Jeremiah 5:18

Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.

Nevertheless in those days {H3117}, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}, I will not make {H6213} a full end {H3617} with you.

But even in those days," says ADONAI, "I will not completely destroy you.

“Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not make a full end of you.

But even in those days, saith Jehovah, I will not make a full end with you.

Commentary on Jeremiah 5:18 (KJV)

Jeremiah 5:18 offers a profound statement of God's enduring mercy amidst His righteous judgment. After detailing the widespread corruption, idolatry, and spiritual blindness of Judah, this verse provides a crucial "nevertheless," signaling a divine promise of preservation even as severe punishment is declared.

Context

The prophet Jeremiah ministered during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, just before the Babylonian invasions and subsequent exile. Throughout Jeremiah chapter 5, the LORD outlines the specific sins of His people—their refusal to repent, their oppression of the poor, their false prophets, and their rejection of God's law. These transgressions warranted the impending divine judgment, which would manifest as foreign invasion and captivity. However, amidst these pronouncements of doom, verse 18 stands as a beacon of hope, revealing that God's wrath, though severe, would not be absolute.

Key Themes

  • Divine Restraint and Mercy: This verse highlights God's character of justice tempered with profound mercy. Though Judah deserved utter destruction for their persistent rebellion, God's declaration, "I will not make a full end with you," reveals His compassionate limit to punishment. It speaks to the unfailing nature of His mercies, which are new every morning.
  • Covenant Faithfulness: This promise of preservation is deeply rooted in God's eternal covenant with Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 17:7). Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God remains faithful to His own promises, ensuring the survival of a remnant through whom His redemptive plan, culminating in the Messiah, would continue.
  • The Remnant: While not explicitly using the term "remnant," the verse implicitly teaches that a portion of Israel would survive the coming devastation. This concept of a faithful or preserved remnant is a recurring theme in prophetic literature (Isaiah 10:21-22), signifying that God would always maintain a people for Himself, even through severe trials.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "make a full end" translates from the Hebrew verb כָּלָה (kalah), meaning "to complete," "to consume," or "to utterly destroy." By stating He would "not make a full end," the LORD assures that while severe judgment and dispersion would occur, it would not result in the total annihilation or complete extinction of the nation. There would be a limit to His wrath, ensuring that a future for His people remained possible.

Practical Application

For believers today, Jeremiah 5:18 is a powerful reminder of God's unwavering faithfulness, even when we are unfaithful. In times of personal or collective discipline, it offers the profound assurance that God's ultimate purpose is not destruction but purification and restoration. It encourages us to trust in God's sovereign control, knowing that even in the darkest valleys, His promises stand firm, and He will always provide a way forward for His people, ensuring their ultimate salvation and glory.

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.

  • Romans 11:1

    ¶ I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, [of] the tribe of Benjamin.

  • Romans 11:5

    Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

  • Jeremiah 5:10

    ¶ Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they [are] not the LORD'S.

  • Jeremiah 4:27

    For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

  • Ezekiel 11:13

    And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?

  • Ezekiel 9:8

    And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back