Jeremiah 1:16

I will pronounce My judgments against them for all their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me, and they have burned incense to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Jeremiah during a prophetic commissioning sequence, positioned between the announcement of northern invasion and the command to deliver the message without intimidation.

The words — וְדִבַּרְתִּי (ve./di.bar.Ti) means "and I will speak," coupled with מִשְׁפָּטַי (mish.pa.Ta/i) meaning "My judgments," forming the declarative core of the verse.

The thread — The text links covenant abandonment to idolatry in Jeremiah 7:9 and 19:4, while the resulting divine retribution mirrors the curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28:20.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to recognize that worship of other gods is explicitly defined as forsaking Yahweh, demanding a direct assessment of where personal allegiance currently resides.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְדִבַּרְתִּ֤יve./di.bar.Tiand/ I will speak מִשְׁפָּטַי֙mish.pa.Ta/ijudgments/ my אוֹתָ֔ם'o.Ta/mwith/ them עַ֖ל'alon כָּל־kol-all רָעָתָ֑םra.'a.Ta/mwickedness/ their אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich עֲזָב֗וּנִי'a.za.Vu./nithey have forsaken/ me וַֽיְקַטְּרוּ֙va/y.ka.te.Ruand/ they have made smoke לֵאלֹהִ֣יםle./lo.Himto/ gods אֲחֵרִ֔ים'a.che.Rimother וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּva/i.yish.ta.cha.Vuand/ they have bowed down לְמַעֲשֵׂ֥יle./ma.'a.Seito/ [the] products of יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ye.dei./Hemhands/ their

King James Version

And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 7:9 Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known,
Jeremiah 19:4 because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.
Deuteronomy 28:20 The LORD will send curses upon you, confusion and reproof in all to which you put your hand, until you are destroyed and quickly perish because of the wickedness you have committed in forsaking Him.
Acts 7:41 At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
Isaiah 2:8 Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.
Deuteronomy 31:16 And the LORD said to Moses, “You will soon rest with your fathers, and these people will rise up and prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake Me and break the covenant I have made with them.
Joshua 24:20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, He will turn and bring disaster on you and consume you, even after He has been good to you.”
2 Kings 22:17 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’
Isaiah 37:19 They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.
Jeremiah 4:12 a wind too strong for that comes from Me. Now I also pronounce judgments against them.”