← Back to Jeremiah

Jeremiah 19

15 verses

TL;DR

Jeremiah delivers a warning of divine judgment on Jerusalem’s idolatry, symbolized by breaking a potter’s bottle in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom.

Summary

Jeremiah is commanded by the LORD to fetch a potter’s bottle and go to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, where he will proclaim God’s words to the kings and people of Judah. He declares that the city has forsaken God, worshipped other gods, burned incense to unknown deities, and performed child sacrifices. The LORD warns that the valley will be renamed the Valley of Slaughter and that Jerusalem will be desolate, with its people doomed to violence, cannibalism, and the fate of those buried in Tophet. Jeremiah will break the bottle before witnesses, symbolizing the irrevocable destruction of the people and the city, whose houses will be defiled like Tophet. He then returns from Tophet to prophesy to the people, warning them of the forthcoming calamities for their hardened hearts.

Outline
  1. Jeremiah’s mission to break a potter’s bottle in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom
  2. The LORD’s denunciation of Judah’s idolatry and child sacrifice
  3. The prophetic declaration of judgment and the symbolic breaking of the bottle
Themes
Judgment and divine retributionIdolatry and sacrilegeProphetic warning
Keywords
JudgmentTophetIdolatryIncenseChild sacrificeBaalProphecyBottleValley of the Son of HinnomJeremiah
People
Jeremiahkings of Judahinhabitants of Jerusalempriests
Places
TophetValley of the Son of HinnomJerusalem
Things
potter’s earthen bottleincensehigh places of Baalchild sacrifices
Key Verses
  • Jeremiah 19:1: Command to fetch the bottle and begin the prophecy.
  • Jeremiah 19:4: Lists the idolatrous practices condemned.
  • Jeremiah 19:6: Name change of the valley signals impending judgment.
  • Jeremiah 19:10: Symbolic act of breaking the bottle in public.
  • Jeremiah 19:14: Jeremiah’s return and final proclamation to the people.
Questions
  • Why does the LORD choose the image of a broken potter’s vessel to convey judgment?
  • How does the depiction of Tophet’s transformation serve as a warning for contemporary readers?
  • What does Jeremiah’s mission reveal about prophetic authority and obedience?
  • In what ways might the described idolatry be understood in its historical context?
  • How can believers today apply the themes of judgment and repentance found here?
Sentiment

negative
The chapter conveys a tone of warning, condemnation, and impending divine punishment.