The Meaning of Jeremiah 19:7 Explained

Jeremiah 19:7

KJV: 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.

YLT: And I have made void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and have caused them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those seeking their life, and I have given their carcase for food to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth,

Darby: 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 hand of them that seek their life, and their carcases will I give as food to the fowl of the heavens and to the beasts of the earth.

ASV: 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 hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies will I give to be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 19:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord would also turn the wise advice of the people of Judah and Jerusalem into foolishness. As they had worshipped "nothings" there, so their wisdom would come to nothing. Their enemy would also defeat and slaughter them there, as they had slaughtered their innocent children. No one would bury their dead bodies, but they would become food for carrion birds (vultures) and wild animals, since they had killed similar animals there to worship the idols (cf. Jeremiah 7:33; Jeremiah 16:4; Jeremiah 34:20; Deuteronomy 28:26).

Context Summary

Jeremiah 19:1-15 - The Folly Of Idolatry
Jeremiah 10:1-10
We are here introduced into an idol-factory. Contrasted with the manufactured idols is the majesty of our God. There is none like Him. His name is great in might; He is the King of the nations, the true and living God, and the everlasting King! Christian, fear not or be dismayed when enemies plot against you. It is a vain device that they frame. To hide in God is a sure defence from all that man can do for our hurt. O thou true and living Savior, in thy wounds harried and faithful souls become strong and brave again.
Jeremiah 10:19-25
The prophet now bids the people prepare for their captivity. Their city would be as when a shepherd removed his slight and insubstantial tent, leaving no trace. But Jeremiah's soul is lacerated and torn with the message he must needs announce. Are we called to be shepherds? Let us see to it that we seek the Lord; so only shall our flocks not be scattered, Jeremiah 10:21. Are we in perplexity as to our path in life? It is not for us to direct ourselves, but to look up for God's sure guidance, which will be given to the soul that waits for it, Jeremiah 10:23. Are we being corrected? Let us be patient; it is only when we endure without complaining that our trial works out the highest good, and God will not give us more than we can bear, Jeremiah 10:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 19

1  Under the type of breaking a potter's vessel, is foreshown the desolation of the Jews

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

And I will make void - the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in place this and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hands of those who seek their lives and I will give their corpses as meat for the birds of the heaven for the beasts of the earth
וּ֠בַקֹּתִי אֶת־ עֲצַ֨ת יְהוּדָ֤ה וִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ בַּמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהִפַּלְתִּ֤ים בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְיַ֖ד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְנָתַתִּ֤י נִבְלָתָם֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ

וּ֠בַקֹּתִי  And  I  will  make  void 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: בָּקַק 
Sense: to empty.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֲצַ֨ת  the  counsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
יְהוּדָ֤ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙  and  Jerusalem 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
בַּמָּק֣וֹם  in  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְהִפַּלְתִּ֤ים  and  I  will  cause  them  to  fall 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙  by  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם  their  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
וּבְיַ֖ד  and  by  the  hands 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י  of  those  who  seek 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
נַפְשָׁ֑ם  their  lives 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
וְנָתַתִּ֤י  and  I  will  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
נִבְלָתָם֙  their  corpses 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נְבֵלָה  
Sense: carcass, corpse.
לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל  as  meat 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַאֲכָל  
Sense: food, fruit, meat.
לְע֥וֹף  for  the  birds 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֹוף  
Sense: flying creatures, fowl, insects, birds.
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם  of  the  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥ת  for  the  beasts 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
הָאָֽרֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.