Jeremiah 6:21 kjv
Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
Jeremiah 6:21 nkjv
Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish."
Jeremiah 6:21 niv
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "I will put obstacles before this people. Parents and children alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish."
Jeremiah 6:21 esv
Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.'"
Jeremiah 6:21 nlt
Therefore, this is what the LORD says:
"I will put obstacles in my people's path.
Fathers and sons will both fall over them.
Neighbors and friends will die together."
Jeremiah 6 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 6:20 | To what purpose is frankincense from Sheba, and sweet cane from a far country unto me? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. | Foreshadows this verse with a similar sentiment. |
| Isaiah 1:11 | To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. | Emphasizes God's satiety with empty ritual. |
| Psalm 40:6 | Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. | Connects obedient hearing with acceptable worship. |
| Psalm 50:7-15 | O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. ... Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. | Stresses heartfelt gratitude over ritual. |
| Hosea 6:6 | For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. | Highlights God's preference for mercy and knowledge. |
| Amos 5:21-23 | I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. | Repeats the theme of God's rejection of festivals. |
| Matthew 9:13 | But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. | Jesus quotes Hosea, showing the principle's continuity. |
| Matthew 12:7 | But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. | Further application of the principle in a dispute. |
| Hebrews 10:5-10 | Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: ... By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. | Explains that Christ's sacrifice fulfilled and replaced the Old Testament offerings. |
| 1 Samuel 15:22 | And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. | King Saul is rebuked for disobedience despite sacrifices. |
| Romans 12:1 | I beseech you therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. | Calls for living, surrendered sacrifice as true worship. |
| John 4:24 | God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. | Emphasizes the inner disposition of worship. |
| Proverbs 15:8 | The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind. | Connects wicked intentions with unacceptable sacrifices. |
| Psalm 51:16-17 | For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. | Prioritizes brokenness and contrition over external offerings. |
| Exodus 22:29-30 | Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with the dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. | God required firstfruits and firstborns, indicating dedication. |
| Leviticus 19:3-4 | Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God. | Underscores that obedience to God's commands precedes acceptable worship. |
| Amos 4:4-5 | Bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes every three years: And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish your free will offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. | Critiques sacrifices offered with wrong motives and practices. |
| Jeremiah 7:21-23 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. | Provides a direct parallel to the verse, clarifying God's original commands. |
Jeremiah 6 verses
Jeremiah 6 21 Meaning
This verse powerfully depicts the Lord's rejection of sacrifices and offerings presented by an unrighteous or disobedient people. God finds no delight or pleasure in the burnt offerings or sacrifices from those whose hearts and actions are far from Him. Their devotion is seen as empty and meaningless to the Lord.
Jeremiah 6 21 Context
Jeremiah 6:21 is situated within a larger prophetic indictment against Judah. The preceding verses (6:16-20) urge the people to return to the ancient paths and heed God's commands. However, their disobedience is evident, characterized by their rejection of God's guidance. This verse, therefore, serves as a strong declaration of God's displeasure with their outward acts of worship which are devoid of inner sincerity and obedience. Historically, this occurs during a period of great spiritual decline in Judah, preceding the Babylonian exile. The people were relying on religious rituals while clinging to sin, leading God to declare their sacrifices unacceptable.
Jeremiah 6 21 Word Analysis
- לָמָּה (lam-mah): "to what purpose?" or "why?". This interrogative expresses futility and pointlessness, highlighting the utter ineffectiveness of their offerings.
- לְעֹלָה (lĕ-‘ô-lâ): "for burnt offering." The Hebrew word implies something that "goes up" in smoke. It was a voluntary offering wholly consumed by fire, signifying complete dedication to God.
- אֲשֶׁר (’ă-šer): "that" or "which." Connects the offering to the lack of God's delight.
- לֹא־ (lô-): "not." A direct negation of divine pleasure.
- רָצִיתִי (rā-ṣî-tî): "I have delighted" or "I have been pleased with." Rooted in rōṣôn (favor, acceptance), it signifies God's satisfaction.
- וּמִזְבַּחְכֶם (û-miz-ba-ḥĕ-kem): "and your sacrifices." The plural emphasizes the collective offerings of the people. The Hebrew word mizbeach refers to the altar, but here it represents the offerings made upon it.
- לֹא־ (lô-): "not."
- יִרְצוּ (yir-ṣu): "will please" or "will be accepted." The Hiphil causative form of the verb rōṣôn indicates that God is the one who would accept or find pleasure in them.
- לִי (lî): "unto me" or "for me." Indicates the recipient of the intended pleasure.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "To what purpose is your burnt offering...": This framing establishes the absolute uselessness of their actions. The "burnt offering" signifies the most complete form of ancient sacrifice, yet even this highest form is rejected when offered from an unrepentant heart.
- "I have no delight in them, and your sacrifices will not please me.": This is a direct, emphatic statement of God's disfavor. The repetition of the concept of not pleasing highlights the profound disconnect between God's expectation and the people's reality. It’s not just about the act of sacrifice, but the state of the heart from which it originates.
Jeremiah 6 21 Bonus Section
The rejection of sacrifices is a recurring theme in the Old Testament prophets. It’s crucial to understand that God never repudiated the sacrificial system itself; rather, He rejected the way it was being performed. The Levitical laws prescribed sacrifices for specific purposes and in conjunction with obedience. When obedience faltered, the sacrifices lost their intended meaning and efficacy in God’s eyes. This verse and its parallels in other prophetic books (Isaiah 1:11-15, Amos 5:21-23) powerfully emphasize the ethical and spiritual dimensions of worship, predating and framing the New Testament's understanding of Christ's ultimate sacrifice as the fulfillment of all ritualistic offerings, and the call for believers to offer their lives as living sacrifices in response to God's grace.
Jeremiah 6 21 Commentary
God’s rejection of the burnt offerings and sacrifices in Jeremiah 6:21 underscores a foundational principle of biblical worship: true worship is not merely ritualistic; it must be accompanied by a sincere heart and obedience to God's commands. The people of Judah were offering sacrifices while continuing in their sinful ways, effectively offering God an empty shell of devotion. God’s desire, as echoed throughout Scripture (e.g., Hosea 6:6; Psalm 51:17), is for a broken and contrite spirit, genuine repentance, and willing obedience. When external religious practices are disconnected from an internal transformation and obedience, they become an abomination to God. This verse serves as a timeless reminder that acceptable worship stems from a heart surrendered to God, characterized by mercy, justice, and a willing spirit.
Practical Usage Examples
- An individual attending church every Sunday, yet engaging in dishonest practices at work, is offering a Jeremiah 6:21 sacrifice.
- A community holding outward religious celebrations while neglecting to care for the poor or uphold justice is performing an unacceptable worship, as depicted in this verse.
- The focus should shift from mere outward acts of devotion to the cultivation of an inner life of faith, love, and obedience, making our lives a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1).