Jeremiah 25 6

Jeremiah 25:6 kjv

And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.

Jeremiah 25:6 nkjv

Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.'

Jeremiah 25:6 niv

Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you."

Jeremiah 25:6 esv

Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.'

Jeremiah 25:6 nlt

Do not provoke my anger by worshiping idols you made with your own hands. Then I will not harm you.'

Jeremiah 25 verses

Jeremiah 25 6 meaning

Jeremiah 25:6 delivers God's command to the people of Judah, instructing them not to pursue, serve, or worship other deities, and by doing so, avoid provoking Him to anger through their man-made idols and actions. The verse carries a clear conditional promise: if they obey this fundamental covenant requirement, God will not bring harm or disaster upon them. It encapsulates God's enduring call for exclusive devotion and His gracious desire for His people's well-being.

Jeremiah 25 6 Context

Jeremiah 25:6 is part of a crucial prophecy delivered in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, king of Judah (around 605 BC), which was also the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Jeremiah had been prophesying for 23 years (v. 3), persistently calling the people of Judah to repentance. This verse summarizes God's long-standing message to His covenant people, pleading with them to turn away from idolatry.

Chapter 25 functions as a significant pivot in Jeremiah, outlining the seventy-year Babylonian captivity and a judgment that extends beyond Judah to all nations. Verses 1-7 describe Judah's unwavering disobedience despite God's repeated warnings through His prophets. Verse 6 specifically articulates God's final, merciful, and conditional offer: if they renounce idolatry, He will avert the coming catastrophe. However, the subsequent verses immediately reveal their failure to comply and the ensuing declaration of unavoidable judgment through Nebuchadnezzar, setting the stage for the rest of Jeremiah's prophetic burden. Historically, this period was characterized by political instability and rampant syncretistic idolatry throughout Judah, especially after King Josiah's death.

Jeremiah 25 6 Word analysis

• Do not go after (לֹֽא־תֵלְכוּ): From the Hebrew root halakh (הָלַךְ), meaning "to walk" or "to go." Here, in the imperative, it's used idiomatically to mean "do not follow," "do not pursue," or "do not devote yourselves to." It denotes a conscious choice of allegiance and a way of life.

• other gods (אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים): ’ĕlōhîm ’ăḥêrîm. This common Old Testament phrase refers to foreign or false deities distinct from Yahweh. The term elohim (gods) is ironically applied here to beings that the biblical writers frequently declare to be non-existent or mere idols. Acherim means "other," indicating anything apart from the one true God of Israel. This term carries strong polemical force, challenging the legitimacy of polytheism.

• to serve (לְעָבְדָם): From Hebrew ‘avad (עָבַד), meaning "to work," "to serve," "to be a servant," or "to worship." This signifies active, dedicated participation in religious rituals, rites, and a life devoted to these false deities.

• and worship them (וּלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לָהֶם): From Hebrew shachah (שָׁחָה), meaning "to bow down," "to prostrate oneself," or "to do obeisance." This specifies the physical act of adoration, demonstrating reverence, submission, and humility before a deity, further emphasizing the depth of their idolatrous devotion.

• or provoke me to anger (וְלֹֽא־תַכְעִסוּ אֹתִי): From Hebrew ka‘as (כָּעַס), meaning "to be angry," "to provoke," or "to vex." This highlights the deeply personal nature of their sin; it's not just a breaking of rules but an active affront that directly angers God, suggesting a relational breach.

• with the work of your hands (בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיכֶם): bəma‘ăśê yədêkem. Ma‘aseh (מַעֲשֶׂה) means "work" or "deed"; yadeykhem (יְדֵיכֶם) means "your hands." This phrase directly points to man-made idols as the source of provocation. It underscores the folly of worshipping something created by one's own hands, rendering them powerless and an insult to the Creator. It can also encompass sinful actions performed by human will, leading to or being idolatry.

• and I will do you no harm (וְלֹֽא־אָרַ֥ע לָכֶֽם): From Hebrew ra‘a‘ (רָעַע), meaning "to be evil," "to do evil," "to harm," or "to cause misfortune." This is a conditional promise. God assures them that if they comply, He will not inflict the devastating judgment or evil that is otherwise certain to come, highlighting His justice alongside His long-suffering mercy.

• "Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them": This phrase directly confronts the heart of Israel's apostasy, encapsulating the dual prohibition against believing in and actively participating in the worship of any deity other than Yahweh. It outlines the spiritual infidelity that violates the most fundamental tenets of their covenant.

• "or provoke me to anger with the work of your hands": This grouping connects the forbidden action (idolatry—specifically, the creation and veneration of physical idols, "the work of your hands") directly to its emotional consequence for God ("provoke me to anger"). It shows that their acts of worship towards false gods are a direct, personal offense against the true God, moving Him to righteous wrath.

• "and I will do you no harm": This concluding phrase presents the immediate, conditional outcome of obedience. It underscores God's justice in threatening judgment for sin but also His profound desire to avert that judgment if His people turn back to Him, emphasizing His capacity for both righteous anger and profound grace.

Jeremiah 25 6 Bonus section

• This verse underscores the ancient Israelite understanding of worship as holistic: it encompasses both intellectual assent (not "going after" or believing in) and active participation (to "serve and worship").
• The phrase "the work of your hands" extends beyond merely physical idols to include any human enterprise, ideology, or self-reliant effort that takes the place of God, thus becoming a functional idol.
• The "no harm" promised here implies not only the absence of divine punishment but also the continuation of all covenant blessings (e.g., peace, prosperity, protection) which are revoked by disobedience.

Jeremiah 25 6 Commentary

Jeremiah 25:6 represents God's final, desperate plea to Judah before unleashing the long-prophesied judgment. It is a succinct restatement of the First and Second Commandments, the very foundation of the covenant between Yahweh and Israel. The instruction against "other gods" directly addresses the pervasive polytheism and syncretism that had corrupted Judah, reminding them of the absolute necessity of monotheism and exclusive devotion. By explicitly linking "the work of your hands"—the crafting and adoration of idols—to "provoke me to anger," God highlights the direct insult and relational breach inherent in idolatry. He emphasizes that the creations of man are not only impotent but also a grievous offense to the Creator. The conditional promise, "and I will do you no harm," reveals God's patient long-suffering and His genuine desire to bless His people, rather than punish them. This verse tragically foreshadows Judah's failure to heed the warning, setting the stage for the fulfillment of the prophesied seventy years of Babylonian captivity, not as an act of capricious wrath, but as the inevitable consequence of persistent, covenant-breaking idolatry and rejection of divine grace.