Jeremiah 15:15 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 15:15 nkjv
O LORD, You know; Remember me and visit me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In Your enduring patience, do not take me away. Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke.
Jeremiah 15:15 niv
LORD, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering?do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.
Jeremiah 15:15 esv
O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach.
Jeremiah 15:15 nlt
Then I said, "LORD, you know what's happening to me.
Please step in and help me. Punish my persecutors!
Please give me time; don't let me die young.
It's for your sake that I am suffering.
Jeremiah 15 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 15:16 | "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the rejoicing and the beginning of my heart..." | Fulfilment of prophetic calling |
| Jeremiah 1:8 | "...for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD." | God's promise of presence |
| Psalm 7:6 | "Arise, O LORD; in thine anger lift up thyself against the rage of mine enemies..." | Prayer for justice |
| Psalm 35:1 | "Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me." | Plea against oppressors |
| Psalm 119:43 | "And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments." | Importance of God's word |
| Psalm 44:23 | "Awake, O Lord, why sleepest thou? arise, and be not a stranger unto us for ever." | Appeal to God's intervention |
| Isaiah 49:5 | "And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant..." | Servant identity |
| Acts 7:59-60 | "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... And when he had said this, he fell asleep." | Christ-like suffering |
| Romans 8:31 | "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" | God's support |
| Romans 12:19 | "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." | God's role in vengeance |
| 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 | "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;" | Suffering of the righteous |
| Matthew 5:10 | "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." | Beatitudes on persecution |
| Jeremiah 17:18 | "Let them be confounded that persecute me; but let not me be confounded..." | Similar plea for protection |
| Psalm 23:4 | "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me..." | God's presence in trouble |
| Psalm 55:22 | "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." | Entrusting burdens to God |
| John 15:20 | "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." | Jesus' warning to disciples |
| Habakkuk 1:2 | "O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!" | Lament over injustice |
| Psalm 13:1 | "How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" | Questioning God's absence |
| Isaiah 53:3 | "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief..." | The Suffering Servant |
| Luke 1:49 | "For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name." | Acknowledging God's might |
| John 16:33 | "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." | Overcoming worldly tribulation |
| Revelation 18:8 | "...she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her." | God's judgment |
Jeremiah 15 verses
Jeremiah 15 15 Meaning
The verse expresses Jeremiah's profound lament to God concerning the rejection he faces from his own people, despite his faithfulness in delivering God's message. He affirms his identity as God's own and seeks God's intervention against his persecutors. The core message is a cry of suffering from a faithful servant met with opposition, appealing to God's righteousness and sovereignty for vindication.
Jeremiah 15 15 Context
This verse is spoken by the prophet Jeremiah during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, preceding and during the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah was consistently unpopular because he delivered God's message of impending judgment for the people's persistent idolatry and disobedience. He faced ridicule, rejection, and persecution from his own countrymen, including the religious and political leaders. Chapter 15 depicts Jeremiah's deepest despair, where he questions God's dealing with him and cries out against the opposition he endures. This particular verse is a personal cry of anguish and a plea for divine intervention against those who scorn and mistreat him because of his prophetic ministry.
Jeremiah 15 15 Word Analysis
- Oh LORD ( transliteration: YHWH Elohim - Yahweh God ): Addresses God by His covenant name, emphasizing a personal relationship and appeal to His character.
- God of recompenses ( transliteration: Elohim mil'um ; meaning: God of retribution/recompenses ): Attributes to God His role as the ultimate judge and dispenser of justice, one who repays or recompenses actions.
- God of recompenses ( transliteration: El gennot ; meaning: God of zeal/jealousy ): While "mil'um" means recompense, the singular "El" here followed by "gennot" (from ganna', to be jealous, zealous) signifies God's passionate commitment to justice and His people.
- Shine forth ( transliteration: 'Orah ; meaning: shine, lighten, illuminate ): A request for God to manifest His presence and power, to bring light into the darkness of his suffering.
- in ( preposition: `al ; meaning: upon, against, concerning ): Indicates the target or subject of God's shining forth.
- thy ( possessive pronoun: `al ; meaning: your ): Refers to God.
- them ( pronoun: hem ; meaning: they ): Refers to the persecutors.
- that ( conjunction: asher ; meaning: who, which, that ): Introduces the relative clause describing those who hate or oppose Jeremiah.
- do ( verb: `asah ; meaning: do, make, work ): Refers to the actions of the persecutors.
- against ( preposition: `al ; meaning: upon, against, concerning ): Indicates the direction of their actions.
- us ( pronoun: `im , masculine plural ; meaning: us ): Includes himself and possibly other faithful followers, or refers to God's people broadly as the object of the enemy's aggression.
- thou ( pronoun: `attah ; meaning: thou, you ): Refers to God.
- art ( verb: hayah ; meaning: be, exist ): State of being.
- alone ( adverb: lebad ; meaning: alone, only ): Emphasizes God's unique and supreme power and isolation in His capabilities, or that He alone acts.
- my ( possessive pronoun: `ni ; meaning: I, me ): Refers to Jeremiah.
- right hand ( noun: yamin ; meaning: right hand, strength, favor ): Symbolically represents God's power, might, and divine favor.
- work ( verb: `asah ; meaning: do, make, work ): Refers to God's actions, specifically His work of judgment and deliverance.
- with ( preposition: `im ; meaning: with, alongside ): Indicates participation or agency.
- me ( pronoun: `ni ; meaning: I, me ): Refers to Jeremiah.
- and ( conjunction: ve ; meaning: and ): Connects the two clauses.
- teach ( verb: lamad ; meaning: teach, learn ): God's action of instructing or disciplining.
- them ( pronoun: hem ; meaning: they ): Refers to the persecutors.
- thee ( pronoun: `attah ; meaning: thou, you ): Refers to God.
- Thou ( pronoun: `attah ; meaning: thou, you ): Refers to God.
- hast ( verb: `asah ; meaning: do, make, work ): Expresses the act of God in imparting something.
- made ( verb: `asah ; meaning: do, make, work ): Indicates God's creation or decree.
- mine ( possessive pronoun: `ani ; meaning: I, me ): Refers to Jeremiah's possession or belonging.
- ears ( noun: `ozen ; meaning: ear ): Represents the faculty of hearing and understanding, implying sensitivity to God's word.
- and ( conjunction: ve ; meaning: and ): Connects the clauses.
- heard ( verb: shama` ; meaning: hear, obey, listen ): God's act of responding or perceiving.
- them ( pronoun: `el ; meaning: to, unto, in, for ): Preposition.
- with ( preposition: `al ; meaning: upon, against, concerning ): Preposition.
- me ( pronoun: `otam ; meaning: them ): Pronoun for Jeremiah.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Oh LORD God of recompenses...shine forth" - This is a plea for divine intervention, asking God, who is sovereign and just, to reveal His power and act against the wrongdoers. It calls for God's visible demonstration of power.
- "God of recompenses, God of zeal" - This appellation highlights God's nature as both a judge who will repay sin and a passionate protector who is zealous for righteousness.
- "thou art alone my right hand" - This emphasizes Jeremiah's complete dependence on God and God's singular power and capability to deliver him. It points to God as his sole source of strength and salvation.
- "work thy work with me, and teach them with thine ears" - This phrase is syntactically complex and debated. It could mean "accomplish your work through me" and "let them hear your response through my testimony/understanding" or "act on my behalf and cause them to learn (by experiencing judgment that they deserve)." The phrase "teach them with thine ears" is unusual and might suggest God allowing them to "hear" (understand or experience) the consequences of their actions, a form of teaching through experience, mediated by God's attentive listening (hearing the injustice or Jeremiah's cry). Another interpretation relates to God's providential ordering and divine hearing of events.
Jeremiah 15 15 Bonus Section
The verse encapsulates the prophet's inner turmoil and his unwavering faith in God's ultimate sovereignty and justice. This blend of intense personal suffering and profound theological reliance is characteristic of the prophetic literature. The "right hand" of God is a frequent biblical metaphor for strength, power, and salvation. The request to "teach them with thine ears" is poetically rendered, suggesting that God's active engagement, even in His perceived absence, serves as a lesson to the oppressor. It is a profound expression of trust in God's perfect timing and method of dealing with human wickedness, rather than relying on personal retaliation. This passage is often viewed as prefiguring the rejection and suffering experienced by Jesus Christ, who also entrusted Himself to the Father's will when facing persecution.
Jeremiah 15 15 Commentary
Jeremiah, overwhelmed by the hostility and rejection he faced from his own people for faithfully proclaiming God's word, turns to God in profound distress. He calls God "YHWH, the God of recompenses," highlighting God's justice and sovereignty to repay wrongdoers. He pleads for God to "shine forth," meaning to manifest His power and vindicate him. Jeremiah's statement, "for thou alone art my right hand," is a powerful declaration of his absolute dependence on God for strength and deliverance. He asks God to perform His work with him and "teach them with thine ears," possibly implying that God should cause his persecutors to experience the consequences of their actions as a form of divine teaching, or that God should grant him understanding and the ability to speak His word effectively to them. The verse captures the suffering of a faithful prophet and his reliance on the divine power and justice of God. It mirrors the experience of many faithful servants throughout Scripture who face opposition for upholding truth.