The phrase "make void" here isn't just about frustrating plans; it's an onomatopoeia, mimicking the sound of something emptying out, like the very bottle Jeremiah uses as a symbol. This wordplay emphasizes that their cherished counsels and supposed safety will be poured out and utterly wasted, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.
And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will cause their people to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah, acting out God's judgment, has just smashed an earthen bottle to symbolize the destruction of Jerusalem and its people. This verse follows, explaining that God will not only shatter their physical city and their "plans" but will also deliver them to their enemies to be utterly annihilated, leaving their bodies unburied for wild animals to consume. This shocking prophecy directly connects to the people's idolatrous practices, particularly child sacrifice, which they believed would secure their safety.
Judah thought they had a solid plan for security, even resorting to horrifying practices. But God's judgment is about to reveal just how hollow their 'counsel' truly was.
Jeremiah 19:7 starts with God declaring, 'I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem.' This isn't just about a bad strategy; it's a judgment on their entire approach to life and worship. They had developed 'counsel' – plans and decisions – that included horrific acts like child sacrifice, believing it would secure them.
The very word God uses for 'make void' sounds like an empty bottle being poured out. This isn't just abstract judgment; it's visceral, terrifying, and complete.
The Hebrew word translated as 'make void' in Jeremiah 19:7 is 'bakak.' It's an onomatopoeic word, meaning it sounds like the very action it describes – the gurgling sound of liquid being poured out, like from an empty bottle.
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Falling by the sword is one thing; but God adds a chilling detail about the fate of their bodies. It speaks to a deep level of dishonor and abandonment.
The prophecy doesn't end with their defeat in battle. Jeremiah 19:7 includes a stark consequence: 'I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth.' This was a horrifying fate in the ancient world.
Jeremiah's prophecy in chapter 19 was delivered during a critical period of escalating Babylonian threat, just before the final destruction of Jerusalem. The act of smashing the potter's bottle symbolized the complete and irreversible destruction of the city and its people, a consequence of their persistent disobedience and idolatry.
Late 8th century BC
Hezekiah's religious reforms
King Hezekiah, Jeremiah's predecessor, instituted significant religious reforms aimed at centralizing worship in Jerusalem and eradicating idolatry. While well-intentioned, these reforms and subsequent political decisions by Judean kings may have led to a false sense of security.
605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, begins his military campaigns against Judah, deporting some of the royal family and elite to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Babylonian dominance over the region.
597 BC
Second Babylonian deportation
Following a rebellion by Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar sacks Jerusalem and deports another large group of Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin. Zedekiah is installed as a puppet king.
c. 588-586 BC— this verse
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Despite Jeremiah's warnings and prophecies, King Zedekiah rebels against Babylon, leading to a brutal siege of Jerusalem. The city is eventually conquered, its temple destroyed, and the majority of its population deported.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians raze Jerusalem, including Solomon's Temple, a devastating blow to Judean identity and worship. This event fulfills Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment and scattering.
This passage describes a very similar, gruesome fate for the bodies of the wicked in Jerusalem, echoing the harsh judgment described in Jeremiah 19:7.
Ezekiel 5:10This verse speaks of a similar judgment where God's people will be consumed by fire and sword, with their dead bodies becoming food for scavengers, reinforcing the theme of complete destruction.
Deuteronomy 28:26This passage from the blessings and curses outlines a consequence of disobedience where the bodies of the Israelites would be given as food to wild animals, directly paralleling the prophetic warning.
Leviticus 26:16This verse lists sickness and consumption by the sword as punishments for disobedience, connecting the sword judgment in Jeremiah 19:7 to divine retribution for covenant breaking.
clarkeJeremiah 19:7: "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."
I will make void the counsel of Judah - Probably this refers to some determination made to proclaim themselves independent, and pay no more tribute to the Chaldeans. To be meat for the fowls - S…
calvinJeremiah 19:7: "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."
- 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 the…
The phrase "make void" here isn't just about frustrating plans; it's an onomatopoeia, mimicking the sound of something emptying out, like the very bottle Jeremiah uses as a symbol. This wordplay emphasizes that their cherished counsels and supposed safety will be poured out and utterly wasted, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.
Jeremiah, acting out God's judgment, has just smashed an earthen bottle to symbolize the destruction of Jerusalem and its people. This verse follows, explaining that God will not only shatter their physical city and their "plans" but will also deliver them to their enemies to be utterly annihilated, leaving their bodies unburied for wild animals to consume. This shocking prophecy directly connects to the people's idolatrous practices, particularly child sacrifice, which they believed would secure their safety.
Jeremiah, acting out God's judgment, has just smashed an earthen bottle to symbolize the destruction of Jerusalem and its people. This verse follows, explaining that God will not only shatter their physical city and their "plans" but will also deliver them to their enemies to be utterly annihilated, leaving their bodies unburied for wild animals to consume. This shocking prophecy directly connects to the people's idolatrous practices, particularly child sacrifice, which they believed would secure their safety.
"And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will cause their people to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds o…" — The phrase "make void" here isn't just about frustrating plans; it's an onomatopoeia, mimicking the sound of something emptying out, like the very bottle Jeremiah uses as a symbol. This wordplay emph…
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Last reviewed October 2026
