King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 18:15 Mean?

Jeremiah 18:15 in the King James Version says “Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their w... — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 18 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths , to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

Jeremiah 18:15 · KJV


Context

13

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

14

Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken? the snow: or, my fields for a rock, or for the snow of Lebanon? shall the running waters be forsaken for the strange cold waters?

15

Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths , to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

16

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing ; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

17

I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The indictment: "Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity." "Forgotten" isn't mere mental lapse but willful neglect and abandonment of covenant relationship. "Burned incense to vanity" (shav, שָׁוְא, worthlessness/emptiness) describes idolatry—worshiping what has no reality or power. They've exchanged substantial reality (God) for empty illusion (idols).

The consequence: "they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up." The "ancient paths" (orach olam, אֹרַח עוֹלָם) refer to God's revealed way—Torah, covenant stipulations, and divine instruction passed down through generations. "Not cast up" means unprepared, unmarked roads—dangerous paths leading to destruction. False worship produces false ethics; theological error generates moral confusion.

This verse warns that abandoning biblical truth inevitably leads to practical life chaos. The Reformed principle: doctrine and life are inseparable. False theology produces false living. The "ancient paths" aren't traditions for tradition's sake but tested truth revealed by God and validated through covenant history. Christ identified Himself as the Way (John 14:6)—the ultimate ancient path leading to the Father.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Jeremiah's call to walk in "the old paths" (Jer 6:16) contrasted covenant faithfulness with the innovative syncretism of his day. Rather than maintaining the pure worship established by Moses and the prophets, Judah adopted Canaanite religious practices, Assyrian astral worship, and Egyptian cultic elements. This theological compromise produced the moral chaos the prophets condemned—injustice, oppression, sexual immorality, and covenant violation.

Reflection Questions

  1. What 'ancient paths' of biblical truth are you tempted to abandon for contemporary religious innovations?
  2. How does forgetting God lead inevitably to stumbling into unmarked, dangerous paths?
  3. In what ways does Christ as 'the Way' fulfill and personify the ancient paths God revealed?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
כִּֽי1 of 14
H3588

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

שְׁכֵחֻ֥נִי2 of 14

hath forgotten

H7911

to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention

עַמִּ֖י3 of 14

Because my people

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

לַשָּׁ֣וְא4 of 14

to vanity

H7723

evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, object

יְקַטֵּ֑רוּ5 of 14

me they have burned incense

H6999

to smoke, i.e., turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)

וַיַּכְשִׁל֤וּם6 of 14

and they have caused them to stumble

H3782

to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall

דֶּ֖רֶךְ7 of 14

in a way

H1870

a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

שְׁבִילֵ֣י8 of 14

paths

H7635

a track or passage-way (as if flowing along)

עוֹלָ֔ם9 of 14

from the ancient

H5769

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

לָלֶ֣כֶת10 of 14
H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

נְתִיב֔וֹת11 of 14

in paths

H5410

a (beaten) track

דֶּ֖רֶךְ12 of 14

in a way

H1870

a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

לֹ֥א13 of 14
H3808

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

סְלוּלָֽה׃14 of 14

not cast up

H5549

to mound up (especially a turnpike); figurative, to exalt; reflexively, to oppose (as by a dam)


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 18:15 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 18:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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