Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this [is] a grief, and I must bear it.
Woe {H188} is me for my hurt {H7667}! my wound {H4347} is grievous {H2470}: but I said {H559}, Truly {H389} this is a grief {H2483}, and I must bear {H5375} it.
Woe to me because of my wound! My injury is incurable! I used to say, "It's only an illness, and I can bear it."
Woe to me because of my brokenness; my wound is grievous! But I said, “This is truly my sickness, and I must bear it.”
Woe is me because of my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.
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Micah 7:9
I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, [and] I shall behold his righteousness. -
Jeremiah 14:17
¶ Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow. -
Lamentations 3:39
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? -
Lamentations 3:40
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. -
Jeremiah 4:31
For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, [and] the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, [that] bewaileth herself, [that] spreadeth her hands, [saying], Woe [is] me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers. -
Psalms 39:9
I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst [it]. -
Jeremiah 8:21
For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
Jeremiah 10:19 (KJV): "Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this [is] a grief, and I must bear it."
This verse captures a deeply personal lament from the prophet Jeremiah, often known as the "weeping prophet." It expresses profound sorrow and resignation concerning the impending judgment upon the kingdom of Judah.
Context
Jeremiah 10 primarily contrasts the true, living God with the false, impotent idols worshipped by surrounding nations and, tragically, by Judah itself. Following a powerful declaration of God's incomparable power and sovereignty (Jeremiah 10:1-16), the chapter shifts abruptly to the dire consequences of Judah's idolatry. Verses 17-18 speak of the impending invasion and exile, urging the inhabitants to gather their goods for departure. Jeremiah 10:19 then personalizes this national catastrophe, portraying the prophet's own anguish as he anticipates the devastation. The subsequent verses (Jeremiah 10:20-22) continue this theme, depicting Jerusalem as a desolate tent and the people facing destruction at the hands of an enemy from the North, identified as Babylon.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The exclamation "Woe is me" is a common Hebrew interjection, 'Oy li, expressing intense distress, sorrow, or lament. The word for "hurt" or "wound" (sheber) often describes a breaking or shattering, emphasizing the devastating nature of the impending judgment. "Grief" ('ela) denotes affliction or calamity. Jeremiah's declaration "I must bear it" uses the Hebrew verb nasa', which means to lift, carry, or endure. It conveys a sense of necessity and resignation, indicating that this burden is inescapable.
Practical Application
Jeremiah 10:19 offers several timeless lessons: