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Jeremiah 18:21

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Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their [blood] by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and [be] widows; and let their men be put to death; [let] their young men [be] slain by the sword in battle.

Therefore deliver up {H5414} their children {H1121} to the famine {H7458}, and pour out {H5064} their blood by the force {H3027} of the sword {H2719}; and let their wives {H802} be bereaved {H7909} of their children, and be widows {H490}; and let their men {H582} be put {H2026} to death {H4194}; let their young men {H970} be slain {H5221} by the sword {H2719} in battle {H4421}.

Therefore, hand their sons over to famine, hurl them into the power of the sword, let their wives be made childless and widows, let their husbands be slain by disease, let their young men be slain by the sword in battle,

Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle.

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

Commentary

Commentary on Jeremiah 18:21 (KJV)

Jeremiah 18:21 records a severe imprecatory prayer uttered by the prophet Jeremiah against those who plotted against him and rejected God's word. This verse is a stark expression of a plea for divine judgment, reflecting the intense suffering and betrayal Jeremiah experienced.

Context

This verse is found within a section where God illustrates His sovereignty over nations and individuals through the analogy of the potter and the clay (Jeremiah 18:6). God explains that He can build up or tear down nations based on their repentance or persistent rebellion. Despite God's warnings and the prophet's faithful delivery of His message, the people of Judah stubbornly refused to repent, declaring, "We will walk after our own devices" (Jeremiah 18:12). In response to their hardened hearts and their active plotting against Jeremiah's life, even seeking to destroy his prophetic influence (Jeremiah 18:18), the prophet cries out to God for justice. This prayer is not a personal vendetta but a fervent appeal to God to vindicate His own name and word against those who defy Him by persecuting His messenger.

Key Themes

  • Divine Retribution: The verse vividly describes the severe consequences of rejecting God's warnings and persecuting His prophets. The judgments — famine, death by the sword, and the bereavement of families — are depicted as direct outcomes of their rebellion.
  • Severity of Judgment: The language is graphic, detailing the suffering of children, wives, and young men. This reflects the intense nature of God's justice against unrepentant sin and active opposition to His will. Such judgments were common in ancient Near Eastern warfare and are frequently threatened in the Old Testament as consequences for covenant disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15).
  • Prophetic Imprecation: This is an example of an "imprecatory prayer," where a prophet or psalmist calls upon God to bring judgment upon enemies. While jarring to modern readers, these prayers often reflect a deep desire for God's righteousness to prevail and for justice to be served when human systems fail (Psalm 109:6). They appeal to God's covenant faithfulness to His people and His opposition to wickedness.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrasing emphasizes the totality of the destruction sought. "Deliver up their children to the famine" (nathan yaldēhem la-ra'av) and "pour out their blood" (naggar damam) convey a complete and violent eradication. The repeated emphasis on different family members — children, wives, men, young men — highlights the comprehensive nature of the desired judgment, leaving no one untouched by the consequences of their actions.

Practical Application and Reflection

While the New Testament teaches believers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, understanding verses like Jeremiah 18:21 is crucial for grasping the full spectrum of God's character as revealed in Scripture. It reminds us:

  1. The Seriousness of Sin and Rebellion: God takes sin, especially rebellion against His word and harm to His messengers, very seriously. There are indeed severe consequences for persistent wickedness.
  2. God's Justice: This verse underscores God's role as the ultimate judge. While believers are commanded not to take vengeance into their own hands (Romans 12:19), God promises to execute justice in His own time and way.
  3. The Prophet's Burden: It offers a glimpse into the profound emotional and spiritual burden of prophets like Jeremiah, who faced intense opposition and betrayal while faithfully delivering God's difficult messages. Their pleas for justice often stemmed from a deep agony over the people's sin and a desire for God's righteousness to be upheld.

This verse serves as a powerful reminder of the solemnity of God's judgment and the ultimate consequences for those who refuse to repent and actively oppose His divine will.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 109:9 (4 votes)

    Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

  • Psalms 109:20 (4 votes)

    [Let] this [be] the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

  • Jeremiah 9:21 (3 votes)

    For death is come up into our windows, [and] is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, [and] the young men from the streets.

  • Deuteronomy 32:25 (3 votes)

    The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling [also] with the man of gray hairs.

  • Jeremiah 15:8 (3 votes)

    Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas: I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday: I have caused [him] to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.

  • Jeremiah 16:3 (3 votes)

    For thus saith the LORD concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land;

  • Jeremiah 16:4 (3 votes)

    They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; [but] they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.