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.

And I will appoint {H6485} over them four {H702} kinds {H4940}, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}: the sword {H2719} to slay {H2026}, and the dogs {H3611} to tear {H5498}, and the fowls {H5775} of the heaven {H8064}, and the beasts {H929} of the earth {H776}, to devour {H398} and destroy {H7843}.

"I will assign them four kinds [of scourges]," says ADONAI, "the sword to kill, dogs to drag away, birds in the air and wild animals to devour and destroy.

I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

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

Jeremiah 15:3 is a stark declaration of God's severe judgment upon Judah, delivered through the prophet Jeremiah. Following a period of persistent sin and refusal to repent, this verse details the horrifying fate awaiting the inhabitants as a consequence of their disobedience.

Context

This verse is part of a passage (Jeremiah 15:1-9) where the LORD explicitly tells Jeremiah that He will not spare Judah, despite Jeremiah's intercession or the historical faithfulness of figures like Moses and Samuel. God's patience has run out due to the nation's deep-seated idolatry and sin. The preceding verses describe their banishment and death, and verse 3 specifies the gruesome agents of their destruction, emphasizing the totality and severity of the impending punishment. This judgment is a direct result of their turning away from God, detailed throughout Jeremiah's prophecy.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment: The verse underscores God's role as the sovereign judge who actively intervenes in history to punish sin.
  • Consequences of Sin: It vividly illustrates the dire and physical consequences that follow unrepentant rebellion against God.
  • Severity of Punishment: The use of multiple, brutal agents—sword, dogs, fowls, beasts—highlights the extreme and comprehensive nature of the destruction.
  • Agents of Destruction: God "appoints" these various means, showing that even natural forces and human conflict are under His control and can be used for His purposes.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms used in this verse are graphic and convey a sense of utter devastation. The "four kinds" (ארבע משפחות - arba mishpachot) refers to categories or families of destruction. The terms for the agents—sword (חרב - cherev), dogs (כלבים - klavim), fowls (עוף - 'oph), and beasts (בהמה - behemah)—are straightforward but together paint a horrific picture of death followed by scavenging and desecration, leaving no dignity even in death. This imagery would have been particularly shocking and terrifying to the original audience.

Commentary and Application

Jeremiah 15:3 paints a grim picture of the consequences of persistent sin and rejection of God's ways. The "four kinds" represent the various means God would use to bring His judgment: death by war (the sword), followed by the desecration of corpses by scavenging animals. This speaks to a complete overthrow and lack of proper burial, a significant part of the punishment in ancient cultures. God, who is just and holy, cannot tolerate unending rebellion. This verse serves as a solemn warning about the seriousness of sin and the certain judgment that follows when His grace is continually spurned.

While this specific prophecy was directed at ancient Judah, the principle remains that the wages of sin is death. It reminds us that God is indeed holy and righteous in His judgments. However, the New Testament reveals God's abundant mercy offered through Jesus Christ, providing a path to forgiveness and life for those who turn from sin and trust in Him. Understanding the severity of God's judgment in verses like this helps us appreciate the depth of His love and the grace found in the gospel, offering a new covenant of mercy instead of judgment for those who believe.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Deuteronomy 28:26

    And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray [them] away.

  • Leviticus 26:22

    I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your [high] ways shall be desolate.

  • Leviticus 26:16

    I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

  • Leviticus 26:25

    And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of [my] covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

  • Revelation 6:8

    And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

  • Ezekiel 14:21

    For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

  • 1 Kings 21:23

    And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

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