Jeremiah 15 8

Jeremiah 15:8 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 15:8 nkjv

Their widows will be increased to Me more than the sand of the seas; I will bring against them, Against the mother of the young men, A plunderer at noonday; I will cause anguish and terror to fall on them suddenly.

Jeremiah 15:8 niv

I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. At midday I will bring a destroyer against the mothers of their young men; suddenly I will bring down on them anguish and terror.

Jeremiah 15:8 esv

I have made their widows more in number than the sand of the seas; I have brought against the mothers of young men a destroyer at noonday; I have made anguish and terror fall upon them suddenly.

Jeremiah 15:8 nlt

There will be more widows
than the grains of sand on the seashore.
At noontime I will bring a destroyer
against the mothers of young men.
I will cause anguish and terror
to come upon them suddenly.

Jeremiah 15 verses

Jeremiah 15 8 Meaning

Jeremiah 15:8 vividly portrays the severe and inescapable divine judgment declared against Judah due to their profound and persistent sin. The verse describes an overwhelming demographic catastrophe: the number of widows will surpass the countless grains of sand on the seashores, signifying immense male casualties. God Himself orchestrates this destruction, sending an instrument of war ("destroyer") that operates indiscriminately, targeting both mothers (symbolizing the entire family unit) and young men, representing the future generation. This judgment is not a gradual decline but a sudden, inescapable event, bringing profound anguish and terror upon the inhabitants of Judah without warning.

Jeremiah 15 8 Context

Jeremiah 15:8 follows a dialogue between God and the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah has been lamenting the burdens of his prophetic ministry, the people's rejection, and the suffering he endures (Jer 15:10-18, though his lament is implied preceding God's response in 15:1-9). God's response, starting in 15:1, is firm and unyielding: despite Jeremiah's intercession for the people (cf. Jer 14:7-9, 14:19-22), He has decreed judgment. This specific verse, 15:8, deepens the severity of that decree. God describes the comprehensive nature of the impending judgment, a response to Judah's deep-seated idolatry, social injustice, and failure to repent despite generations of warnings. Historically, Judah was facing the rising threat of Babylon, a divine instrument used to execute these very judgments, leading to the eventual Babylonian exile. The people, especially in Jerusalem, held onto a false sense of security due to the presence of the Temple and the Davidic covenant, but God's word here shatters any illusion of immunity or easy reversal of fate.

Jeremiah 15 8 Word analysis

• I (וָאֶתֵּן - vā’etēn): The divine "I" (Yahweh) emphasizes that this is not merely a consequence of natural events or geopolitical forces, but a direct, deliberate act of God's sovereign judgment. It highlights God's ultimate control over history and His personal involvement in executing justice.
• have made their widows more numerous than the sand of the seas (וְעַצַּמְתִּי־לָהֶם אַלְמָנָה מֵחֹל יַמִּים - wə‘atṣṣamtī-lāhem ’almānāh mēḥōl yammīm):
  • widows (אַלְמָנָה - ’almānāh): A term for extreme vulnerability, loss, and national desolation. Its multiplication points to the extensive male death toll in battle or massacre.
  • more numerous than the sand of the seas (מֵחֹל יַמִּים - mēḥōl yammīm): A powerful hyperbole. This idiom typically signifies innumerable blessing and descendants (Gen 22:17, 32:12; Hos 1:10), a divine promise of national flourishing. Here, it is grimly inverted, applying the same vastness to sorrow, death, and national demise, amplifying the horror and the crushing disappointment of broken covenant promises. It signifies a complete reversal of divine favor.
• I have brought against them (הֵבֵאתִי לָהֶם - hēḇē’tī lāhem): Reiteration of divine agency and purpose. God is not merely allowing things to happen but actively bringing judgment.
• the mother and the young man (אֶל־אֵם בַּחוּר - ’el-’ēm baḥūr): This phrase represents the total, indiscriminate nature of the impending destruction.
  • mother (אֵם - ’ēm): Represents the maternal figure, the life-giver, and the core of the family. The destruction against the mother suggests not only their grief at losing sons but also, in broader terms, the devastation of families and communities, with women becoming primary targets of warfare or left vulnerable by the loss of male protectors.
  • young man (בַּחוּר - baḥūr): The future generation, those with strength and potential to continue the lineage and defend the nation. Their death ensures the curtailment of Judah's future. The phrase as a whole emphasizes that no one is safe, from the elderly women to the robust young men, destroying the very fabric of society.
• a destroyer at noonday (שׁוֹלֵד בַּצָּהֳרָיִם - shôlēd baṣṣāhorayim):
  • destroyer (שׁוֹלֵד - shôlēd / shōdēd): A general term for an aggressor, plunderer, or invading force (e.g., the Babylonian army).
  • at noonday (בַּצָּהֳרָיִם - baṣṣāhorayim): Noonday is typically a time of rest or bustling activity, often considered the most secure part of the day, with full visibility. An attack at noonday signifies:
    • Suddenness and unexpectedness: Attacks were often under the cover of darkness. Noonday suggests a complete lack of preparedness or the brutal force of an enemy that disregards such conventions.
    • Unavoidability: There is nowhere to hide, no shadows. The destruction is open and inescapable.
    • Utter exposure: The full horror of the event is clear for all to see.
• I have made anguish and terror fall upon them suddenly (וְהַפַּלְתִּי עָלָיו פֶּתַע בַּלָּהָה וּבָצְּבוֹר - wəhappaltī ‘ālāw peta‘ ballāhāh ūbāṣṣəbōr):
  • anguish (בַּלָּהָה - ballāhāh): A strong term for terror, dread, panic.
  • terror (צָרָה - ṣārāh): Distress, trouble, tribulation. (Note: different translations sometimes group these slightly differently, the Hebrew root 'tsarah' here refers to distress, 'ballaha' to terror/panic).
  • fall upon them suddenly (פֶּתַע - peta‘): Reinforces the idea that the judgment is not gradual but swift, catching the people off guard. It leaves no time for repentance or preparation, heightening the horror and confirming God's resolve.

Jeremiah 15 8 Bonus section

The profound inversion of the "sand of the sea" promise from blessing (numerous descendants, e.g., Abraham) to a curse (numerous widows, e.g., Judah) is a literary device unique to prophetic lament and warning. It highlights how persistent rebellion can pervert even God's most cherished promises into instruments of judgment. This not only points to God's justice but also the profound disappointment He feels, as if He must undo what He had intended as good. The emphasis on the "mother" is particularly poignant; mothers were often celebrated for bearing many sons (e.g., Ruth 4:11). To have "a destroyer" specifically against the mother implies not only the loss of her children but the direct attack on the very source of new life and continuity within the society, underlining a comprehensive cultural and national devastation. This form of judgment goes beyond mere punishment; it represents a thorough pruning and clearing of the unholy, demonstrating that covenant blessings are conditional on faithfulness, and rebellion carries a steep, generational cost.

Jeremiah 15 8 Commentary

Jeremiah 15:8 stands as a chilling declaration of divine justice, emphasizing the irrevocable nature of God's judgment against an unrepentant people. The "sand of the seas" imagery, previously a promise of flourishing and numerous offspring to Abraham, is grotesquely inverted to depict an overwhelming multitude of widows, symbolizing a society decimated by war and death. This is not mere hyperbole; it communicates the vast, unthinkable scale of the calamity, far exceeding human suffering. God unequivocally claims authorship of this destruction, leaving no doubt that it is His righteous response to generations of rebellion. The targeting of "the mother and the young man" highlights the complete breakdown of social and familial structures, extinguishing both current and future hope for the nation. The timing, "at noonday," speaks to the audacious, visible, and inescapable nature of the attack—there is no cover, no respite, no corner to hide. The combined impact of "anguish and terror" falling "suddenly" reinforces that this judgment is swift, overwhelming, and psychologically devastating, confirming that all human attempts to avert or soften its blow are futile in the face of divine wrath. This verse serves as a solemn warning against the consequences of prolonged sin and the steadfastness of God's justice.