Jeremiah 14:16

KJV

And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the people {H5971} to whom they prophesy {H5012} shall be cast out {H7993} in the streets {H2351} of Jerusalem {H3389} because {H6440} of the famine {H7458} and the sword {H2719}; and they shall have none to bury {H6912} them {H1992}, them, their wives {H802}, nor their sons {H1121}, nor their daughters {H1323}: for I will pour {H8210} their wickedness {H7451} upon them.

Complete Jewish Bible

And the people to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Yerushalayim because of the famine and war, with no one to bury them - them, or their wives, or their sons, or their daughters - because I will pour their own wickedness out upon them.

Berean Standard Bible

And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.

American Standard Version

And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them—them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 14:16 pronounces a severe divine judgment upon the people of Judah, who, having been tragically misled by false prophets, are destined to face horrific consequences from widespread famine and the devastating sword. This verse vividly depicts a scene of mass death and profound dishonor in the very streets of Jerusalem, where countless bodies, including those of men, women, and children, will lie unburied. The ultimate and explicit cause of this devastating fate is God's righteous act of pouring out their own accumulated wickedness upon them, serving as a direct and inescapable divine retribution for their persistent rebellion and their willful rejection of His truth.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 14:16 is situated within a profound lament and a prophecy of impending judgment spanning [Jeremiah 14:1-18](/jeremiah/14-1-18 "Jeremiah 14:1-18 - A Great Drought and Judgment"). The preceding verses establish a grim reality: despite Jeremiah's earnest intercession for Judah amidst a severe drought and famine, God explicitly refuses to hear their cries for relief, underscoring that the unfolding disaster is not merely a natural phenomenon but a direct divine punishment ([Jeremiah 14:12](/jeremiah/14-12 "Jeremiah 14:12 - God Refuses to Hear")). Crucially, [Jeremiah 14:14](/jeremiah/14-14 "Jeremiah 14:14 - False Prophets of Peace") and [Jeremiah 14:15](/jeremiah/14-15 "Jeremiah 14:15 - Fate of False Prophets") specifically condemn the false prophets who offered deceptive messages of peace and prosperity, rather than calling the people to genuine repentance. Verse 16 extends this severe judgment from the false prophets themselves to the very populace who willingly listened to and embraced their misleading messages. This highlights the collective culpability of the nation and the comprehensive, inescapable nature of the desolation that would be wrought by the impending Babylonian invasion. The verse serves as a grim and climactic culmination of the warnings presented in the chapter, emphasizing the undeniable reality of God's righteous wrath.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophecy in Jeremiah 14:16 is set against the tumultuous backdrop of Judah in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, a period characterized by profound political instability, pervasive spiritual apostasy, and the escalating threat of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Jerusalem, as the capital, held immense significance as both the religious and national heart of the kingdom. The cultural importance of proper burial in the ancient Near East cannot be overstated; it was considered a sacred duty, an essential act of respect for the deceased, and a vital component of familial and societal honor. To be left unburied was universally regarded as a profound curse, a public disgrace, and the ultimate dishonor, signifying complete societal breakdown and divine rejection, as explicitly warned in Mosaic Law ([Deuteronomy 28:26](/deuteronomy/28-26 "Deuteronomy 28:26 - Curse of Unburial")). The "famine and the sword" were not merely abstract threats but were common, devastating instruments of divine judgment and warfare in the ancient world, frequently leading to widespread death, disease, and social collapse. This prophecy vividly anticipates the horrors of the Babylonian sieges and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem, which indeed resulted in mass casualties and the tragic inability to provide proper burials for many.

* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 14:16 powerfully contributes to several foundational themes prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it starkly underscores the **Consequences of False Prophecy and Disobedience**. The people's impending suffering is directly linked to their embrace of deceptive messages and their persistent "wickedness" (Hebrew: *raʻ*), illustrating that both those who propagate falsehood and those who willingly receive it will inevitably face divine retribution. This emphasizes the spiritual danger of uncritically accepting messages that deviate from God's revealed truth. Secondly, the verse highlights the theme of **Divine Judgment and Desolation**. God's judgment is depicted as absolute, comprehensive, and inescapable, with famine and the sword serving as His chosen instruments of wrath, leading to widespread death and the catastrophic collapse of societal order. This powerfully emphasizes the severity of God's justice against a persistently rebellious people, a recurring motif throughout Jeremiah (e.g., [Jeremiah 21:7](/jeremiah/21-7 "Jeremiah 21:7 - Nebuchadnezzar's Sword and God's Wrath")). Finally, the chilling phrase "none to bury them" profoundly emphasizes the theme of **Dishonor in Death**. This lack of proper burial signifies not only the overwhelming scale of death but also the ultimate humiliation and desolation, serving as a clear and public sign of God's utter rejection and the complete breakdown of covenant blessings, as foretold in the Mosaic Law ([Leviticus 26:33](/leviticus/26-33 "Leviticus 26:33 - Scattering Among Nations")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Streets (Hebrew, _chûwts'_):** This word refers to the "outside" or "outdoors," specifically the "street" or "highway." In the context of Jeremiah 14:16, its use paints a grim and public picture of the impending disaster. The bodies of the dead will not be confined to homes or battlefields but will be openly exposed in the thoroughfares of Jerusalem, transforming the city's once-vibrant public spaces into a vast, unhallowed graveyard. This detail profoundly emphasizes the overwhelming scale of death, the complete breakdown of civil order, and the utter loss of human dignity.
* **Bury (Hebrew, _qâbar'_):** A primitive root meaning "to inter" or "to bury." The phrase "none to bury them" carries immense cultural and theological weight. In ancient Near Eastern societies, proper burial was a sacred duty, a final act of respect for the deceased, and a crucial means of ensuring their peace and honor in the afterlife. To be left unburied was considered the ultimate disgrace, a profound curse that denied dignity in death and left the deceased's memory dishonored. This detail underscores the severity of God's judgment, stripping the people of even the most basic human right and cultural expectation in death, highlighting the depth of their humiliation and the extent of the desolation.
* **Wickedness (Hebrew, _raʻ'_):** This term denotes "bad" or "evil," encompassing both natural and moral evil, and can refer to adversity, calamity, mischief, or deep moral corruption. In Jeremiah 14:16, "their wickedness" (Hebrew: *raʻām*) explicitly identifies the fundamental root cause of the catastrophic judgment. It clarifies that this is not an arbitrary act of God but a direct and just consequence of the people's deep-seated moral depravity, their persistent rebellion against God's commands, their widespread idolatry, and their willful rejection of God's true prophets. God is depicted as actively pouring out upon them the very essence and bitter fruit of their own evil, a righteous recompense for their unrepentant sin.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword":** This clause precisely identifies the recipients of the severe judgment: the general populace who willingly listened to and were ultimately deceived by the false prophets. The phrase "shall be cast out" (Hebrew: *shâlak*) implies a violent expulsion or abandonment, suggesting a lack of care or dignity. The specified location, "in the streets of Jerusalem," signifies a public, widespread, and utterly undignified death that will be visible to all. The instruments of this judgment are "the famine and the sword," which were God's primary and devastating means of judgment against a rebellious Israel, representing both internal societal collapse due to scarcity and external military assault, leading to mass casualties.
* **"and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters":** This part details the horrific and widespread consequence of the mass deaths: a complete and utter lack of proper burial. The emphatic repetition of "them, them" (Hebrew: *hêm, hêm*) serves to underscore the sheer, overwhelming number of the dead. The explicit inclusion of "their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters" highlights the comprehensive and indiscriminate nature of the judgment, affecting every demographic, every family unit, and leaving no one spared from the profound indignity of an unburied corpse. This chilling detail vividly portrays the complete societal breakdown and the ultimate dishonor inflicted upon the nation.
* **"for I will pour their wickedness upon them":** This final and crucial clause reveals the divine rationale and active agency behind the judgment. The phrase "I will pour" (Hebrew: *shâphak*) signifies an overwhelming, complete, and deliberate outpouring, akin to a liquid being spilled without restraint. God is not merely allowing natural consequences to unfold but is actively and intentionally meting out justice. The object being poured is "their wickedness," meaning their own accumulated evil, sin, and rebellion. This is a powerful statement of divine justice, where the very essence and fruit of their sin are returned upon them as punishment, powerfully demonstrating that their suffering is a direct, just, and inescapable consequence of their own unrepentant actions.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 14:16 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine judgment with chilling clarity. **Hyperbole** is evident in the depiction of bodies filling the streets with "none to bury them," emphasizing an overwhelming scale of death that far exceeds any normal human capacity for burial. This exaggeration serves to shock the audience into a profound recognition of the severity and totality of God's wrath. **Symbolism** is powerfully present in "famine and the sword," which are not merely physical threats but represent the instruments of God's covenant curses for disobedience, embodying His active and righteous judgment. The "streets of Jerusalem" symbolize the public shame, utter desolation, and desecration of the once-holy capital city. The striking phrase "I will pour their wickedness upon them" utilizes both **Metaphor** and the theological principle of **Retributive Justice**. The act of "pouring" suggests an overflowing, inescapable deluge, metaphorically likening wickedness to a tangible substance that can be poured out. This act signifies a direct, proportional repayment for their sin, where their own evil becomes the very substance of their punishment. This vivid imagery underscores the direct and inevitable link between persistent sin and its devastating consequences.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 14:16 stands as a stark and immutable testament to the unwavering justice of God and the severe, inescapable consequences of spiritual deception and unrepentant sin. It profoundly reveals a God who, despite His profound love, patience, and covenant faithfulness, will not and cannot allow persistent rebellion and the embrace of falsehood to go unpunished. The verse highlights the corporate responsibility of a nation that collectively turns away from divine truth and embraces lies, powerfully demonstrating that both the purveyors of false prophecy and their willing, deceived audience share equally in the impending judgment. The chilling concept of God "pouring" their wickedness upon them underscores the profound biblical principle of divine recompense, where the very nature and fruit of their sin become the substance of their punishment. This is a profound theological statement on the self-destructive nature of evil and God's righteous, just, and active response to it, affirming His holy character.

* [Jeremiah 23:16-17](/jeremiah/23-16-17 "Warnings Against False Prophets"): Expands on the dangers of false prophets who promise deceptive peace when there is no true peace, leading God's people tragically astray.
* [Leviticus 26:25](/leviticus/26-25 "Covenant Curses for Disobedience"): Outlines the foundational covenant curses, including the sword and famine, that would inevitably befall Israel for their disobedience, providing the ancient legal and theological context for Jeremiah's prophecy.
* [Revelation 16:1](/revelation/16-1 "The Bowls of God's Wrath"): Illustrates the ultimate, eschatological pouring out of God's wrath in the New Testament, demonstrating the continuity of this powerful divine judgment motif throughout the entire biblical narrative.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 14:16 serves as a profound and deeply sobering warning for all generations, urging us to cultivate rigorous spiritual discernment and an unyielding commitment to truth. In an age saturated with an overwhelming deluge of information and competing narratives, it is more crucial than ever to "test the spirits" ([1 John 4:1](/1_john/4-1 "1 John 4:1 - Test the Spirits")) and diligently compare all messages, whether spiritual, political, or cultural, against the unchanging, authoritative truth of God's revealed Word. This verse powerfully reminds us that there are dire and inescapable consequences not only for those who propagate falsehoods but also for those who passively or actively embrace them, especially when such messages flatter our desires rather than courageously calling us to genuine repentance and costly obedience. It compels us to take God's warnings with utmost seriousness, to repent of any personal or corporate sin, and to earnestly seek genuine reconciliation and restoration with Him. The ultimate and enduring lesson is the absolute necessity of an unwavering commitment to truth, even when it is uncomfortable, unpopular, or challenging, and the profound recognition that God's justice, while severe for persistent wickedness, is always rooted in His perfect character and His ultimate desire for humanity's true flourishing and redemption.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do I actively and discerningly evaluate messages and teachings in my life, both spiritually and otherwise, to ensure they align with God's truth?**
* **What "wickedness" or deceptive narratives might I be harboring or passively accepting in my own life or community that could lead to negative consequences?**
* **In what tangible ways am I called to actively pursue, uphold, and speak truth, even when it is unpopular, challenging, or costly?**
* **How does the severity of God's judgment in this verse deepen my appreciation for His profound mercy, boundless grace, and the ultimate sacrifice of Christ?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of "none to bury them" in ancient culture?**

Answer: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, proper burial was a profoundly important and sacred duty, signifying deep respect for the deceased and ensuring their dignified passage. To be left unburied, as chillingly prophesied in [Jeremiah 14:16](/jeremiah/14-16 "Jeremiah 14:16 - Unburied in the Streets"), was considered the ultimate dishonor, a severe curse, and a public humiliation. It indicated a complete societal breakdown, the overwhelming scale of death beyond human capacity, and God's utter rejection of the deceased. This fate was often explicitly associated with covenant curses for severe disobedience, as vividly seen in [Deuteronomy 28:26](/deuteronomy/28-26 "Deuteronomy 28:26 - Curse of Unburial"), and underscored the profound depth of divine judgment.

**Why does God "pour their wickedness upon them"?**

Answer: The phrase "I will pour their wickedness upon them" signifies a direct, active, and deliberate act of divine judgment, where God administers a just and inescapable recompense for the people's persistent sin and rebellion. The powerful imagery of "pouring" suggests an overwhelming and inescapable deluge, indicating that the devastating consequences they experience are not random misfortunes but the direct, inevitable fruit of their own accumulated evil. It highlights the profound biblical principle of retributive justice, where the very nature of their sin becomes the substance and instrument of their punishment, emphasizing God's perfect righteousness in holding His people accountable for their unrepentant actions and their embrace of false prophecy (cf. [Proverbs 1:31](/proverbs/1-31 "Proverbs 1:31 - Eating the Fruit of Their Ways")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 14:16 paints a grim and sobering picture of judgment for unrepentant sin and the embrace of falsehood, it ultimately serves as a stark pointer to humanity's profound need for a Savior who can rescue us from the just and inevitable consequences of our own wickedness. The "famine and sword" and the indignity of unburied bodies powerfully foreshadow the ultimate spiritual death and eternal separation from God that sin inexorably brings upon humanity. However, in Christ, we witness the divine and perfect solution to this dire predicament. Jesus, the true Prophet, did not speak comforting words of false peace but courageously declared the challenging truth of God's kingdom, unequivocally calling for repentance and faith ([Mark 1:15](/mark/1-15 "Mark 1:15 - Repent and Believe")). He became the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice, taking the accumulated "wickedness" of all humanity upon Himself, so that God's righteous wrath might be poured out on Him instead of on us ([Isaiah 53:6](/isaiah/53-6 "Isaiah 53:6 - All We Like Sheep")). Through His triumphant death and glorious resurrection, Christ decisively conquered spiritual death and offers true life, profound dignity, and an eternal spiritual "burial" in Him, thereby ensuring that those who believe will never face the ultimate dishonor of being cast out from God's glorious presence ([John 11:25-26](/john/11-25-26 "John 11:25-26 - Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life")). He is the one who delivers us from the curse of the law and the just judgment of our sin, graciously offering reconciliation and eternal life where only judgment once stood ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 7:33

And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray [them] away.

Jeremiah 15:2

And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as [are] for death, to death; and such as [are] for the sword, to the sword; and such as [are] for the famine, to the famine; and such as [are] for the captivity, to the captivity.

Jeremiah 15:3

And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

Proverbs 1:31

Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

Psalms 79:2

The dead bodies of thy servants have they given [to be] meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

Psalms 79:3

Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and [there was] none to bury [them].

Jeremiah 13:22

¶ And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, [and] thy heels made bare.