The Meaning of Jeremiah 7:19 Explained

Jeremiah 7:19

KJV: Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?

YLT: Me are they provoking to anger? an affirmation of Jehovah, Is it not themselves, For the shame of their own faces?

Darby: Is it I whom they provoke to anger? saith Jehovah; is it not themselves, to the shame of their own face?

ASV: Do they provoke me to anger? saith Jehovah; do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Do they provoke me to anger?  saith  the LORD:  [do they] not [provoke] themselves to the confusion  of their own faces? 

What does Jeremiah 7:19 Mean?

Verse Meaning

By provoking the Lord, the people were really hurting and humiliating themselves. Their flagrant disobedience would come back on them, and they would suffer for their sins.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 7

1  Jeremiah is sent to call to true repentance, to prevent the Jews' captivity
8  He rejects their vain confidence,
12  by the example of Shiloh
17  He threatens them for their idolatry
21  He rejects the sacrifices of the disobedient
29  He exhorts to mourn for their abominations in Tophet;
32  and the judgments for the same

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 7:19 mean?

Do provoke Me they to anger says Yahweh [Do [they] not [provoke] - themselves to the shame of their own faces -
הַאֹתִ֛י הֵ֥ם מַכְעִסִ֖ים נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֑ה הֲל֣וֹא אֹתָ֔ם לְמַ֖עַן בֹּ֥שֶׁת ؟ פְּנֵיהֶֽם ס

הַאֹתִ֛י  Do  provoke  Me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַכְעִסִ֖ים  to  anger 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: כָּעַס  
Sense: to be angry, be vexed, be indignant, be wroth, be grieved, provoke to anger and wrath.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הֲל֣וֹא  [Do  [they]  not  [provoke] 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֹתָ֔ם  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לְמַ֖עַן  themselves 
Parse: Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
בֹּ֥שֶׁת  to  the  shame 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בֹּשֶׁת  
Sense: shame.
؟ פְּנֵיהֶֽם  of  their  own  faces 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation