Jeremiah 26:15
in Jeremiah 26But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its residents; for truly the LORD has sent me to speak all these words in your hearing.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Only know ye for certain that, if ye put me to death, ye will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof; for of a truth Jehovah hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.
KJV
But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.
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This verse in Jeremiah 26
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThey might think that killing the prophet would help to defeat the prophecy, but they would prove wretchedly deceived; it would but add to their guilt and aggravate their ruin. Their own consciences could not but tell them that, if Jeremiah was (as certainly he was) sent of God to bring them this message, it was at their utmost peril if they treated him for it as a malefactor.
This site's exposition
But Jeremiah said to all the
on Jeremiah 26:12-15
Jeremiah denies nothing and rests his defense on its source, “The LORD sent me,” repeating the offer of verse 3: “correct your ways and deeds.” Verse 15 warns his judges, “you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its residents.”
This site's exposition
you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves
Innocent blood would add to the guilt of the city and its residents, as Matthew Henry notes. Killing the prophet could never defeat the prophecy. The words came from the LORD, so to treat His messenger as a criminal was to put themselves in the utmost peril.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 12 and following) And Jeremiah said to all the leaders and to all the people, saying: The Lord has sent me to prophesy to this house (or over this house) and to this city (or over this city) all the words that you have heard. Therefore, now make your ways and your pursuits good, and listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will repent of the evil that He has spoken against you (or the Lord will cease from the evils that He has spoken against you).
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death,....
As long as ministers keep closely to the instructions they have from heaven they need not fear the opposition they may meet with from hell or earth. He pleads that he is but a messenger, and, if he faithfully deliver his message, he must bear no blame; but he is a messenger from the Lord, to whom they were accountable as well as he, and therefore might demand regard.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
bring . . . upon yourselves--So far will you be from escaping the predicted evils by shedding my blood, that you will, by that very act, only incur heavier penalties (Mt 23:35).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
30 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַ֣ךְ׀ | ʾakh | only | H389 → | 161 times |
| יָדֹ֣עַ | yadoa' | certainly <to know> | H3045 → | 945 times |
| תֵּדְע֗וּ | tedeu | you will know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| מְמִתִ֣ים | memitim | [are] about to put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
| אַתֶּם֮ | ʾatem | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| אֹתִי֒ | ʾoti | <obj.> me | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| דָ֣ם | dam | blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| נָקִ֗י | naki | innocent | H5355 → | 43 times |
| אַתֶּם֙ | ʾatem | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| נֹתְנִ֣ים | notenim | [are] about to put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם | ʾaleikhem | on yourselves | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָעִ֥יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הַזֹּ֖את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ | yosheveiha | inhabitants its | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בֶאֱמֶ֗ת | veemet | in truth | H571 → | 127 times |
| שְׁלָחַ֤נִי | shelachani | he has sent me | H7971 → | 845 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם | ʾaleikhem | to you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לְדַבֵּר֙ | ledaber | to speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| בְּאָזְנֵיכֶ֔ם | beazeneikhem | in ears your | H241 → | 187 times |
| אֵ֥ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַדְּבָרִ֖ים | hadevarim | the words | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ ס | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
אַ֣ךְ׀only
ʾakhH389 →161 times
יָדֹ֣עַcertainly <to know>
yadoa'H3045 →945 times
תֵּדְע֗וּyou will know
tedeuH3045 →945 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
מְמִתִ֣ים[are] about to put to death
memitimH4191 →839 times
אַתֶּם֮you
ʾatemH859 →1094 times
אֹתִי֒<obj.> me
ʾotiH853 →10935 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
דָ֣םblood
damH1818 →360 times
נָקִ֗יinnocent
nakiH5355 →43 times
אַתֶּם֙you
ʾatemH859 →1094 times
נֹתְנִ֣ים[are] about to put
notenimH5414 →2011 times
עֲלֵיכֶ֔םon yourselves
ʾaleikhemH5921 →5755 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
הָעִ֥ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
הַזֹּ֖את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָinhabitants its
yosheveihaH3427 →1079 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בֶאֱמֶ֗תin truth
veemetH571 →127 times
שְׁלָחַ֤נִיhe has sent me
shelachaniH7971 →845 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עֲלֵיכֶ֔םto you
ʾaleikhemH5921 →5755 times
לְדַבֵּר֙to speak
ledaberH1696 →1141 times
בְּאָזְנֵיכֶ֔םin ears your
beazeneikhemH241 →187 times
אֵ֥ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַדְּבָרִ֖יםthe words
hadevarimH1697 →1440 times
הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ ס<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 6:17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
it leads to
- Psalms 120:2–3
Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.
- Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Psalms 101:5
Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not endure.
- Psalms 5:6
You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
- Psalms 120:2–3
Through
Acts 7:60Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- Luke 23:34
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
- Matthew 5:44
Through
Jeremiah 22:3This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 21:12
O house of David, this is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire…
- Jeremiah 21:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Calvin, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
