Jeremiah 19:7
And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
Original Language Analysis
וּ֠בַקֹּתִי
And I will make void
H1238
וּ֠בַקֹּתִי
And I will make void
Strong's:
H1238
Word #:
1 of 22
to pour out, i.e., to empty, figuratively, to depopulate; by analogy, to spread out (as a fruitful vine)
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
2 of 22
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
יְהוּדָ֤ה
of Judah
H3063
יְהוּדָ֤ה
of Judah
Strong's:
H3063
Word #:
4 of 22
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
וִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙
and Jerusalem
H3389
וִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙
and Jerusalem
Strong's:
H3389
Word #:
5 of 22
jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine
בַּמָּק֣וֹם
in this place
H4725
בַּמָּק֣וֹם
in this place
Strong's:
H4725
Word #:
6 of 22
properly, a standing, i.e., a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)
הַזֶּ֔ה
H2088
וְהִפַּלְתִּ֤ים
and I will cause them to fall
H5307
וְהִפַּלְתִּ֤ים
and I will cause them to fall
Strong's:
H5307
Word #:
8 of 22
to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙
by the sword
H2719
בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙
by the sword
Strong's:
H2719
Word #:
9 of 22
drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement
לִפְנֵ֣י
before
H6440
לִפְנֵ֣י
before
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
10 of 22
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
וּבְיַ֖ד
and by the hands
H3027
וּבְיַ֖ד
and by the hands
Strong's:
H3027
Word #:
12 of 22
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י
of them that seek
H1245
מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י
of them that seek
Strong's:
H1245
Word #:
13 of 22
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
נַפְשָׁ֑ם
their lives
H5315
נַפְשָׁ֑ם
their lives
Strong's:
H5315
Word #:
14 of 22
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
וְנָתַתִּ֤י
will I give
H5414
וְנָתַתִּ֤י
will I give
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
15 of 22
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
16 of 22
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
נִבְלָתָם֙
and their carcases
H5038
נִבְלָתָם֙
and their carcases
Strong's:
H5038
Word #:
17 of 22
a flabby thing, i.e., a carcase or carrion (human or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol
לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל
to be meat
H3978
לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל
to be meat
Strong's:
H3978
Word #:
18 of 22
an eatable (including provender, flesh and fruit)
לְע֥וֹף
for the fowls
H5775
לְע֥וֹף
for the fowls
Strong's:
H5775
Word #:
19 of 22
a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם
of the heaven
H8064
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם
of the heaven
Strong's:
H8064
Word #:
20 of 22
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r
Cross References
Leviticus 26:17And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.Jeremiah 16:4They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.Jeremiah 15:2And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.Jeremiah 15:9She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the LORD.Jeremiah 34:20I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.Jeremiah 7:33And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
Historical Context
Judah attempted various strategies to avoid Babylonian conquest—Egyptian alliance, fortification improvements, diplomatic negotiations. All failed. King Zedekiah's rebellion despite Jeremiah's warnings brought the final, devastating invasion (2 Kgs 24-25, Jer 37-39). The unburied dead after Jerusalem's fall fulfilled this prophecy precisely. Lamentations graphically describes the horror of corpses lying in streets, unburied and consumed by scavengers (Lam 2:21, 4:14).
Questions for Reflection
- What does it mean that God can make void all human counsel and planning when He determines judgment?
- How should awareness that no strategy succeeds against God's purposes affect your life planning?
- In what ways does trusting human wisdom rather than divine revelation lead to futile plans?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
The judgment's specifics: "I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place." To "make void" (baqaqti, בַּקֹּתִי, pour out/empty) their counsel means render their plans ineffective and their wisdom useless. Despite strategic planning, political maneuvering, and military preparation, Judah will fail because God opposes them. "I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies"—comprehensive military defeat awaits.
"Their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth"—covenant curse language (Deut 28:26). Proper burial was crucial in ancient culture; leaving corpses unburied for scavengers represented ultimate shame and disgrace. This fate awaited those who violated God's covenant, demonstrating that rebellion brings not only death but dishonor.
This verse warns that human wisdom and strength cannot prevail when God ordains judgment. All earthly planning proves futile when opposed to divine purposes (Ps 33:10-11, Prov 19:21, 21:30, Isa 8:10). The Reformed doctrine of divine sovereignty teaches that God's decrees accomplish their purpose infallibly—human resistance cannot thwart His will. Our only safety lies in submission to His purposes, finding refuge in Christ who bore the judgment we deserved.