Jeremiah 26 19

Jeremiah 26:19 kjv

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

Jeremiah 26:19 nkjv

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and seek the LORD's favor? And the LORD relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them. But we are doing great evil against ourselves."

Jeremiah 26:19 niv

"Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the LORD and seek his favor? And did not the LORD relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!"

Jeremiah 26:19 esv

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and did not the LORD relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves."

Jeremiah 26:19 nlt

But did King Hezekiah and the people kill him for saying this? No, they turned from their sins and worshiped the LORD. They begged him for mercy. Then the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had pronounced against them. So we are about to do ourselves great harm."

Jeremiah 26 verses

Jeremiah 26 19 meaning

Jeremiah 26:19 presents a powerful contrast between King Hezekiah's response to the prophet Micah's warning and the current generation's rejection of Jeremiah. It emphasizes that Hezekiah and the people of Judah did not put Micah to death; instead, Hezekiah demonstrated a reverent fear of the LORD and earnestly sought His favor. As a result of this repentance, the LORD relented from the disaster He had threatened against them. The verse concludes with a stark warning that by desiring to kill Jeremiah and rejecting his message, the contemporary leadership and people were actively committing great evil, thereby bringing the announced judgment upon themselves. It underscores the efficacy of repentance in averting divine wrath and highlights the self-destructive nature of defying God's word through His prophets.

Jeremiah 26 19 Context

Jeremiah 26 recounts a pivotal event early in Jeremiah's prophetic ministry, around the beginning of Jehoiakim's reign (609-598 BC). Jeremiah delivered a bold prophecy in the temple court, warning that if the people did not repent, God would destroy the temple and make Jerusalem a desolation like Shiloh (Jer 26:1-6). This message incited fierce opposition from the priests, false prophets, and the people, who seized Jeremiah and demanded his execution (Jer 26:7-9). As a tribunal was convened, a group of elders rose to defend Jeremiah. Verse 19 forms the core of their defense, invoking a historical precedent: King Hezekiah's response to Micah's similar prophecy over a century prior (Micah 3:12). The elders used Hezekiah's example to argue that respecting God's true prophet and repenting would lead to divine mercy, whereas silencing Jeremiah would be a grave sin inviting inevitable judgment.

Jeremiah 26 19 Word analysis

• Did Hezekiah king of Judah (חִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, Ḥizqîyyāhû Meleḵ Yəhûḏâ): Hezekiah was a revered king, remembered for his righteousness and reforms. Referencing him lent significant authority and credibility to the elders' argument, tapping into national memory and ideal leadership.
• and all Judah: Signifies that the collective kingdom under Hezekiah either actively participated in or acquiesced to the king's righteous response, reinforcing the idea of a unified positive action.
• put him to death? (הֶמִיתֻהוּ, hemituhû): A rhetorical question designed to elicit a definitive "No." This immediately establishes a critical contrast between the exemplary past behavior and the current, violent intent toward Jeremiah. The implication is that a true prophet should not be killed for his message.
• Did he not fear (הֲלֹא יָרֵא, hălōʾ yārēʾ): Another rhetorical question. The Hebrew yāréʼ signifies profound reverential awe, respect, and obedience, not just terror. Hezekiah's fear of the LORD translated into humble action rather than rebellion. This contrasts with the contemporary disregard for God's word.
• the LORD (אֶת־יְהוָה, ʾeṯ-YHWH): Refers specifically to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. Fearing the LORD means upholding the covenant and adhering to His revealed will.
• and entreat (וַיְחַל, vayyēḥal): From Hebrew ḥālal in the Piel stem, meaning to seek the favor of, supplicate, or pray earnestly. It conveys a deep, humble pleading with God. Hezekiah's actions moved beyond fear to active prayer and seeking God's mercy.
• the LORD (אֶת־פְּנֵי יְהוָה, ʾeṯ-pənê YHWH): Literally "the face of the LORD," an idiom signifying seeking God's direct presence, favor, and gracious intervention.
• and did not the LORD relent (וַיִּנָּחֶם יְהוָה, vayyinnāḥem YHWH): From Hebrew nāḥam in the Nifal stem, meaning to be sorry, to comfort oneself, or to relent/change one's mind. In this context, it describes God altering His declared course of action (judgment) in response to human repentance, not a change in His immutable character or ultimate purpose. It highlights His compassionate responsiveness.
• of the disaster (עַל־הָרָעָה, ʿal-hārāʿâ): Refers to the announced calamity or evil, specifically the destruction of Jerusalem predicted by Micah (Mic 3:12).
• that he had pronounced against them? (אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עֲלֵיהֶם, ʾăšer dibbér ʿălêhem): Emphasizes that the original judgment was a divine decree spoken through a legitimate prophet. The rhetorical structure underscores the efficacy of Hezekiah's response to such a powerful pronouncement.
• But we are committing (וַאֲנַחְנוּ עֹשִׂים, waʾănáḥnû ʿōśîm): The emphatic "we" (waʾănáḥnû) introduces a stark contrast with Hezekiah's generation. "Committing" (ʿōśîm, an active participle) highlights their present, deliberate, and ongoing actions of doing evil.
• great evil (רָעָה גְדֹלָה, rāʿâ gəḏōlâ): Describes their moral wickedness, especially in seeking to kill God's prophet. The adjective "great" stresses the severity and profound sinfulness of their conduct.
• against ourselves. (עַל־נַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ, ʿal-nap̄šôtêny): Literally "upon our souls/lives." This phrase is crucial: their sinful actions are not just an offense against God and His prophet, but are inherently self-destructive. The judgment they seek to avoid by killing Jeremiah will fall directly on them.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Did Hezekiah king of Judah... put him to death?": This rhetorical question functions as a legal and moral argument based on historical precedent. It implicitly sets the expectation that Jeremiah, like Micah, should not be killed for his prophetic message. The contrasting "No" from the past generation serves as a condemning judgment on the present generation's violent intentions.
• "Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the LORD...": This group of phrases highlights the reason for God's relenting and the proper response to prophetic warnings. Hezekiah's reverential awe toward God (yārēʾ YHWH) led to humble and earnest supplication (ḥālal YHWH), creating the conditions for divine mercy. It offers a blueprint for how to respond to God's warnings.
• "...and did not the LORD relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them?": This further rhetorical question confirms the divine response to Hezekiah's piety. It demonstrates God's willingness to turn from threatened judgment when people repent, showcasing His compassion and flexibility within His justice. The disaster was not an immutable fate, but a conditional consequence that could be averted.
• "But we are committing great evil against ourselves.": This phrase provides the ultimate theological and ethical punch. It serves as a direct indictment and stark contrast to Hezekiah's generation. By seeking to silence God's prophet and reject His word, they were actively incurring a "great evil" that would manifest as self-inflicted destruction, unlike the life-preserving actions of Hezekiah.

Jeremiah 26 19 Bonus section

• The rhetorical force of the repeated "Did... not" (Hebrew: hălōʾ) structure is very powerful in Hebrew. It’s an accusatory questioning technique that demands a specific answer ("No, they didn't kill him"; "Yes, he did fear the LORD"; "Yes, the LORD did relent").
• This verse underpins the concept of conditional prophecy, particularly regarding pronouncements of judgment. While God's ultimate plan and character are unchangeable (Num 23:19, 1 Sam 15:29), specific threats of calamity often carry an implicit condition of "unless they repent" (Jer 18:7-10). Hezekiah's case provides strong evidence for this.
• The incident highlights the precarious and often life-threatening role of a true prophet who delivers an unpopular but divine message. The courage of both Micah and Jeremiah stands out, along with the righteous discernment of the elders in Jeremiah's time.
• The passage reveals the contrasting paths for dealing with prophetic warnings: one rooted in humble obedience and resulting in salvation, the other in stubborn rebellion leading to self-inflicted disaster. This historical precedent was entirely relevant to the people of Judah facing the impending Babylonian threat.

Jeremiah 26 19 Commentary

Jeremiah 26:19 is a concise yet profound summary of God's interaction with humanity regarding sin and judgment. The elders' appeal to Hezekiah's historical example demonstrates that God's justice is always tempered by His readiness to show mercy to a repentant heart. Hezekiah's response to Micah's prophecy — not with violence, but with a reverential fear of the Lord and fervent prayer — became a model of wise and righteous leadership. His humility opened the door for God to "relent" from the disaster, showcasing that announced judgments are often conditional upon human response. The elders effectively challenge Jeremiah's accusers: while they seek to silence the prophet, Hezekiah honored God's messenger and avoided destruction. The verse's final, devastating accusation — "But we are committing great evil against ourselves" — lays bare the self-destructive nature of sin and rebellion against God's word. By rejecting Jeremiah and God's warning, they were not evading judgment but actively embracing a greater evil, ensuring their own calamity.