Jeremiah 32:29

KJV

And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the Chaldeans {H3778}, that fight {H3898} against this city {H5892}, shall come {H935} and set {H3341} fire {H784} on this city {H5892}, and burn {H8313} it with the houses {H1004}, upon whose roofs {H1406} they have offered incense {H6999} unto Baal {H1168}, and poured out {H5258} drink offerings {H5262} unto other {H312} gods {H430}, to provoke me to anger {H3707}.

Complete Jewish Bible

The Kasdim who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire; they will burn it down, including its houses, on whose roofs they offered to Ba'al and poured out drink offerings to other gods, in order to make me angry.

Berean Standard Bible

And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come in, set it on fire, and burn it, along with the houses of those who provoked Me to anger by burning incense to Baal on their rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.

American Standard Version

and the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set this city on fire, and burn it, with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink-offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 32:29 delivers a stark prophecy foretelling the imminent destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. This verse explicitly connects the impending fiery devastation of the city and its houses to the pervasive idolatry practiced by its inhabitants, particularly their offering of incense and drink offerings to Baal and other false gods on their rooftops. It underscores God's righteous anger as the direct cause of this judgment, revealing the severe consequences of covenant infidelity and the divine response to persistent rebellion against His exclusive claim to worship.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 32 is set during a pivotal moment in Judah's history: the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in the tenth year of King Zedekiah's reign (circa 588 BC). Jeremiah himself is imprisoned in the court of the guard, as detailed in [Jeremiah 32:2](/jeremiah/32-2 "Jeremiah 32:2 - Jeremiah's Imprisonment"). Yet, even in confinement, he receives a divine command to purchase a field in Anathoth from his cousin Hanamel, an act recorded in [Jeremiah 32:6-8](/jeremiah/32-6 "Jeremiah 32:6-8 - Jeremiah Buys a Field"). This seemingly paradoxical act of purchasing land during a siege serves as a powerful symbolic gesture of hope and future restoration, even as the immediate reality is one of impending destruction. Verse 29, therefore, functions as a grim counterpoint to this promise of future hope, explaining *why* such severe judgment is necessary before restoration can occur. It directly follows God's lament over Israel's persistent wickedness, as expressed in [Jeremiah 32:28](/jeremiah/32-28 "Jeremiah 32:28 - God's Judgment on Israel"), and precedes a broader divine monologue affirming both judgment and eventual restoration, found in [Jeremiah 32:30-44](/jeremiah/32-30 "Jeremiah 32:30-44 - Judgment and Promise of Restoration").

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Chaldeans, the dominant force of the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar, were the primary instrument of God's judgment against Judah. Jerusalem had been under siege for an extended period, leading to severe famine and desperation within the city. The practice of worshiping on rooftops was common in the ancient Near East, often associated with astral deities or household gods. However, for Israel, this practice, especially when directed towards foreign gods like Baal, represented a direct violation of the Mosaic Covenant, which strictly forbade idolatry and commanded exclusive worship of Yahweh, as reiterated in [Deuteronomy 6:4-5](/deuteronomy/6-4 "Deuteronomy 6:4-5 - The Shema and Love for God") and [Exodus 20:3-5](/exodus/20-3 "Exodus 20:3-5 - The First Two Commandments"). Baal was a prominent Canaanite storm and fertility god, whose worship often involved morally corrupt practices, including child sacrifice and ritual prostitution, which were anathema to the Lord. The widespread adoption of such practices by the people of Judah, despite repeated prophetic warnings, demonstrated a profound spiritual apostasy that ultimately sealed their fate.

* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 32:29 powerfully articulates several key themes pervasive throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Divine Judgment and the Consequences of Sin**. The destruction of Jerusalem is not random but a direct, divinely ordained consequence of Judah's long history of idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. God's patience has reached its limit, and His justice demands a response to their persistent rebellion. Secondly, the verse emphasizes **Idolatry as Provocation**. The phrase "to provoke me to anger" underscores the personal offense God takes at their actions, framing idolatry not merely as a cultural practice but as a direct affront to His holiness and a betrayal of their covenant relationship. This righteous anger is a consistent theme in Jeremiah, demonstrating God's passionate commitment to His covenant. Thirdly, it speaks to **Prophetic Fulfillment and God's Sovereignty**. Jeremiah's prophecies, often dismissed or ridiculed by his contemporaries, are shown to be on the cusp of literal fulfillment. The Chaldeans, though seemingly acting on their own geopolitical ambitions, are revealed as instruments in God's sovereign hand, executing His decreed judgment upon a rebellious people. This demonstrates God's ultimate control over nations and history, even when His own people are suffering under the hand of foreign powers, as seen in [Jeremiah 25:9](/jeremiah/25-9 "Jeremiah 25:9 - Nebuchadnezzar as God's Servant").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Chaldeans (Hebrew, _Kasdîy'_):** This term (H3778) refers to the inhabitants of Chaldea, a region of Mesopotamia, specifically identifying the Babylonians who were besieging Jerusalem. In this context, they are not merely a foreign army but are presented as the divinely appointed agents of judgment, fulfilling God's prophetic word to His rebellious people. Their coming and destructive actions are directly linked to God's sovereign will and purpose.
* **Baal (Hebrew, _Baʻal'_):** As H1168, Baal was a principal Phoenician and Canaanite deity, often associated with storm, fertility, and kingship. His worship was a major spiritual snare for Israel and Judah throughout their history, representing a direct challenge to the exclusive worship of Yahweh. The mention of Baal here highlights the depth of Judah's apostasy, as they had embraced the worship of a pagan god in direct violation of their covenant with the Lord.
* **provoke me to anger (Hebrew, _kaʻaç'_):** The root H3707 signifies to trouble, grieve, rage, or be indignant. When applied to God, it describes His righteous indignation and holy wrath in response to sin, particularly idolatry and covenant breaking. This is not a capricious human emotion, but a just and deserved response to persistent rebellion and the betrayal of His divine authority and love. It emphasizes the personal offense God takes at their actions, demonstrating His passionate commitment to His own holiness and the covenant relationship.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses":** This clause identifies the agents of destruction—the Chaldeans—and the method of their conquest—fire. It describes the complete and devastating nature of the impending judgment, emphasizing that not just the city walls but also the individual houses within it will be consumed by flames. This destruction is presented as an inevitable consequence of the ongoing siege, yet it is framed as a divinely sanctioned act rather than merely a military outcome, highlighting God's sovereign hand in the unfolding events.
* **"upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods":** This section specifies the precise sin that has provoked God's wrath: the widespread practice of idolatry, particularly on the rooftops of their homes. This detail is significant as rooftop worship was a common practice in the ancient Near East, but for the Israelites, it became a site of covenant violation when used for pagan rituals. Offering incense (H6999, _qâṭar'_) and pouring out drink offerings (H5258, _nâçak'_ and H5262, _neçek'_) were acts of worship and devotion, and directing them to Baal (H1168) and "other gods" (H312, _ʼachêr'_ and H430, _ʼĕlôhîym'_) was a direct affront to Yahweh's exclusive claim on His people's allegiance.
* **"to provoke me to anger.":** This final, powerful phrase reveals the divine motivation behind the judgment. The idolatrous acts described are not merely cultural deviations but direct provocations against God Himself. Their actions stirred His righteous indignation (H3707, _kaʻaç'_), signifying that the impending destruction is a just and necessary response to their persistent and blatant rebellion against His holiness and covenant demands. It underscores the personal nature of their sin against God, emphasizing that their unfaithfulness was a direct offense to the One who had chosen and loved them.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 32:29 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment. The most prominent is **Prophecy**, as the verse is a direct divine declaration of future events that are presented as certain and unavoidable. This prophetic utterance serves not only as a warning but also as a divine explanation for the unfolding historical catastrophe, confirming God's ultimate control. **Anthropomorphism** is evident in the phrase "to provoke me to anger," where God is described as experiencing a human emotion. This device helps the audience grasp the depth of God's displeasure and the personal nature of their offense, though it must be understood as a righteous and holy indignation, a just response to sin, rather than a volatile human rage. There is also a strong element of **Juxtaposition**, contrasting the people's acts of worship to false gods on their rooftops with the impending destruction of those very houses by God's agents. This highlights the direct cause-and-effect relationship between their idolatry and the divine judgment. Finally, the use of **Fire** (H784, _ʼêsh'_) as the instrument of destruction carries significant symbolic weight, representing purification, judgment, and complete annihilation, a recurring motif in biblical depictions of divine wrath and the consequences of sin.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 32:29 is a profound statement on divine justice, the consequences of idolatry, and God's unwavering commitment to His covenant. It reveals that God is not indifferent to the spiritual choices of His people; indeed, their persistent unfaithfulness, particularly their embrace of pagan worship, directly provokes His righteous anger and necessitates severe judgment. This verse underscores the biblical principle that sin, especially the sin of idolatry which places anything above the one true God, carries dire consequences. It serves as a stark reminder that God's patience, while immense, is not infinite, and His holiness demands a response to rebellion. The destruction of Jerusalem, therefore, is not an arbitrary act but a just outworking of divine retribution, intended to purify a people who had strayed far from their covenant obligations and to demonstrate God's sovereignty over all creation and history.

* [Deuteronomy 28:15-68](/deuteronomy/28-15 "Deuteronomy 28:15-68 - Curses for Disobedience")
* [Isaiah 1:4-7](/isaiah/1-4 "Isaiah 1:4-7 - Israel's Rebellion and Desolation")
* [Ezekiel 8:1-18](/ezekiel/8-1 "Ezekiel 8:1-18 - The Abominations in the Temple")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 32:29 offers timeless and sobering lessons for believers today. While we may not literally offer incense to Baal on our rooftops, the core message about idolatry remains profoundly relevant. Modern idolatry often manifests subtly, as anything that takes God's rightful place in our hearts and lives—be it money, career, relationships, comfort, self-image, or even religious traditions devoid of true devotion. This verse powerfully reminds us that God is a jealous God, whose demand for exclusive worship stems from His perfect holiness and His desire for our ultimate good. Our actions have consequences, and persistent spiritual compromise or rebellion, even in seemingly small ways, can lead to spiritual desolation. The impending judgment on Jerusalem serves as a stark warning to take God's word seriously, to examine our own hearts for any idols, and to cultivate genuine, wholehearted devotion to Him alone. It calls us to a life of vigilance, repentance, and unwavering allegiance to the One who truly deserves all our worship, ensuring that our "rooftops" are altars of praise to Him, not to false gods.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What are the "rooftops" in my life—the private spaces or hidden corners—where I might be offering devotion or allegiance to something other than God?**
* **How does my understanding of God's "anger" in this verse shape my view of His character and my own responsibility to live obediently?**
* **In what ways might I be subtly provoking God to anger by prioritizing worldly desires or comforts over His commands and presence?**
* **What practical steps can I take to dismantle modern idols in my life and ensure that God truly holds the supreme place in my heart and actions?**

### FAQ

**Why were rooftops specifically mentioned as places of idolatry?**

Answer: Rooftops in ancient Israel and the Near East were often flat and served as extensions of the living space. They were used for various activities, including sleeping, socializing, and, significantly, religious rituals. Their elevated position made them suitable for observing celestial bodies, which were often associated with pagan deities. Therefore, offering incense and drink offerings to Baal and other gods on rooftops (as mentioned in [2 Kings 23:12](/2_kings/23-12 "2 Kings 23:12 - Josiah's Reforms and Rooftop Altars") and [Zephaniah 1:5](/zephaniah/1-5 "Zephaniah 1:5 - Those who Worship the Host of Heaven on the Housetops")) was a common, visible, and particularly offensive form of idolatry, representing a public and pervasive rejection of Yahweh's exclusive worship and a direct affront to His covenant.

**Who were the Chaldeans, and why were they used by God for judgment?**

Answer: The Chaldeans (or Babylonians) were a powerful Mesopotamian people who established the Neo-Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar. They were the dominant military and political force in the region during Jeremiah's time. God, in His sovereignty, often uses nations—even pagan ones—as instruments to execute His divine purposes, whether for judgment or for blessing. In this case, the Chaldeans were God's chosen "rod of anger" (as implied in [Isaiah 10:5](/isaiah/10-5 "Isaiah 10:5 - Assyria as God's Rod of Anger") regarding Assyria, a similar principle applies to Babylon) to bring judgment upon Judah for its persistent idolatry and covenant breaking. This demonstrates God's ultimate control over human history and His ability to use any means necessary to achieve His righteous ends, even through seemingly hostile foreign powers.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 32:29, with its grim prophecy of judgment for idolatry, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in the condemnation of humanity, but in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "anger" of God provoked by sin, so vividly described here, is the same righteous wrath that was poured out upon Christ on the cross. He became the ultimate "drink offering" and "incense"—the perfect sacrifice that appeased God's holy wrath against sin, including the idolatry that plagued Judah and continues to plague humanity. As [Ephesians 5:2](/ephesians/5-2 "Ephesians 5:2 - Christ's Sacrificial Love") declares, Christ "gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God," and [Romans 3:25](/romans/3-25 "Romans 3:25 - Propitiation Through Faith in His Blood") reveals Him as the propitiation for our sins. The destruction of Jerusalem's houses, where idols were worshiped, foreshadows the tearing down of all false altars and the establishment of a new, spiritual temple in Christ, as Jesus himself alluded to in [John 2:19-21](/john/2-19 "John 2:19-21 - Jesus Predicts the Destruction and Resurrection of the Temple") by speaking of His body as the true temple. In Him, believers are freed from the bondage of idolatry, called to worship God "in spirit and truth" (as taught in [John 4:23-24](/john/4-23-24 "John 4:23-24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth")), no longer on physical rooftops or in earthly temples, but through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Christ's atoning work offers a path to reconciliation, transforming hearts that once provoked God's anger into vessels of His Spirit, enabling true worship and breaking the cycle of judgment and rebellion that characterized ancient Judah, urging us to "put to death... covetousness, which is idolatry" ([Colossians 3:5](/colossians/3-5 "Colossians 3:5 - Put to Death Earthly Things")) and to "flee from idolatry" ([1 Corinthians 10:14](/1_corinthians/10-14 "1 Corinthians 10:14 - Flee from Idolatry")).

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

Jeremiah 19:13

And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

Jeremiah 21:10

For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

Jeremiah 52:13

And burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great [men], burned he with fire:

2 Chronicles 36:19

And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

Jeremiah 39:8

And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 44:17

But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for [then] had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.

Jeremiah 44:19

And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?