Jeremiah 9:19

For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast [us] out.

For a voice {H6963} of wailing {H5092} is heard {H8085} out of Zion {H6726}, How are we spoiled {H7703}! we are greatly {H3966} confounded {H954}, because we have forsaken {H5800} the land {H776}, because our dwellings {H4908} have cast us out {H7993}.

For the sound of wailing is heard from Tziyon: 'We are utterly ruined, we are completely ashamed, because we have left the land, and our homes have been torn down!'"

For the sound of wailing is heard from Zion: โ€˜How devastated we are! How great is our shame! For we have abandoned the land because our dwellings have been torn down.โ€™โ€

For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we ruined! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.

Commentary

Commentary on Jeremiah 9:19 (KJV)

Jeremiah 9:19 captures the profound despair and lamentation of the people of Judah as they face the imminent or ongoing judgment of God. This verse is a poignant cry from a nation in crisis, acknowledging the devastating consequences of their spiritual rebellion.

Context

The prophet Jeremiah, often known as the "weeping prophet," delivered God's messages to Judah during a tumultuous period leading up to the Babylonian exile. His ministry was characterized by urgent calls for repentance and stern warnings of impending judgment due to the people's widespread idolatry and moral corruption. "Zion" refers to Jerusalem, the spiritual and political heart of Judah, making the "voice of wailing" from this location particularly significant. It indicates that the very center of their national and religious identity was consumed by sorrow and devastation.

Key Themes

  • Devastating Loss and Exile: The phrases "How are we spoiled!" and "our dwellings have cast us out" vividly depict the brutal reality of invasion, plunder, and forced displacement. The people are being stripped of their possessions, their homes, and their land, leading to an experience of exile and homelessness.
  • Profound Shame and Confusion: To be "greatly confounded" speaks to a deep sense of shame, bewilderment, and disgrace. Their world has been turned upside down, and they are left disoriented, facing the humiliation of defeat and captivity.
  • Consequence of Forsaking God: The most crucial part of the verse reveals the reason for their suffering: "because we have forsaken the land." While this literally refers to being forced out of their homeland, it implicitly points to their prior act of forsaking God and His covenant. This devastating outcome was a direct consequence of their disobedience to God's covenant, which promised blessings for obedience and curses for rebellion.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "wailing" is nehi (ื ึถื”ึดื™), which often denotes a professional lament or a deep, mournful cry, emphasizing the intensity and public nature of their grief.
  • "Spoiled" comes from the Hebrew shadad (ืฉึธืื“ึทื“), meaning to be plundered, ravaged, or devastated. It conveys the violent and destructive nature of the invasion.
  • "Confounded" is from bosh (ื‘ึผื•ึนืฉื), implying shame, disgrace, and confusion, reflecting the humiliation of their defeat.

Related Scriptures

This verse resonates with other prophecies concerning Judah's judgment and the sorrow that would accompany it. The prophecy foreshadows the Babylonian captivity and the subsequent desolation of Jerusalem. The profound grief and sense of loss are also echoed in the Book of Lamentations, which describes the aftermath of Jerusalem's fall.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 9:19 serves as a sober reminder of the consequences of spiritual departure from God. For believers today, it underscores the importance of faithfulness and obedience. While we may not face physical exile for disobedience, turning away from God's principles can lead to spiritual desolation, confusion, and a sense of being "cast out" from His blessings and peace. The verse also highlights God's justice in holding His people accountable, yet it implicitly points to the hope of future restoration for those who truly repent and return to Him, a theme often found throughout Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment and new covenant.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash 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 โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 4:13

    Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots [shall be] as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.

  • Ezekiel 7:16

    ยถ But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.

  • Ezekiel 7:18

    They shall also gird [themselves] with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame [shall be] upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.

  • Deuteronomy 28:29

    And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save [thee].

  • Jeremiah 4:30

    And [when] thou [art] spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; [thy] lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.

  • Jeremiah 4:31

    For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, [and] the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, [that] bewaileth herself, [that] spreadeth her hands, [saying], Woe [is] me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

  • Micah 2:4

    In that day shall [one] take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed [it] from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
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