CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Jeremiah 15
Chapter 15 of 52
Chapter Overview
What happens in Jeremiah 15
God says that even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before him and pray, he would still not change his mind about judging Judah. Jeremiah pours out his personal pain and frustration, and God promises to protect him if he continues to speak faithfully.
Scripture
Jeremiah 15
Even Moses and Samuel Cannot Help
Study note
God tells Jeremiah that even the greatest prayer warriors of Israel's past, Moses and Samuel, could not change his decision. The people must face judgment through death, sword, famine, and captivity. The suffering of Jerusalem will be so great because of the sins committed during the reign of King Manasseh.
1 The Lord told me, "Even if Moses and Samuel were standing right here begging me, I would feel nothing for these people. Send them away! Get them out of my sight!" Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
2 "If they ask, 'Where should we go?' tell them the Lord says: 'Those destined to die from disease will die. Those destined for war will face the sword. Those destined to starve will go hungry. Those destined for captivity will be taken prisoner.'" And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
3 "I will send four punishments," says the Lord. "Swords to kill them. Dogs to drag them off. Birds to eat their flesh. Wild beasts to finish them." And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.
4 "I will make them something horrible for every kingdom on earth to see. This is because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem." And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
5 "Who will feel sorry for you, Jerusalem? Who will stop to mourn over you? Who will even bother to ask how you're doing?" For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?
6 "You have abandoned me," says the Lord. "You keep turning your back on me. So I am stretching out my hand to destroy you. I am tired of giving you more chances." Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.
7 "I will scatter them like chaff blown away at the city gates. I will take their children from them and destroy my own people, because they refuse to change their ways." And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways.
8 "I will make their widows more numerous than sand on the beach. At noon I will send a destroyer against the mothers of young men. I will bring sudden anguish and terror crashing down on them." 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.
9 "The mother with seven children will grow faint and take her final breath. Her sun will set while it is still the middle of the day, leaving her humiliated and shamed. Everyone left over, I will hand to the enemy's sword," says the Lord. She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah's Personal Lament
Study note
Jeremiah cries out in personal anguish. Everyone treats him as an enemy even though he has done nothing wrong. He recalls how God's words were once a joy to him, but now he sits alone filled with grief. He asks God why his pain never ends and whether God has been unreliable like a stream that dries up.
10 How miserable I am, mother, that you ever gave birth to me! Everyone in the whole land argues with me and fights against me. I haven't lent anyone money or borrowed from anyone, yet they all curse me. Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.
11 The Lord said, "I promise I will set you free for a good reason. I will make your enemies beg you for help when they face trouble and distress." The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
12 "Can anyone snap iron in half, especially iron from the north, or bronze?" Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?
13 "I will give away your wealth and treasures as loot — free of charge — because of all the sins committed throughout your land." Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
14 "I will make you serve your enemies in a land you do not know. My anger burns like a fire that will swallow you up." And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.
15 Lord, you know what's happening. Remember me and watch over me. Get back at the people who are attacking me. You are so patient — don't let that patience cost me my life. You know I suffer disgrace because I serve you. O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
16 When I found your words, I gobbled them up. They filled me with happiness and made my heart sing, because I am called by your name, Lord God of Armies. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
17 I never sat around laughing with the crowd or joining in their fun. I sat by myself because your hand was on me. You had filled me with your burning anger at the people's sin. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
18 Why does my pain go on and on? Why is my wound so bad that it refuses to heal? Are you going to be like a stream that dries up when I need it most — a spring that fails? Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
God's Promise to Restore Jeremiah
Study note
God responds to Jeremiah's lament. If Jeremiah will return to faithful service and speak worthy words instead of worthless ones, God will restore him. God promises to make Jeremiah like a strong bronze wall that the people cannot break through.
19 The Lord answered, "If you come back to me, I will restore you to my service. If you speak what is valuable instead of what is worthless, I will make you my spokesperson. Let the people come to you — but don't you go chasing after them." Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
20 "I will make you like a solid bronze wall that these people cannot break through. They will fight against you, but they won't be able to beat you, because I am with you to rescue you and save you," says the Lord. And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
21 "I will rescue you from the grip of wicked people. I will pull you free from the hands of the cruel." And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.
Key Themes
Themes in Jeremiah 15
The irreversibility of certain judgmentsThe prophet's personal suffering and complaintGod's reassurance to the faithful remnantRefinement through hardshipSeparation between precious and worthless
Apply This Today
Living Jeremiah 15
Faithful service to God does not exempt us from suffering or loneliness. When we feel overwhelmed, God calls us back to stand before Him and be renewed. Distinguishing the precious from the worthless in our own lives is an ongoing spiritual discipline that keeps us useful to God.
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