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.

KJV (with Strong's)

And I will make void {H1238} the counsel {H6098} of Judah {H3063} and Jerusalem {H3389} in this place {H4725}; and I will cause them to fall {H5307} by the sword {H2719} before {H6440} their enemies {H341}, and by the hands {H3027} of them that seek {H1245} their lives {H5315}: and their carcases {H5038} will I give {H5414} to be meat {H3978} for the fowls {H5775} of the heaven {H8064}, and for the beasts {H929} of the earth {H776}.

Complete Jewish Bible

I will nullify the plans of Y'hudah and Yerushalayim in this place. I will have them fall by the sword before their enemies and at the hand of those seeking their lives, and I will give their corpses as food for the birds in the air and the wild animals.

Berean Standard Bible

And in this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hands of those who seek their lives, and I will give their carcasses as food to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.

American Standard Version

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.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 19:7 delivers a stark divine pronouncement of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem, declaring that God Himself will utterly nullify their human strategies and alliances, leading to their catastrophic defeat by invading enemies. The verse graphically portrays the profound humiliation awaiting the nation, as their unburied corpses will become carrion for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. This gruesome fate serves as a direct consequence of their persistent rebellion, idolatry, and the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice in the Valley of Hinnom, underscoring God's unwavering justice and the absolute futility of human resistance against His sovereign will.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a climactic declaration within a highly symbolic and dramatic prophetic act initiated by God through Jeremiah in [Jeremiah 19](/jeremiah/19 "Jeremiah 19 - The Broken Jar"). The chapter opens with God commanding Jeremiah to take an earthenware jar to the Valley of Hinnom (Tophet), a place infamous for the horrific practice of child sacrifice. There, in the presence of the elders and priests, Jeremiah is instructed to smash the jar, a powerful visual metaphor symbolizing the irreversible shattering and devastation that will befall Judah and Jerusalem due to their spiritual adultery and abominable practices. Verse 7 directly follows this symbolic act, detailing the specific and gruesome consequences of their sin, emphasizing the complete destruction and profound lack of dignity that will befall the inhabitants. The preceding verses, particularly [Jeremiah 19:4-6](/jeremiah/19-4-6 "Jeremiah 19:4-6 - Idolatry, Innocent Blood, and Divine Wrath"), meticulously outline the specific transgressions—forsaking God, burning incense to other gods, and filling the place with innocent blood—that provoke this severe judgment, establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between their actions and God's decreed punishment.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jeremiah's prophetic ministry unfolded during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah, culminating in the Babylonian exile. Judah found itself precariously positioned between the ascendant Neo-Babylonian Empire and the declining power of Egypt. Despite Jeremiah's fervent warnings, the people and their leaders frequently sought political and military alliances with foreign powers, particularly Egypt, or placed their trust in their own strategic wisdom and military might, rather than relying on the Lord. The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna), a literal valley south of Jerusalem, had become tragically defiled by the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice to the pagan deity Molech, as explicitly condemned in [2 Kings 23:10](/2_kings/23-10 "2 Kings 23:10 - Tophet and Child Sacrifice") and [Jeremiah 7:31](/jeremiah/7-31 "Jeremiah 7:31 - The Valley of Hinnom, a Place of Abomination"). The imagery of unburied bodies left for scavengers was an ultimate disgrace in ancient Near Eastern culture, signifying utter humiliation, a denial of proper burial rites, and a profound divine curse, standing in stark contrast to the cultural imperative of respectful interment.
* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 19:7 powerfully articulates several foundational themes prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah. Firstly, it emphatically highlights the theme of **Divine Judgment and Retribution**, demonstrating God's righteous anger and unwavering justice against persistent sin and entrenched idolatry. The severity of the punishment underscores that God, as a holy and covenant-keeping God, will not tolerate the defilement of His covenant people and land. Secondly, the verse underscores the **Futility of Human Counsel and Self-Reliance** when pitted against God's sovereign will. Judah's attempts to secure their future through their own political machinations and military alliances are explicitly declared "void," illustrating that no human ingenuity or strength can thwart a divine decree. This theme resonates throughout prophetic literature, finding parallels in passages such as [Isaiah 30:1-3](/isaiah/30-1-3 "Isaiah 30:1-3 - Woe to Rebellious Children"). Thirdly, the passage vividly portrays the dire **Consequences of Idolatry and Covenant Disobedience**. The horrific fate of unburied bodies is a direct, tangible result of their abominable practices, particularly child sacrifice, and serves as a fulfillment of the curses outlined in the Mosaic Covenant for disobedience, as detailed in [Deuteronomy 28:26](/deuteronomy/28-26 "Deuteronomy 28:26 - Curses for Disobedience"). This gruesome imagery powerfully conveys the defilement and spiritual death brought about by turning away from the living God.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **void (Hebrew, _bâqaq'_):** Root H1238 signifies "to empty, depopulate, make void." Here, it describes God's active and decisive act of nullifying the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. It implies a divine intervention that renders their human strategies utterly ineffective and barren, emphasizing that their carefully crafted schemes will result in desolation rather than security. This is not merely a failure of their plans, but God's intentional emptying of them.
* **counsel (Hebrew, _ʻêtsâh'_):** From H6098, meaning "advice; by implication, plan; also prudence." This term refers to the strategic plans, political schemes, and military alliances that Judah and Jerusalem had devised to ensure their safety and prosperity. The declaration that God will make this "counsel" void underscores the ultimate futility of human wisdom and self-reliance when it stands in opposition to God's ordained judgment. Their most carefully crafted strategies would be dismantled by divine decree.
* **carcases (Hebrew, _nᵉbêlâh'_):** From H5038, meaning "a flabby thing, i.e., a carcase or carrion (human or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol." This term graphically depicts the dead bodies of the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. The use of "carcases" rather than "bodies" emphasizes their abject state of disgrace, dehumanization, and defilement. To be left unburied was a profound curse in ancient Israelite culture, signifying a complete lack of dignity even in death and a stark sign of divine abandonment and judgment.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place":** God declares His direct, sovereign intervention to nullify, render useless, and completely empty all the strategic plans, political alliances, and human wisdom that Judah and Jerusalem have placed their reliance upon. The phrase "in this place" (referring to Tophet/Valley of Hinnom) is profoundly significant, as it is the very location where they committed their abominable acts, and it is here that their self-devised plans will be exposed as utterly futile. This highlights God's absolute sovereignty over all human endeavors.
* **"and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives":** This clause details the direct means of their destruction: military defeat and violent death. God Himself will orchestrate their downfall, ensuring they are overcome by their adversaries. The repetition "by the sword... and by the hands of them that seek their lives" emphasizes the direct, violent nature of the judgment and the relentless pursuit by their foes, leaving no avenue of escape or mercy.
* **"and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth":** This is the most gruesome and humiliating consequence of the judgment. Their dead bodies will not receive proper burial but will be left exposed, becoming carrion for scavenging birds and wild animals. This imagery signifies the ultimate disgrace, a complete lack of dignity even in death, and a profound curse, fulfilling the warnings of the Mosaic Covenant against severe disobedience. It underscores the unparalleled severity of God's judgment and the utter desolation that will befall the land and its inhabitants.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 19:7 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark message of impending judgment. **Symbolism** is deeply embedded, with the "broken jar" (from the broader context of [Jeremiah 19](/jeremiah/19 "Jeremiah 19 - The Broken Jar")) serving as a powerful visual metaphor for the irreversible shattering and destruction of Judah and Jerusalem. The "counsel" of Judah and Jerusalem functions as a **metonymy** for their human strategies, political alliances, and self-reliant wisdom, which God promises to "make void," emphasizing the absolute futility of human efforts when they oppose divine decree. The phrase "fall by the sword before their enemies" is a straightforward depiction of military defeat, but the subsequent imagery of "carcases... meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth" is a vivid example of **gruesome imagery** and **hyperbole**, designed to shock the audience and underscore the extreme nature of the divine curse and the utter lack of dignity in death. This imagery also functions as a form of **poetic justice**, as the very valley where they offered their children as sacrifices (Tophet) will become a place of widespread death and defilement for their own bodies. The entire verse is infused with strong **divine agency**, with the repeated "I will make void," "I will cause them to fall," and "I will give," powerfully highlighting God as the active and sovereign orchestrator of this devastating judgment, not merely a passive observer.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 19:7 profoundly articulates God's unyielding justice, absolute sovereignty, and righteous wrath in the face of human rebellion. It demonstrates that divine judgment is not arbitrary but a direct, inevitable consequence of persistent sin, particularly idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood. The nullification of Judah's "counsel" underscores the theological truth that human wisdom, strength, and self-devised strategies are utterly powerless and ultimately futile when they stand in opposition to God's purposes. This passage serves as a stark reminder that true security, lasting peace, and genuine wisdom are found only in obedience and humble reliance upon the Lord, not in self-devised schemes or worldly alliances. The horrific imagery of unburied bodies emphasizes the profound disgrace, defilement, and curse associated with breaking covenant with the Holy God, illustrating the ultimate spiritual and physical degradation that results from a complete turning away from Him.

* [Psalm 33:10-11](/psalms/33-10-11 "God's Counsel Stands Forever")
* [Proverbs 19:21](/proverbs/19-21 "Many Plans, God's Purpose Prevails")
* [Deuteronomy 28:26](/deuteronomy/28-26 "Curse of Unburied Bodies for Disobedience")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 19:7, while a severe prophecy of judgment, offers profound and enduring lessons for contemporary believers. It confronts us with the sobering reality of God's holiness, His righteous response to sin, and the inevitable consequences of rebellion. This verse challenges us to deeply examine our own lives: are we, like ancient Judah, relying on our "own counsel"—our personal plans, accumulated resources, or perceived wisdom—rather than diligently seeking and humbly submitting to God's perfect will? Do we harbor "idols" in our hearts, prioritizing anything (career success, financial security, personal comfort, relationships, or even ministry itself) above our supreme devotion to the Lord? The graphic consequences depicted serve as a powerful warning against spiritual complacency and the deceptive allure of worldly solutions that promise security apart from God. This passage calls us to genuine repentance and a radical reorientation of our priorities, reminding us that true security, flourishing, and peace come only from aligning our lives with God's sovereign purposes and trusting in His unfailing wisdom. It compels us to cultivate a posture of humility and absolute dependence, recognizing that God alone holds ultimate power and that His counsel will always prevail.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "counsel" or human strategies do I tend to rely on instead of seeking God's guidance and wisdom in my life's decisions?**
* **In what areas of my life might I be prioritizing something over God, effectively creating an "idol" that subtly competes for my ultimate allegiance?**
* **How does the severity of God's judgment in this verse deepen my appreciation for His boundless grace and mercy, which are so richly offered to us through Christ?**

### FAQ
**What does "make void the counsel" mean in practical terms for Judah?**

Answer: To "make void the counsel" (Hebrew: H1238, _bâqaq'_ and H6098, _ʻêtsâh'_) means that God would actively render useless, nullify, and completely empty all the strategic plans, political alliances, and military preparations that Judah and Jerusalem had devised for their security and survival. Despite their best human efforts to resist their enemies or forge advantageous treaties, God would ensure that these plans would utterly fail, leading directly to their catastrophic defeat and destruction. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrating that no human scheme, no matter how clever or well-intentioned, can thwart His divine purpose or righteous judgment. This is a powerful statement that God's will prevails over all human intentions, as clearly articulated in [Proverbs 19:21](/proverbs/19-21 "Proverbs 19:21 - Many Plans, God's Purpose Prevails").

**Why is the imagery of bodies being "meat for the fowls... and for the beasts" so significant?**

Answer: This imagery (Hebrew: H5038, _nᵉbêlâh'_, H5775, _ʻôwph'_, H929, _bᵉhêmâh'_) is profoundly significant because it represents the ultimate disgrace, curse, and humiliation in ancient Near Eastern culture. Proper burial was of paramount importance, signifying dignity, respect for the deceased, and a peaceful rest for the soul. To be left unburied, with one's corpse exposed to be devoured by scavenging birds and wild animals, was a sign of utter degradation, abandonment by both God and man, and a complete lack of honor even in death. It was a direct fulfillment of the curses for covenant disobedience outlined in the Mosaic Law (e.g., [Deuteronomy 28:26](/deuteronomy/28-26 "Deuteronomy 28:26 - Curses for Disobedience")). This gruesome fate underscores the severity of Judah's sin, particularly their abhorrent child sacrifices in Tophet, and the depth of God's righteous judgment against their abominations.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 19:7, with its stark portrayal of divine judgment against human rebellion and the utter futility of self-reliance, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in a similar judgment for believers, but in the profound contrast and redemptive reversal accomplished through Jesus Christ. While Judah's "counsel" was made void, leading to death and disgrace, God's eternal counsel for humanity's salvation was perfectly executed in Christ. The curse of unburied bodies, signifying utter spiritual and physical separation from God due to sin, is decisively overcome by Christ's sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. He bore the full weight of God's righteous wrath, becoming the ultimate "curse for us" ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")), so that all who believe in Him might not face the judgment of being consumed by spiritual death. Instead of their carcases becoming food for scavengers, believers are offered spiritual life, an imperishable body, and the promise of resurrection glory ([1 Corinthians 15:42-44](/1_corinthians/15-42-44 "1 Corinthians 15:42-44 - The Resurrection Body")). The "counsel" that truly stands is God's eternal plan to reconcile humanity to Himself through the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), a divine purpose that no human or demonic force can make void ([Romans 8:31-39](/romans/8-31-39 "Romans 8:31-39 - God Is For Us")). Thus, Jeremiah 19:7, while a terrifying warning of judgment for the unrepentant, ultimately magnifies the glorious and all-sufficient salvation offered in Jesus, who fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law and conquered death itself, securing eternal life and dignity for His people.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Leviticus 26:17

And 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 16:4

They 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 15:2

And 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 15:9

She 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 7:33

And 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.

Psalms 33:10

The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

Psalms 33:11

The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.