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

This verse introduces a grave warning from God to Judah and its people, conveyed through the prophet Jeremiah. It declares that the worship of idols, specifically mentioning "other gods" and "their images," incurs God's righteous anger. The consequence is swift and severe: the land and its inhabitants will face utter destruction and become an object of perpetual curse.

Jeremiah 25 6 Context

Jeremiah chapter 25 marks a pivotal point in Jeremiah's prophecy. This chapter consolidates and announces the overarching judgment that will come upon Judah and the surrounding nations due to their widespread sinfulness, particularly idolatry and disobedience to God. The preceding verses (1-7) set the stage by outlining the specific sins of Judah, chief among them being the abandonment of Yahweh for other deities. God instructs Jeremiah to deliver a severe message of impending doom, not only to Judah but to all nations who have participated in or been influenced by such transgressions. This message emphasizes God's sovereignty over all nations and His intent to use Babylon as His instrument of wrath.

Jeremiah 25 6 Word Analysis

• Yehe: (Hebrew: הֱיוּ, hiyu) Imperative form of the verb "to be." It is a direct command from God, urging them to become.
• l'-chattot: (Hebrew: לְחַטֹּאת, lechatto't) Infinitive construct of chatta', meaning "to sin" or "to incur guilt." Here, it specifically refers to sinning against God through idolatry.
• l'-han'ef: (Hebrew: לְהַנְאֵף, leha'naef) Infinitive construct of anape', meaning "to commit adultery." In a spiritual context, this signifies unfaithfulness to God, much like marital infidelity.
• lo: (Hebrew: לֹא, lo) "Not." A direct negation.
• yachash: (Hebrew: יָחַשׁ, yachash) Niphal stem of chashash, meaning "to lend," "to favor," or "to regard." In this context, it conveys the idea of God not lending His presence or favor. It carries the implication of turning away or paying no heed.
• la'hem: (Hebrew: לָהֶם, lahem) Dative pronoun, meaning "to them." Refers to the idols.
• acharei: (Hebrew: אַחֲרֵי, acharei) Preposition meaning "after" or "following." Indicates a turning away towards something else.
• tzarfeichem: (Hebrew: צָרְפֵיכֶם, tzorfeychem) "Your refiners." This term is significant. It points to the nations, especially the dominant empires like Babylon, that Israel often turned to for protection or alliance. They are metaphorically acting as "refiners" of Israel's spiritual life, not in a positive purifying way, but by challenging and ultimately refining them through judgment. It's a stark realization of the consequences of their alliances and their deviation from sole reliance on God. Some translations render this as "your allies" or "your associates."
• eitan: (Hebrew: אֵיתָן, eytan) Means "strong," "firm," or "everlasting." It’s a powerful descriptor of God's judgment.
• lo: (Hebrew: לֹא, lo) "Not."
• te'-evath: (Hebrew: תְּעָבַת, t’avat) From 'avah, meaning "to abhor" or "to detest." It refers to an abomination, something deeply offensive and disgusting to God.
• shum: (Hebrew: שׁוּם, shum) A form of "sham," meaning "there" or "placed." In this construction, "le-sham TABA" signifies "placed there as an abhorrence/curse."
• barka'tah: (Hebrew: בָּרַכְתָּ, barakhta) "You have blessed." In the context, this is ironic. God will not bless them; instead, they will experience the opposite of blessing.
• h'-la'ah: (Hebrew: הֲלָאָה, hala'ah) From the root la'ah, meaning "to be weary" or "to tire." The phrase "ki sha'a'-ti otam l'-heley etz" implies that God's curse upon them will be like a curse that brings weariness and exhaustion upon an object or person. This evokes a sense of profound depletion and hopelessness.
• ki TABA: (Hebrew: כִּי תֵבָה, ki tevah) This is a complex phrase. Teva (תֵבָה) typically means "ark" or "chest." However, in certain contexts and grammatical forms, it can be related to "abomination" or "detestation." Given the severity of the context, it implies they will be seen as an "abomination." The statement is a pronouncement that Judah's identity, due to their actions, will be an object of utter detestation and disgust.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "to sin and to commit adultery": This phrase highlights spiritual unfaithfulness. Sinning covers general transgression, while "committing adultery" specifically points to Israel's breach of covenant, turning away from their "husband," Yahweh, to embrace other deities. This metaphor is deeply embedded in the Old Testament.
• "do not lend to them or regard them": God explicitly states He will not provide His presence, favor, or affirmation to those who engage in idolatry. They are on their own.
• "nor to your allies": This refers to the foreign nations or entities Judah trusted for help, rather than solely on God. God disowns these alliances when they are pursued at the expense of loyalty to Him.
• "will make it an abhorrence": The consequence is not just punishment but a fundamental change in how Judah is perceived and designated—an object of disgust and revulsion due to their deviation from God.
• "that I may bring upon it all the words I have spoken against it": This emphasizes the inexorable fulfillment of God's word. All the curses pronounced in the Law for disobedience are now coming to pass through the Babylonian invasion.
• "but if they do not obey... then I will deal with them as I have decreed": This highlights conditional blessing and disobedience leading to a decreed judgment, indicating God's covenant relationship with Israel carried consequences.

Jeremiah 25 6 Bonus Section

The concept of God becoming like a "refiner" turning the object of refinement into something abhorrent is unique. Usually, refining purifies. Here, God's refining action leads to absolute rejection because the impurities (idolatry) are so deep-seated and despised by God. The mention of "tzarfeichem" also suggests that Israel’s spiritual "refiners" (those who should guide them aright) have failed, leading to foreign powers becoming the instruments that "refine" them into a cursed state. The entire message in this chapter is meant to break Judah from their reliance on political maneuvering and spiritual syncretism, forcing them to confront their core disloyalty.

Jeremiah 25 6 Commentary

Jeremiah 25:6 delivers a stark pronouncement of divine rejection and judgment upon Judah for its persistent idolatry. God declares His complete withdrawal of favor, emphasizing that their alliances and efforts to appease foreign gods or seek help from other nations will yield nothing but divine wrath. The consequence for their spiritual adultery – turning away from Yahweh – is severe: they will become an object of perpetual disgust and a vessel for the full manifestation of God's spoken curses. This verse underscores the absolute nature of God's demand for exclusive worship and the catastrophic consequences of breaking this fundamental covenant. The judgment is not merely external calamity but an internal and existential transformation into an object of abhorrence.