Jeremiah 9:14 kjv
But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:
Jeremiah 9:14 nkjv
but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them,"
Jeremiah 9:14 niv
Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them."
Jeremiah 9:14 esv
but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them.
Jeremiah 9:14 nlt
Instead, they have stubbornly followed their own desires and worshiped the images of Baal, as their ancestors taught them.
Jeremiah 9 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 9:14 | ...because they have forsaken my law which I set before them... | Jeremiah 9:14 (Core Verse) |
| Deuteronomy 28:15 | But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God... | Deut 28:15 (Consequences of disobedience) |
| Jeremiah 6:16 | Thus says the Lord: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths..." | Jer 6:16 (Exhortation to return to God's ways) |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... | Hos 4:6 (Consequences of spiritual ignorance) |
| Isaiah 5:11-12 | Woe to those who rise early in the morning... but do not consider the work of the Lord... | Isa 5:11-12 (Rejection of God's work and blessing) |
| Jeremiah 7:23-24 | But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people... | Jer 7:23-24 (The covenant command) |
| Leviticus 26:3-13 | If you walk in my statutes and keep my commandments... | Lev 26:3-13 (Promises of blessing for obedience) |
| Leviticus 26:14-16 | But if you do not obey me and do not do all these commandments... | Lev 26:14-16 (Curses for disobedience) |
| Jeremiah 2:13 | For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters... | Jer 2:13 (Forsaking God as the source of life) |
| Matthew 19:16-17 | And behold, someone came and said to him, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” | Matt 19:16-17 (Kingdom entry through obedience) |
| John 14:15 | If you love me, you will keep my commandments. | John 14:15 (Love expressed through obedience) |
| 1 John 2:4 | Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar... | 1 John 2:4 (Genuine knowledge linked to obedience) |
| Romans 6:16 | Do you not know that if you surrender yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey...? | Rom 6:16 (Slavery to the one obeyed) |
| Jeremiah 9:12-13 | Who is wise enough to understand this?... Lord: “Because they have forsaken my law…” | Jer 9:12-13 (Wisdom is understanding God's law) |
| Ezekiel 14:3 | ...these men have set up their abominations in their heart... | Ezek 14:3 (Idolatry of the heart) |
| Psalm 1:1-2 | Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked... but his delight is in the law of the Lord... | Ps 1:1-2 (Blessedness in God's law) |
| Joshua 1:8 | This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night... | Josh 1:8 (Meditating on God's law for success) |
| Jeremiah 8:9 | The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and caught; behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord... | Jer 8:9 (Rejection of God's word by the wise) |
| Proverbs 14:34 | Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. | Prov 14:34 (Righteousness vs. sin impact) |
| Isaiah 48:17-18 | Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river..." | Isa 48:17-18 (Profitable teaching and peace through commandments) |
Jeremiah 9 verses
Jeremiah 9 14 Meaning
The verse declares that the people have rejected the Lord’s teachings and followed their own desires. Their prosperity, therefore, has become a source of destruction, a testament to their stubborn disobedience rather than divine blessing.
Jeremiah 9 14 Context
Jeremiah 9:14 is part of a larger prophecy of judgment against Judah. The preceding verses (9:12-13) lament the people's lack of understanding and ask who is wise enough to discern why the land has become desolate. Jeremiah identifies the reason: their abandonment of the Lord's law. The entire chapter (Jeremiah 9) is a series of laments and pronouncements of judgment, detailing the consequences of Judah's unfaithfulness, idolatry, and social injustices. Historically, this prophecy likely relates to the period leading up to the Babylonian exile, a time when Judah increasingly disregarded God's covenant commands despite Jeremiah's persistent warnings.
Jeremiah 9 14 Word Analysis
- Kɪ (Ki): "Because," "for." This is a conjunction introducing the reason or cause for the preceding statement.
- mā'əsû (ma'asu): "they have rejected," "they have refused," "they have despised." This is a strong verb indicating a willful and contemptuous dismissal of something of value.
- 'et- ('et): "token," "sign," "instruction," "law." Refers to the Law given by God, particularly as it was established and communicated. It implies God's revealed will and guidance.
- tōrātî (Torah): "my law," "my teaching," "my instruction." Specifically refers to the covenant Law of God, as given through Moses.
- 'ªšer- ('asher): "which," "that." A relative pronoun connecting the law to the next clause.
- nâtǝṯî (natatti): "I have set," "I have placed," "I have given." Indicates God's active establishment and provision of His Law.
- lǝp̱ǝnêhem (lefanehem): "before them," "in front of them." Signifies that the Law was clearly presented and made available to them, not hidden.
Words-group analysis:
- "rejected my law which I have set before them": This phrase encapsulates the core of Judah's sin. It’s not just ignorance of the Law, but a deliberate casting aside and disrespect for God's direct commands and statutes. The use of "set before them" emphasizes that God provided the means for them to know and follow His will.
Jeremiah 9 14 Bonus Section
The Hebrew word for "law" (Torah) carries a broader meaning than just legal statutes; it encompasses teaching, guidance, and instruction. By rejecting Torah, the people rejected God's wisdom and His covenant relationship. The ultimate fulfillment of "setting His law before them" is seen in Jesus Christ, who is the embodiment of God's teaching and the one through whom believers can truly keep God's commands (John 14:6). The rejection of God's Torah in Jeremiah’s time foreshadows the rejection of Christ by many in His own generation.
Jeremiah 9 14 Commentary
This verse powerfully illustrates the principle that turning away from God's revealed will has severe consequences. The people of Judah were not left in ignorance; God had provided His law, a clear pathway for life and prosperity. However, their rejection of this divine guidance meant that their perceived blessings or continuing existence would ultimately become the means of their downfall. Their stubbornness in pursuing their own ways, instead of God’s righteous path, rendered their present state a precursor to judgment. This highlights the truth that obedience to God's Word is not merely an option but the foundation of true well-being and preservation, while disobedience leads to destruction, turning what might be gifts into instruments of judgment.