The Pouring Jar
In the last chapter, the Lord commanded Jeremiah to go to a potter’s house to understand how the Lord shapes his people. He has one more image to use from the potter in this chapter. He commands Jeremiah to buy a clay jar. There are multiple Hebrew words translated as jar. This one is rare (bǎq·bǔq, בַּקְבֻּק), used only in verses 1 and 10 here and 1 Kings 14:3. It comes from a root (bā·qǎq, בָּקַק) meaning to pour or empty out. Most likely it had a narrow neck for pouring, like a bottle. It is onomatopoeia – the sound liquid makes when it is poured from a bottle (bak-buk-bak-buk). I think it’s a fun word!
The verb is used in Jeremiah 19:7: “I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem”. The word “ruin” is bā·qǎq. The Lord will empty out their plans as one empties out a bottle.
Tophet
The Lord sends Jeremiah to the Valley of Ben-Hinnom by the Potsherd Gate (seems like an appropriately named gate for the image) to smash the jar as a symbol of the upcoming destruction of the nation. This valley runs around the south and western side of the city, meeting the Kidron Valley (which runs on the eastern side) at the southeastern corner of the city.
He goes to a place called Tophet. What is that? It’s only mentioned outside Jeremiah in 2 Kings 23:10. A similar term is in Isaiah 30:33, translated “burning place”. It’s a place in the valley where sacrifices were offered to other gods, in particular child sacrifices.
The term “Gehenna” in the New Testament (like Matthew 5:22, often translated “hell”) is a shortened form of “Valley of Hinnom”. It was a common term used during the time and likely came from the practices from Jeremiah’s time in the valley, describing a place of destruction (much like our image of hell).
To Ponder…
- Have you ever had plans emptied out?
- Is there anything in your life like Tophet, which sounds like a good idea at the moment, but is actually displeases God?