Jeremiah 32:29

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.

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}.

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.

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.

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 on Jeremiah 32:29 (KJV)

Jeremiah 32:29 is a poignant and dire prophecy delivered by the prophet Jeremiah during one of the most critical periods in ancient Judah's history: the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army. This verse directly links the impending destruction of the city to the persistent idolatry of its inhabitants, presenting God's judgment as a just and unavoidable consequence of their rebellion.

Context

At the time of this prophecy, Jerusalem was under siege by the Chaldeans, the dominant force of the Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah himself was imprisoned in the court of the guard, yet he continued to receive and deliver God's messages. Despite the dire military situation, the people of Judah, including their kings and priests, had for generations consistently turned away from the Lord, embracing the worship of foreign deities. This verse highlights a specific form of their idolatry: performing religious rituals on the rooftops of their houses, a common practice in the ancient Near East that violated God's covenant with Israel. This act of blatant disobedience was a direct affront to God's holiness and exclusive claim on His people's worship.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Consequences of Sin: The verse unequivocally states that the destruction of Jerusalem by fire is a direct result of Judah's idolatry. It serves as a powerful reminder that there are severe consequences for persistent disobedience and rebellion against God. The burning of the city and its houses is not random destruction but a targeted act of divine retribution.
  • Idolatry as Provocation: The phrase "to provoke me to anger" underscores God's personal offense at their actions. Their worship of Baal and other gods, even on their own rooftops, was not merely a cultural practice but a direct betrayal of their covenant relationship with the Lord, stirring His righteous indignation.
  • Prophetic Fulfillment: Jeremiah's prophecies, often met with skepticism and rejection, were now on the cusp of literal fulfillment. This verse, like many others in the book, foretells the precise manner of Jerusalem's fall, demonstrating God's sovereign control over nations and history.
  • God's Sovereignty Over Nations: The Chaldeans, though seemingly acting on their own accord, are here presented as instruments of God's judgment. He uses a pagan nation to bring about His purposes against His own rebellious people.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Chaldeans" (כַּשְׂדִּים - Kasdim): This is the Hebrew term commonly used for the Babylonians, highlighting their role as the executors of divine judgment.
  • "Baal" (בַּעַל - Ba'al): A prominent Canaanite storm and fertility god, whose worship often involved child sacrifice and ritual prostitution. The widespread worship of Baal was a major source of spiritual corruption in Israel and Judah.
  • "Provoke me to anger" (לְהַכְעִיסֵנִי - lehaḵ'iseni): This emphasizes God's righteous indignation, not a volatile human emotion, but a holy response to sin and covenant breaking. It signifies His justified wrath against those who continually defy His commands and worship false deities.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 32:29 offers timeless lessons for believers today. Firstly, it reminds us that God takes sin seriously, especially idolatry. While we may not literally offer incense to Baal on our roofs, modern idolatry can manifest as placing anything—money, career, relationships, comfort, or even self—above God. This verse serves as a powerful warning against spiritual compromise and the temptation to seek fulfillment outside of God.

Secondly, it underscores the principle that actions have consequences. God's patience is immense, but His justice is sure. Just as Jerusalem faced destruction for its persistent sin, we are called to live lives of obedience and repentance, understanding that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. The prophecy's fulfillment demonstrates God's faithfulness to His warnings, urging us to take His word seriously and to heed His call to genuine worship and devotion.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 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?

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