Jeremiah 15:16 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 15:16 nkjv
Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16 niv
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty.
Jeremiah 15:16 esv
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16 nlt
When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
They are my joy and my heart's delight,
for I bear your name,
O LORD God of Heaven's Armies.
Jeremiah 15 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 1:9 | "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth." | God empowering Jeremiah |
| Psalm 19:7-10 | "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul..." | Praises the perfection of God's Word |
| Psalm 119:103 | "How sweet are your words to me; sweeter than honey to my mouth!" | Experiencing sweetness of God's Word |
| Psalm 119:130 | "The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." | Word as illuminator |
| Matthew 4:4 | "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." | Word as essential sustenance |
| John 1:1, 14 | "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God..." | Jesus as the Word Incarnate |
| Acts 7:38 | "...he received living words to give to us." | Moses and God's living words |
| Romans 10:17 | "So faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." | Word as the source of faith |
| 1 Corinthians 2:13 | "...not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit..." | Spirit-taught words |
| Ephesians 5:26 | "...that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word," | Word as purifying agent |
| Colossians 3:16 | "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." | Dwelling of God's word |
| Hebrews 4:12 | "For the word of God is living and active..." | Word's power and vitality |
| 1 Peter 1:23 | "...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." | Word as imperishable seed |
| 1 John 2:14 | "I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning." | Young men and the Word |
| Revelation 19:13 | "He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God." | Christ as the Word of God |
| Jeremiah 20:9 | "...but then his word became a fire in my bones..." | Word as internal burning force |
| Psalm 42:1-2 | "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God..." | Soul's yearning for God |
| Jeremiah 1:18 | "For behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land..." | God's strength in the prophet |
| Jeremiah 23:29 | "Is not my word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" | Word's powerful nature |
| 1 Samuel 3:19 | "And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and left none of his words fall to the ground." | Integrity of God's word |
Jeremiah 15 verses
Jeremiah 15 16 Meaning
Jeremiah 15:16 reveals Jeremiah's personal reception and internalization of God's word. It signifies his identity and sustenance found in God's pronouncements, not merely as external messages but as integral to his being. The "words" are not just auditory information but life-giving sustenance and a source of joy. This speaks to a deep communion with God through His word, transforming him inwardly and fueling his prophetic ministry with divine purpose and delight.
Jeremiah 15 16 Context
In chapter 15, Jeremiah is lamenting his difficult prophetic call, feeling abandoned by God due to the relentless persecution and rejection he faces from his people. He cries out in pain and despair. God's response in verse 16 shifts the focus from the external difficulties to Jeremiah's internal relationship with God and His word. This verse serves as God's reaffirmation of the profound and intimate connection Jeremiah has with Him through the divine message entrusted to him, grounding him amidst the external storms. It reminds Jeremiah that his calling and sustenance are rooted in God's spoken word.
Jeremiah 15 16 Word analysis
- 'anoḵî (אָנֹכִי): I
- Emphasizes personal appropriation of God's word.
- Establishes a first-person testimony of internalization.
- hə·yî·ṯî (הָיִיתִי): have become
- Signifies transformation and a new state of being.
- Indicates the word has fundamentally changed Jeremiah's existence.
- lî (לִי): to me / for me
- Highlights possession and personal benefit.
- The word is something Jeremiah owns and derives from.
- mə·ṯî (מֶצְאי): finding / that which I find
- Implies active discovery and appropriation.
- The word is not passively received but actively sought and found.
- It’s sustenance that one "finds" when one searches.
- wə·ṯə·ru·‘î (וּתְרוּעִי): and my own; my heritage / my portion
- Carries the idea of inheritance, belonging, and personal possession.
- The word is Jeremiah's rightful share and belonging from God.
- Connects to the concept of God as the inheritance of priests and Levites, who are His portion.
- lə·’ō·wlam (לְעוֹלָם): forever / always
- Stresses the enduring and eternal nature of God's word.
- The sustenance and joy derived from the word are perpetual.
- ḵî (כִּי): for / because
- Establishes the reason for his spiritual strength and delight.
- Connects his identity and joy directly to God's word.
- ‘al·ḵā (עָלֶיךָ): upon You / in You
- Indicates the source and locus of his being and delight.
- All his life and joy are found resting "upon" or "in" God's words.
- ’eḵ·lə·‘a·lū (אֹכַל): I will eat
- Metaphor for spiritual nourishment and sustenance.
- The word is not just read but consumed for life.
- yə·ḏī (יֶדְעִי): your name / Your command (part of the phrase "your name")
- Refers to God's very being, character, and revelation as spoken through His word.
- Eating "your name" signifies internalizing God's essence and will.
- The Hebrew word shem (שֵׁם) means name, representing reputation, authority, and identity. Here, it points to the sum total of God's self-revelation.
- mə·‘ō·waḏ (מְאֹד): greatly / exceedingly
- Quantifies the extent of his joy.
- Highlights the profound depth of his delight in God's word.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "my finding and my heritage": This phrase powerfully combines the idea of active pursuit ("finding") with the sense of an appointed, precious inheritance ("heritage"). It portrays God's word as both something Jeremiah diligently sought and something God sovereignly gifted him as his ultimate possession.
- "I will eat your name": This is a strong idiom suggesting complete absorption and assimilation of God's revealed identity and will. It’s not just intellectual understanding but a visceral, life-sustaining engagement with who God is as revealed in His words.
- "your name... greatly" (
shemi... me'od): The emphatic adverb modifies the delight, indicating that the joy derived from internalizing God's name (His word and identity) is profound and all-encompassing.
Jeremiah 15 16 Bonus section
The verse resonates with the New Testament emphasis on Christ as the Word (Logos) of God, through whom believers find life and nourishment (John 1:14, 6:53-56). Just as Jeremiah found his heritage in God's spoken words, believers find their heritage and sustenance in Christ and the inspired Word of God. The experience described is analogous to David's declarations in the Psalms regarding the delight and life found in God's law (Psalm 1:2, 19:7-11, 119). The Hebrew word for "finding" (מִצְאִי - mitza'i) also implies active discovery, suggesting that a believer must engage with scripture to find its life-giving sustenance, just as one searches for hidden treasure. The joy spoken of is not a fleeting emotion but a settled, abiding gladness rooted in the unshakeable truth and promises of God.
Jeremiah 15 16 Commentary
Jeremiah 15:16 presents a deeply personal testament of the prophet’s relationship with God's word. In a context where Jeremiah felt overwhelmed by rejection and suffering, God turns his gaze inward to the sustaining power of His word. Jeremiah declares that the words God has given him are not a burden, but his spiritual food, his portion, and his greatest joy. This is more than just intellectual assent; it is a life-giving sustenance, likened to eating, and a source of profound, unwavering delight. It highlights the transformative nature of encountering God's truth, finding identity and strength in His name, and possessing His promises as an eternal heritage. This verse underscores the principle that true fulfillment comes not from external circumstances, but from an intimate and active engagement with God's revealed word, internalizing it to the point it becomes one's very sustenance and deepest joy.