Jeremiah 15:12 kjv
Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?
Jeremiah 15:12 nkjv
Can anyone break iron, The northern iron and the bronze?
Jeremiah 15:12 niv
"Can a man break iron? iron from the north?or bronze?
Jeremiah 15:12 esv
Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze?
Jeremiah 15:12 nlt
Can a man break a bar of iron from the north,
or a bar of bronze?
Jeremiah 15 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 1:13-15 | "...an overwhelming force coming from the north..." | Northern threat confirmed |
| Jer 1:18 | "...I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall" | God's prophet given similar strength |
| Jer 4:6 | "Disaster I bring from the north..." | North as source of divine judgment |
| Jer 6:1 | "...evil looms out of the north..." | Recurring warning of northern danger |
| Jer 10:22 | "...a great commotion from the north..." | Noise of invading armies |
| Jer 15:1 | "...my heart would not turn to this people." | God's irrevocable judgment |
| Jer 15:20 | "...I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze..." | God's promise to make Jeremiah resilient |
| Isa 10:5-6 | "Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger..." | God uses nations as instruments of judgment |
| Isa 48:4 | "...your neck is an iron sinew, and your forehead bronze." | Stubbornness/hardness symbolized by metals |
| Lam 3:37 | "Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?" | God's supreme sovereignty |
| Eze 26:7 | "For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring against Tyre... Nebuchadnezzar..." | God directs northern king (Babylon) |
| Hab 1:6-7 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans..." | God actively raises up invaders |
| Zech 7:12 | "...they made their hearts diamond-hard..." | Resistance to God's word like hard metals |
| Job 40:18 | "...his bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron." | Description of great strength/power |
| Deut 3:11 | "...a bed of iron, nine cubits long and four cubits wide." | Iron as immense and durable |
| Psa 2:9 | "You shall break them with a rod of iron..." | Symbol of divine authority/unbreakable power |
| Dan 2:33, 40-42 | "...legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay... strong as iron" | Iron as strength in kingdoms' prophecy |
| Rom 9:19 | "Who then can resist his will?" | Rhetorical question about God's irresistible plan |
| Acts 9:5 | "It is hard for you to kick against the goads." | Futility of resisting divine action |
| Rev 2:27 | "...and he will rule them with a rod of iron..." | Christ's absolute rule and strength |
| Matt 16:18 | "...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." | God's strength for His people |
| Phil 4:13 | "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." | Divine empowerment |
Jeremiah 15 verses
Jeremiah 15 12 Meaning
Jeremiah 15:12 poses a rhetorical question, emphasizing the overwhelming and unbreakable nature of the forces being sent against Judah. "Iron from the north" explicitly refers to the formidable Babylonian empire, which God is using as an instrument of His judgment. The accompanying mention of bronze further highlights its impenetrable strength. The question, "Can one break...?" implies an emphatic "No," signaling the futility of any resistance against God's determined punishment upon Judah for its persistent sin.
Jeremiah 15 12 Context
Jeremiah chapter 15 records God's reiterated judgment against Judah, stating His decision is irreversible (vv. 1-9). It follows Jeremiah's lament over his prophetic burden (v. 10). Despite God's earlier promise to Judah through Jeremiah for future good (vv. 11), verse 12 then clarifies the overwhelming nature of the coming destruction. The "iron from the north" represents Babylon, the primary instrument of God's wrath, which will lay waste to the land (vv. 13-14). This bleak declaration of inescapable judgment sets the stage for Jeremiah's subsequent lament and God's powerful reaffirmation and strengthening of Jeremiah (vv. 15-21), promising to make the prophet himself like a "fortified wall of bronze."
Jeremiah 15 12 Word analysis
Can one break: Transliterated from Hebrew הֲיִפְרֹק (ha-yiph-roq). The initial 'ha-' indicates an interrogative. The root פָּרַק (paraq) means "to tear off," "break apart," or "rescue." Here, it signifies the act of breaking or shattering. The rhetorical question expects a negative answer, emphasizing the impossibility of human resistance. The implied subject "one" signifies any human effort, military, or political, rendering it powerless.
iron: Hebrew בַּרְזֶל (barzel). A hard, strong, and durable metal. Throughout the Bible, iron symbolizes immense strength, stubbornness, invincibility, or severity. Its presence here denotes a powerful, unyielding force.
iron from the north: Hebrew בַּרְזֶל מִצָּפוֹן (barzel mi-tzafon). This specific phrase is crucial. The "north" is a consistent geographical and prophetic indicator in Jeremiah for the source of destruction, referring directly to the powerful Babylonian empire. The addition of "from the north" qualifies the iron, identifying the source of this formidable, unstoppable power that God is bringing against Judah.
and bronze: Hebrew וּנְחֹשֶׁת (u-nechoshet). The conjunction 'u-' means "and." נְחֹשֶׁת (nechoshet) refers to copper or bronze. Paired with iron, bronze further intensifies the image of impenetrable hardness and strength. While possibly less robust than iron in some contexts, its inclusion underscores the overall magnitude and durability of the attacking force.
"Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze?"This phrase functions as a rhetorical question, anticipating a definitive "No." It visually and materially depicts the enemy (Babylon) as an irresistible, divinely-appointed instrument of judgment. The repeated mention of "iron" and the combination with "bronze" leave no doubt about the sheer might and invulnerability of this destructive force against Judah. It's an indictment of Judah's presumption of strength and a clear statement of God's unstoppable decree.
Jeremiah 15 12 Bonus section
The strength and durability symbolized by "iron" and "bronze" have a double meaning in Jeremiah. While Jer 15:12 uses this imagery to depict the irresistible force of divine judgment (Babylon), the same language is used to describe Jeremiah's own strength in his prophetic calling. God assures Jeremiah, "I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall" (Jer 1:18) and reiterates, "I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze" (Jer 15:20). This parallel highlights that just as the instruments of God's judgment are unbreakable, so too is His appointed prophet made resilient by divine power against all opposition as he delivers the difficult message. This linguistic and thematic link underscores the divine origin and unyielding nature of both God's judgment and His messenger's mission.
Jeremiah 15 12 Commentary
Jeremiah 15:12 stands as a stark declaration of the inevitability of God's judgment upon Judah. The rhetorical question effectively communicates the futility of human resistance against the divinely-ordained force represented by "iron from the north," referring to Babylon. These formidable metals symbolize an unyielding power that cannot be broken or overcome by any human effort or defense. This verse serves not only to confirm God's resolute decision to punish but also to underscore His absolute sovereignty in raising up and directing nations as instruments of His will. It portrays Babylon not merely as a hostile nation, but as an unbreakable decree. While painting a grim picture of destruction for Judah, it also ironically foreshadows the similar divine empowerment Jeremiah himself will receive (1:18, 15:20), where he too is made like an "iron pillar" and a "bronze wall" in his prophetic mission.