King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 17:4 Mean?

Jeremiah 17:4 in the King James Version says “And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine ene...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 17 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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 for ever. thyself: Heb. in thyself”

Jeremiah 17:4 · KJV

Context

2

Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.

3

O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders.

4

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 for ever. thyself: Heb. in thyself

5

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

6

For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

Read Jeremiah 17 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The severest consequence is introduced: "thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage." The emphatic Hebrew construction stresses personal responsibility—Judah cannot blame circumstances or others. The heritage refers to the promised land, Israel's covenant inheritance from God (Deut 4:21). To be removed from it means exile, the covenant curse for disobedience (Lev 26:27-39, Deut 28:64-68).

Serving "enemies in the land which thou knowest not" reverses the Exodus deliverance. Instead of serving God in the land He promised, they'll serve pagan masters in Babylon. This exile represents spiritual as well as physical displacement—separation from God's presence in the temple. The phrase "ye have kindled a fire in mine anger" uses the very imagery of sacrifice perverted into judgment. Their false worship has ignited divine wrath.

The sobering phrase "which shall burn for ever" emphasizes the enduring nature of God's just anger against sin. While the historical exile lasted seventy years, the theological principle points to eternal consequences for unrepentant sin. Only the new covenant in Christ can extinguish the fire of God's wrath through the substitutionary sacrifice of the Son.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The Babylonian exile (586-516 BC) fulfilled this prophecy precisely. Judah's elite were deported to Babylon, a foreign land with alien culture, language, and gods. They lost access to the temple, the land, and the covenant blessings. This served as the ultimate covenant sanction, demonstrating that God's patience has limits. The exile reshaped Jewish identity and led to the development of synagogue worship, scriptural study, and the preservation of the Hebrew Bible.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the reality of being 'discontinued from your heritage' challenge presumption upon God's covenant promises without genuine faithfulness?
  2. In what ways might modern Christians experience spiritual 'exile' through the consequences of persistent sin?
  3. How does Christ's bearing the fire of God's wrath on the cross provide the only escape from eternal judgment?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 20 words
וְשָׁמַטְתָּ֗ה1 of 20

“And thou even thyself shalt discontinue”

H8058

to fling down; incipiently to jostle; figuratively, to let alone, desist, remit

וּבְךָ֙2 of 20
H0
מִנַּחֲלָֽתְךָ֙3 of 20

“from thine heritage”

H5159

properly, something inherited, i.e., (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion

אֲשֶׁ֣ר4 of 20
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

נָתַ֣תִּי5 of 20

“that I gave”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

לָ֔ךְ6 of 20
H0
וְהַעֲבַדְתִּ֙יךָ֙7 of 20

“thee and I will cause thee to serve”

H5647

to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc

אֶת8 of 20
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֹ֣יְבֶ֔יךָ9 of 20

“thine enemies”

H341

hating; an adversary

בָּאָ֖רֶץ10 of 20

“in the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

אֲשֶׁ֣ר11 of 20
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

לֹֽא12 of 20
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

יָדָ֑עְתָּ13 of 20

“which thou knowest”

H3045

to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o

כִּֽי14 of 20
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

אֵ֛שׁ15 of 20

“a fire”

H784

fire (literally or figuratively)

קְדַחְתֶּ֥ם16 of 20

“not for ye have kindled”

H6919

to inflame

בְּאַפִּ֖י17 of 20

“in mine anger”

H639

properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire

עַד18 of 20

“for”

H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

עוֹלָ֥ם19 of 20

“ever”

H5769

properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

תּוּקָֽד׃20 of 20

“which shall burn”

H3344

to burn

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 17:4 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 17:4 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 15:14Lamentations 5:2Isaiah 5:25Jeremiah 7:20Mark 9:43-49Jeremiah 16:13

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