TRV
Translation
King James Version
Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore thus says ADONAI: "I will put obstacles in the way of this people that they will stumble over fathers and sons, neighbors and friends, all will perish together."
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I will lay stumbling blocks before this people; fathers and sons alike will be staggered; friends and neighbors will perish.”
American Standard Version
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people; and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish.
World English Bible Messianic
Therefore thus says the LORD, “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
Therefore thus sayeth the Lord, Beholde, I will laie stumbling blockes before this people, and the fathers and the sonnes together shall fall vpon them: the neighbour and his friende shall perish.
Young's Literal Translation
Therefore thus said Jehovah: Lo, I do give to this people stumbling blocks, And stumbled against them have fathers and sons together, The neighbour and his friend do perish.
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In the KJVVerse 19,111 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 6 verses 18–30
18 ¶ Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.
23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
Here, I. God appeals to all the neighbours, nay, to the whole world, concerning the equity of his proceedings against Judah and Jerusalem (Jer 6:18, Jer 6:19): "Hear, you nations, and know particularly, O congregation of the mighty, the great men of the nations, that take cognizance of the affairs of states about you and make remarks upon them. Observe now what is doing among those of Judah and Jerusalem; you hear of the desolations brought upon them, the earth rings of it, trembles under it; you all wonder that I should bring evil upon this people, that are in covenant with me, that profess relation to me, that have worshipped me, and been highly favoured by me; you are ready to ask, Wherefore has the Lord done thus to this land? Deu 29:24. Know then," 1. "That it is the natural product of their devices. The evil brought upon them is the fruit of their thought. They thought to strengthen themselves by their alliance with foreigners, and by that very thing they weakened and diminished themselves, they betrayed and exposed themselves." 2. "That it is the just punishment of their disobedience and rebellion. God does but execute upon them the curse of the law for their violation of its commands. It is because they have not hearkened to my words nor to my law, nor regarded a word I have said to them, but rejected it all. They would never have been ruined thus by the judgments of God's hand if they had not refused to be ruled by the judgments of his mouth: therefore you cannot say that they have any wrong done them."
II. God rejects their plea, by which they insisted upon their external services as sufficient to atone for all their sins. Alas! it is a frivolous plea (Jer 6:20): "To what purpose come there to me incense and sweet cane, to be burnt for a perfume on the golden altar, though it was the best of the kind, and far-fetched? What care I for your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices?" They not only cannot profit God (no sacrifice does, Psa 50:9), but they do not please him, for none does this but the sacrifice of the upright; that of the wicked is an abomination to him. Sacrifice and incense were appointed to excite their repentance, and to direct them to a Mediator, and assist their faith in him. Where this good use was made of them they were acceptable, God had respect to them and to those that offered them. But when they were offered with an opinion that thereby they made God their debtor, and purchased a license to go on in sin, they were so far from being pleasing to God that they were a provocation to him.
III. He foretels the desolation that was now coming upon them. 1. God designs their ruin because they hate to be reformed (Jer 6:21): I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, occasions of falling not into sin, but into trouble. Those whom God has marked for destruction he perplexes and embarrasses in their counsels, and obstructs and retards all the methods they take for their own safety. The parties of the enemy, which they met with wherever they went, were stumbling-blocks to them; in ever corner they stumbled upon them and were dashed to pieces by them: The fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; neither the fathers with their wisdom, nor the sons with their strength and courage, shall escape them, or get over them. The sons that sinned with their fathers fall with them. Even the neighbour and his friend shall perish and not be able to help either themselves or one another. 2. He will make use of the Chaldeans as instruments of it; for whatever work God has to do he will find out proper instruments for the doing of it. This is a people fetched from the north, from the sides of the earth. Babylon itself lay a great way off northward; and some of the countries that were subject to the king of Babylon, out of which his army was levied, lay much further. These must be employed in this service, Jer 6:22, Jer 6:23. For, (1.) It is a people very numerous, a great nation, which will make their invasion the more formidable. (2.) It is a warlike people. They lay hold on bow and spear, and at this time know how to use them, for they are used to them. They ride upon horses, and therefore they march the more swiftly, and in battle press the harder. No nation had yet brought into the field a better cavalry that the Chaldeans. (3.) It is a barbarous people. They are cruel and have no mercy, being greedy of prey and flushed with victory. They take a pride in frightening all about them; their voice roars like the sea. And, (4.) They have a particular design upon Judah and Jerusalem, in hopes greatly to enrich themselves with the spoil of that famous country. They are set in array against thee, O daughter of Zion! The sins of God's professing people make them an easy prey to those that are God's enemies as well as theirs.
IV. He describes the very great consternation which Judah and Jerusalem should be in upon the approach of this formidable enemy, Jer 6:24-26. 1. They own themselves in a fright, upon the first intelligence brought them of the approach of the enemy: "When we have but heard the fame thereof our hands wax feeble, and we have no heart to make any resistance; anguish has taken hold of us, and we are immediately in an extremity of pain, like that of a woman in travail." Note, Sense of guilt quite dispirits men, upon the approach of any threatening trouble. What can those hope to do for themselves who have made God their enemy? 2. They confine themselves by consent to their houses, not daring to show their heads abroad; for, though they could not but expect that the sword of the enemy would at last find them out there, yet they would rather die tamely and meanly there than run any venture, either by fight or flight, to help themselves. Thus they say one to another, "Go not forth into the field, no not to fetch in your provision thence, nor walk by the way; dare not to go to church or market, it is at your peril if you do, for the sword of the enemy, and the fear of it, are on every side; the highways are unoccupied, as in Jael's time," Jdg 5:6. Let this remind us, when we travel the roads in safety and there is none to make us afraid, to bless God for our share in the public tranquillity. 3. The prophet calls upon them sadly to lament the desolations that were coming upon them. He was himself the lamenting prophet, and called upon his people to join with him in his lamentations: "O daughter of my people, hear they God calling thee to weeping and mourning, and answer his call: do not only put on sackcloth for a day, but gird it on for thy constant wear; do not only put ashes on thy head, but wallow thyself in ashes; put thyself into close mourning, and use all the tokens of bitter lamentation, not forced and for show only, but with the greatest sincerity, as parents mourn for an only son, and think themselves comfortless because they are childless. Thus do thou lament for the spoiler that suddenly comes upon us. Though he has not come yet, he is coming, the decree has gone forth: let us therefore meet the execution of it with a suitable sadness." As saints may rejoice in hope of God's mercies, though they see them only in the promise, so sinners must mourn for fear of God's judgments, though they see them only in the threatenings.
V. He constitutes the prophet a judge over this people that now stand upon their trial: as Jer 1:10, I have set thee over the nations; so here, I have set thee for a tower, or as a sentinel, or a watchman, upon a tower, among my people, as an inspector of their actions, that thou mayest know, and try their way, Jer 6:27. Not that God needed any to inform him concerning them; on the contrary, the prophet knew little of them in comparison but by the spirit of prophecy. But thus God appeals to the prophet himself, and his own observation concerning their character, that he might be fully satisfied in the equity of God's proceedings against them and with the more assurance give them warning of the judgments coming. God set him for a tower, conspicuous to all and attacked by many, but made him a fortress, a strong tower, gave him courage to stem the tide and bear the shock of their displeasure. Those that will be faithful reprovers have need to be firm as fortresses. Now in trying their way he will find two things: - 1. That they are wretchedly debauched (Jer 6:28): They are all grievous revolters, revolters of revolters (so the word is), the worst of revolters, as a servant of servants is the meanest servant. They have a revolting heart, have deeply revolted, and revolt more and more. They seemed to start fair, but they revolt and start back. They walk with slanders; they make nothing of belying and backbiting one another, nay, they make a perfect trade of it; it is their constant course, and they govern themselves by the slanders they hear, hating those that they hear ill-spoken of, though ever so unjustly. They are brass and iron, base metals, and there is nothing in them that is valuable. They were as silver and gold, but they have degenerated. Nay, as they are all revolters, so they are all corrupters, not only debauched themselves, but industrious to debauch others, to corrupt them as they themselves are corrupt; nay, to make them seven times more the children of hell than themselves. It is often so; sinners soon become tempters. 2. That they would never be reclaimed and reformed; it was in vain to think of reforming them, for various methods had been tried with them, and all to no purpose, Jer 6:29, Jer 6:30. He compares them to ore that was supposed to have some good metal in it, and was therefore put into the furnace by the refiner, who used all his art, and took abundance of pains, about it, but it proved all dross, nothing of any value could be extracted out of it. God by his prophets and by his providences had used the most proper means to refine this people and to purify them from their wickedness; but it was all in vain. By the continual preaching of the word, and in a series of afflictions, they had been kept in a constant fire, but all to no purpose. The bellows have been still kept so near the fire, to blow it, that they are burnt with the heat of it, or they are quite worn out with long use and thrown into the fire as good for nothing. The prophets have preached their throats sore with crying aloud against the sins of Israel, and yet they are not convinced and humbled. The lead, which was then used in refining silver, as quicksilver is now, is consumed of the fire, and has not done its work. The founder melts in vain; his labour is lost, for the wicked are not plucked away, no care is taken to separate between the precious and the vile, to purge out the old leaven, to cast out of communion those who, being corrupt themselves, are in danger of infecting others. Or, Their wickednesses are not removed (so some read it); they are still as bad as ever, and nothing will prevail to part between them and their sins. They will not be brought off from their idolatries and immoralities by all they have heard, and all they have felt, of the wrath of God against them; and therefore that doom is passed upon them (Jer 6:30): Reprobate silver shall they be called, useless and worthless; they glitter as if they had some silver in them, but there is nothing of real virtue or goodness to be found among them; and for this reason the Lord has rejected them. He will no more own them as his people, nor look for any good from them; he will take them away like dross (Psa 119:119), and prepare a consuming fire for those that would not be purified by a refining fire. By this it appears, (1.) That God has no pleasure in the death and ruin of sinners, for he tries all ways and methods with them to prevent their destruction and qualify them for salvation. Both his ordinances and his providences have a tendency this way, to part between them and their sins; and yet with many it is all lost labour. We have piped unto you, and you have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and you have not wept. Therefore, (2.) God will be justified in the death of sinners and all the blame will lie upon themselves. He did not reject them till he had used all proper means to reform them; did not cast them off so long as there was any hope of them, nor abandon them as dross till it appeared that they were reprobate silver.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 18–30. Public domain.
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Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 21) Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I will bring destruction upon this people, and they shall fall into it (whether weakness, and they shall be weakened by it), fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend, and they shall perish. We see all the things that the Lord has threatened against this people come to pass: for every day they fall into their blasphemies, and they have no strength within them, but every weakness is found among them. The sons follow in their fathers' blasphemies; and every day they receive that imprecation: His blood be upon us and upon our children (Matthew 27:25); and not only they themselves, but also their neighbors and friends, and all who follow the Law and the Prophets according to the letter, and not according to the life-giving spirit, shall likewise perish, for all have sinned together.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 6:21 delivers a solemn divine pronouncement of impending judgment upon the unrepentant people of Judah. The LORD declares His active role in orchestrating their downfall by placing "stumblingblocks" before them, ensuring that the calamity will be comprehensive and indiscriminate, affecting all generations and social bonds, leading to widespread perishing. This verse underscores God's righteous wrath against persistent disobedience and His sovereign control over the consequences of a nation's rebellion.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 6 is a chapter saturated with prophetic warnings and laments concerning Jerusalem's impending destruction. Preceding verses vividly portray the city as besieged, with enemies approaching from the north, and describe the people's stubborn refusal to heed God's warnings or repent of their sins. For instance, Jeremiah 6:10 explicitly states their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot listen to the word of the LORD. The immediate verses leading up to 6:21 speak of the LORD's intention to bring disaster upon them, a "great destruction" that will cause terror and lamentation. Verse 21, therefore, functions as a direct declaration of the LORD's active participation in this judgment, detailing its severity and scope, following the pronouncements of their incurable wound and unfaithfulness. It emphasizes that this is not a random misfortune but a divinely ordained consequence.
Historical & Cultural Context: Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of several kings from Josiah to Zedekiah, leading up to the Babylonian exile (c. 627-586 BC). The people of Judah had largely abandoned the covenant with Yahweh, engaging in widespread idolatry, social injustice, and moral corruption, despite repeated warnings from prophets like Jeremiah. The "stumblingblocks" mentioned in the verse would likely manifest as the invading armies of Babylon, famine, disease, and internal societal collapse—all divinely orchestrated consequences for their covenant unfaithfulness. The cultural expectation of familial and communal solidarity ("fathers and sons," "neighbour and friend") is dramatically overturned by the prophecy, emphasizing the total breakdown of society under divine judgment, where no relationship offers refuge from the impending disaster. This highlights the severity of God's response to their prolonged rebellion.
Key Themes: Jeremiah 6:21 powerfully contributes to several key themes prevalent in the book of Jeremiah. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment and Retribution, asserting God's direct agency in bringing about the consequences of sin, rather than merely allowing them to happen. The "stumblingblocks" are not accidental but divinely appointed instruments of justice. Secondly, it emphasizes the Severity and Universality of Judgment, demonstrating that God's wrath is comprehensive, sparing no one, regardless of age or social standing. This underscores the inescapable nature of divine punishment for a nation that has persistently rejected its covenant Lord. Finally, it reinforces the theme of Unheeded Warnings and Persistent Rebellion, as the judgment described is a direct result of Judah's refusal to repent and return to the LORD, despite numerous prophetic appeals, as seen in Jeremiah 5:25 where their iniquities have turned away the good things from them.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 6:21 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment with stark clarity. The most prominent is Metaphor, where "stumblingblocks" (Hebrew: mikshôwl) are used to represent the divinely orchestrated obstacles and causes of ruin that will lead to Judah's downfall. These are not literal blocks but the instruments of judgment, such as invading armies, famine, or societal collapse, which God actively places in their path. The phrase "fathers and sons together shall fall" and "the neighbour and his friend shall perish" uses Merism (a type of synecdoche) to represent the entirety of the population, emphasizing the universality and totality of the judgment across all social strata and familial bonds, from the oldest to the youngest, and across all social relationships. This creates a sense of Hyperbole to underscore the extreme and inescapable nature of the calamity. The overall tone is one of Divine Pronouncement and Prophetic Warning, delivered with stark and uncompromising language, characteristic of Jeremiah's ministry, to convey the gravity of Judah's unrepentant state and the certainty of God's righteous retribution.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 6:21 serves as a profound theological statement on God's justice and sovereignty, demonstrating that His patience has limits and that persistent rebellion against His covenant leads to certain judgment. It reveals a God who is not merely reactive but actively involved in orchestrating the consequences of sin, using the very path of their chosen disobedience as a means of their downfall. This divine action underscores the seriousness of covenant breaking and the absolute necessity of repentance. The indiscriminate nature of the judgment highlights that when a nation or people collectively turn from God, the consequences impact all, regardless of individual innocence or age, emphasizing the corporate responsibility inherent in the covenant relationship and the pervasive reach of divine wrath.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 6:21 stands as a stark reminder that God is not only a God of love and mercy but also of righteous judgment and justice. For us today, it underscores the profound seriousness of sin and the inevitable consequences of persistent rebellion against divine truth. While we live under the New Covenant of grace, the principle remains that turning away from God's revealed will and rejecting His loving guidance can lead to spiritual and even temporal "stumblingblocks" in our lives, hindering our walk with Him and potentially leading to profound spiritual peril. This verse calls us to a deep self-examination, prompting us to consider areas where we might be resisting God's voice or neglecting His commands. It challenges us to embrace genuine repentance, seeking to align our lives, both individually and corporately, with His righteous standards, lest we find ourselves on a path of self-destruction that God, in His justice, allows to unfold. It reminds us that God's warnings are not idle threats but loving calls to avert disaster.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What are the "stumblingblocks" mentioned in Jeremiah 6:21?
Answer: The "stumblingblocks" (Hebrew: mikshôwl) are not literal obstacles but a powerful metaphor for the divinely appointed instruments of judgment and ruin that God would place before the people of Judah. These would manifest as the direct consequences of their unrepentant sin, including the invading Babylonian armies, famine, disease, and the internal societal collapse that would lead to their destruction and exile. God is depicted as actively orchestrating these events as a righteous response to their persistent rebellion against His covenant and His repeated warnings.
Does this verse mean God actively causes people to sin or stumble?
Answer: No, this verse does not imply that God causes people to sin or tempts them to evil. Instead, it indicates that God, in His sovereignty and justice, orchestrates the consequences of people's already existing sin and rebellion. The "stumblingblocks" are not temptations to sin, but rather the just and inevitable outcomes that God lays in the path of those who have chosen a course of persistent disobedience. It highlights God's active role in bringing about judgment upon those who have rejected His warnings and refused to repent, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 5:25 where their sins have kept good from them, and Jeremiah 6:10 which describes their ears as uncircumcised, unable to hear His word.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 6:21 speaks of God laying stumblingblocks of temporal judgment upon an unrepentant Israel, the New Testament reveals a profound Christ-centered fulfillment and reinterpretation of the "stumblingblock" motif. Jesus Himself becomes both the ultimate stumblingblock and the ultimate cornerstone. For those who reject Him, He is "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense" (1 Peter 2:8, echoing the prophecy in Isaiah 8:14). The very one sent by God to deliver humanity becomes the obstacle over which they fall, leading to their spiritual ruin, not because He causes them to sin, but because their hearts are hardened against the truth and grace He embodies. However, for those who believe, this same "stone" is transformed into the "chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20), the foundational element of salvation and eternal life. Thus, while the Old Testament "stumblingblocks" were instruments of God's temporal judgment against a rebellious nation, Christ represents the decisive, eternal "stumblingblock" that reveals the heart's true disposition towards God, leading either to condemnation for unbelief or to salvation for those who trust in Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His cross, a scandal to some, is the power and wisdom of God to those who are being saved (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).