy.
• וּבָתֵּ֞י (ū·bā·ttê) – "And the houses of": Connects and parallels the previous "houses," reinforcing the extent of the coming defilement.
• מַלְכֵ֣י (mal·ḵê) – "Kings of": The construct plural of "melekh." Refers to the royal residences and, by extension, the ruling class and their spiritual failures. Kings were often leaders in both reform and apostasy.
• יְהוּדָ֗ה (yə·hū·ḏāh) – "Judah": The southern kingdom, distinct from Jerusalem but encompassing the surrounding territory and population.
• כְּמְקֹם֙ (kə·mə·qōm) – "Like the place of": The preposition kə (like, as) emphasizes a stark comparison. məqōm (place) refers to a specific, designated location. The comparison is strong, asserting an equal level of defilement.
• הַתֹּ֔פֶת (ha·ttō·p̄eṯ) – "The Tophet": A specific and notorious location in the Valley of Hinnom (Gehinnom), infamous for the abominable practice of child sacrifice to Molech. Its name is linked to "drum" (tof), perhaps used to drown out the cries of children. It represents the height of ritual and moral impurity, an ultimate anti-sacred space.
• לְטָמְאָ֔ה (lə·ṭām·’āh) – "for defilement" / "to be defiled": The infinitive construct of the verb ṭāmē'. Signifies an ultimate state of ritual and moral impurity, abhorrent to God. This defilement goes beyond physical uncleanness to deep spiritual corruption.

• כֹּל֙ הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר קִטְּר֣וּ (kōl ha·bbā·ttîm ’ă·šer qiṭ·ṭə·rū) – "All the houses where they burned incense": The phrase emphasizes the widespread nature of their sin ("all the houses"). "Burned incense" (qiṭṭərū) typically refers to an act of worship or offering. Here, it is unequivocally idolatrous, distinguishing it from legitimate incense burning to Yahweh.
• עַל־גַּגֹּֽתֵיהֶם֙ (ʻal-gag·gō·ṯê·hem) – "on their roofs": Rooftops were common public or semi-private spaces for religious rites in the ancient Near East, often associated with astral worship due to their open view of the sky. This practice stands in direct contrast to God’s law which permitted no other worship.
• לְכֹל֙ צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (lə·ḵōl ṣə·ḇā haš·šā·ma·yim) – "to all the host of heaven": ṣə·ḇā haš·šā·ma·yim refers to the sun, moon, and stars, which were deified and worshipped by many ancient cultures. This practice was explicitly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Deut 4:19; 17:3) and was a recurrent problem for Israel, signifying a profound theological and covenantal betrayal.
• וְהַסֵּ֥ךְ נְסָכִ֖ים לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִֽים (wə·has·sêḵ nə·sā·ḵîm lê·lō·hîm ’ă·ḥê·rîm) – "and poured out drink offerings to other gods": "Drink offerings" (nəsākhîm) were a legitimate form of worship to Yahweh (e.g., Num 15:5), but here, they are explicitly directed "to other gods" (lêlōhîm ’ăḥērîm), confirming their pagan, idolatrous nature. This is another clear violation of the covenant and further evidence of pervasive syncretism.

Jeremiah 19 13 Bonus section

The concept of "Tophet" is highly significant in the Old Testament, representing the nadir of Israel's spiritual decline and an absolute abomination to Yahweh. Later Jewish tradition transformed the "Valley of Hinnom" (Gehinnom, from which Tophet was a part) into the metaphorical designation for a place of divine judgment for the wicked, eventually translating into "Gehenna" in the New Testament and understood as "hell." This linguistic and theological evolution underscores the profound abhorrence that Tophet and its practices inspired, making its use as a comparison for the defiled houses of Jerusalem an especially damning indictment. The choice of "houses" as the site of defilement is also poignant: homes, meant to be safe and private, often served as clandestine places for cultic activity, yet even there, the watchful eye of God saw their rebellion, bringing their private sins into public, national judgment.

Jeremiah 19 13 Commentary

Jeremiah 19:13 encapsulates the core message of divine judgment against Judah for its persistent and pervasive idolatry. The verse is remarkably precise in linking the consequence—the defilement of Jerusalem’s homes and royal palaces—with the specific causes: the worship of the "host of heaven" on rooftops and pouring out drink offerings to "other gods," compounded by the implicit connection to Tophet’s abominations. God declares that the very spaces where the people lived, practiced their daily lives, and the places of their leadership will become as utterly abhorrent and ritually defiled as Tophet itself, a place where children were sacrificed. This isn't just about ritual impurity; it signifies utter degradation, making Jerusalem repulsive in the eyes of God and destined for total destruction. The severity of the punishment directly mirrors the grievousness and widespread nature of their spiritual unfaithfulness. The passage serves as a powerful reminder that spiritual choices have tangible, often devastating, consequences on earthly realities.