Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
What does Jeremiah 18:21 mean?
When the prophet called to repentance, instead of obeying the call, the people devised devices against him.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Jeremiah 18:20-21 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Jeremiah 18:21
Pour out ... sword - literally, "pour them out upon the hands of the sword, i. e., give them up to the sword." Put to death - Rather, slain of death. The prophet's phrase leaves it entirely indefinite in what way the men are to die.
Key words
- upon the hands of the sword
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upon the hands of the sword. (f) "super manus gladii", Montanus, Schmidt. (g) "occisi morte", Pagninus, Montanus, "i. e.
- upon the hands of the sword
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upon the hands of the sword. (f) "super manus gladii", Montanus, Schmidt. (g) "occisi morte", Pagninus, Montanus, "i. e.
Context in Jeremiah 18
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Jeremiah 18 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as conflict with kings, priests, and prophets. Jeremiah combines fierce warning, autobiographical anguish, symbolic action, the promise of a new covenant, and the trauma of Jerusalem’s fall. Read this chapter with the wider themes of judgment, tears, and new covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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