Jeremiah 9:15

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, [even] this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

Therefore thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068} of hosts {H6635}, the God {H430} of Israel {H3478}; Behold, I will feed {H398} them, even this people {H5971}, with wormwood {H3939}, and give them water {H4325} of gall {H7219} to drink {H8248}.

therefore," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el: "I will feed this people bitter wormwood and give them poisonous water to drink.

Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will feed this people wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.

therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

Jeremiah 9:15 delivers a stern warning from the Lord to the people of Judah, revealing the severe consequences of their persistent disobedience and idolatry. It vividly portrays God's impending judgment using powerful, sensory metaphors.

Context

This verse is part of Jeremiah's prophetic lament and warning to a rebellious Judah, whose spiritual and moral decay was widespread. The preceding verses (e.g., Jeremiah 9:13-14) explain that the judgment described here is a direct result of their having forsaken God's law, refusing to obey His voice, and stubbornly following their own hearts and the worship of Baal. The nation had broken its covenant with God, leading to divine retribution.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment: The verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty and His righteous judgment against sin. It is not an arbitrary punishment, but a just consequence for rebellion against His holy character.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The "wormwood" and "gall" symbolize the bitter and poisonous outcomes of turning away from God. What may seem appealing in sin ultimately leads to spiritual and physical hardship.
  • God's Authority: Introduced by "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel," the declaration emphasizes the undeniable authority and power of the one true God who holds nations accountable.

Linguistic Insights

The imagery of "wormwood" and "gall" is crucial to understanding the verse's impact:

  • Wormwood (Hebrew: la'anah): This refers to a plant known for its extreme bitterness. Biblically, it often symbolizes sorrow, calamity, and the bitter fruit of idolatry and injustice. It appears in other prophetic contexts to denote severe suffering, as seen in Lamentations 3:15.
  • Gall (Hebrew: ro'sh): This term signifies a poisonous, bitter herb or venom. It intensifies the imagery of wormwood, suggesting something not merely bitter but deadly or profoundly harmful. Together, they represent the most grievous and painful experiences imaginable.

Related Scriptures

The theme of divine judgment for disobedience is prevalent throughout the Old Testament. For instance, Deuteronomy 28:15ff outlines the curses that would befall Israel if they broke the covenant, many of which align with the bitter experiences prophesied by Jeremiah. Similarly, the prophet Amos warns against those who "turn judgment into wormwood" (Amos 5:7), highlighting the perversion of justice.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 9:15 serves as a timeless reminder that actions have consequences, especially in our relationship with God. When humanity rejects divine truth and embraces sin, the outcome is inevitably bitter. This verse calls believers to:

  • Examine Our Hearts: To ensure we are not stubbornly walking away from God's commands.
  • Recognize Sin's True Nature: To understand that sin, while seemingly appealing, ultimately leads to pain and separation.
  • Seek Repentance: To turn back to God, recognizing His justice but also His abundant mercy and willingness to restore. Even in judgment, God's ultimate desire is for His people to return and experience the blessings of His new covenant.
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.

  • Jeremiah 8:14

    Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

  • Psalms 80:5

    Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

  • Lamentations 3:15

    He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

  • Jeremiah 23:15

    Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

  • Isaiah 2:17

    And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

  • Revelation 8:11

    And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

  • Isaiah 2:22

    Cease ye from man, whose breath [is] in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?

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