Jeremiah chapter 17 verse 4 is a biblical verse found in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah. The verse reads, “And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever.”

This verse is part of a larger section of the book of Jeremiah where the prophet is warning the people of Judah about their sin and the coming judgment of God. Throughout the book, Jeremiah prophesies about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile that the people will face if they do not turn back to God.

In chapter 17, Jeremiah is specifically addressing the sin of idolatry, which was a persistent problem among the people of Judah. They had turned away from the worship of the true God and were worshiping idols made of wood and stone. This verse is a warning to the people that their sin will lead to their separation from the heritage that God had given them and that they would be forced to serve their enemies in a foreign land.

The phrase “discontinue from thine heritage” is a reference to the covenant that God had made with the people of Israel. The covenant was a sacred agreement between God and his people, in which God promised to bless and protect them if they remained faithful to him. The people of Judah had broken this covenant by worshiping idols, and as a result, they would be cut off from the blessings of the covenant and forced to serve their enemies.

The phrase “I will cause thee to serve thine enemies” is a reference to the Babylonian captivity, which was the result of Judah’s disobedience. In 586 BC, the Babylonians invaded Judah, destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, and took many of the people captive to Babylon. This was a traumatic event in the history of Israel, and it was seen as a punishment from God for their sin.

The phrase “which thou knowest not” is a reference to the fact that the Babylonian captivity would take the people of Judah to a foreign land where they would be strangers and aliens. This was a significant cultural shock for the people, who had lived in the land of Israel for generations.

The final phrase, “for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever,” is a powerful statement of God’s judgment against the sin of idolatry. The image of a fire burning forever is a symbol of God’s unquenchable wrath against sin. The people of Judah had kindled this fire through their disobedience, and now they would suffer the consequences.

In conclusion, Jeremiah chapter 17 verse 4 is a warning to the people of Judah about the consequences of their sin. It is a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God and the covenant that he has made with his people. The verse is a powerful example of the prophetic voice in the Old Testament, which spoke out against sin and called the people back to God. Today, it serves as a reminder to Christians of the importance of remaining faithful to God and avoiding the sin of idolatry.





Shalom