Jeremiah 16:4 kjv
They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
Jeremiah 16:4 nkjv
"They shall die gruesome deaths; they shall not be lamented nor shall they be buried, but they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, and their corpses shall be meat for the birds of heaven and for the beasts of the earth."
Jeremiah 16:4 niv
"They will die of deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried but will be like dung lying on the ground. They will perish by sword and famine, and their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals."
Jeremiah 16:4 esv
They shall die of deadly diseases. They shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. They shall perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth.
Jeremiah 16:4 nlt
They will die from terrible diseases. No one will mourn for them or bury them, and they will lie scattered on the ground like manure. They will die from war and famine, and their bodies will be food for the vultures and wild animals."
Jeremiah 16 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 16:4 | They shall die of deadly pestilences, they shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried; they shall be as refuse on the surface of the earth. | Jer 14:12 (Famine and sword judgment), Eze 14:21 (Four severe judgments), Rev 6:8 (Death and Hades follow) |
| Jer 16:4 | they shall die of deadly pestilences | Deut 28:21 (Consequences of disobedience) |
| Jer 16:4 | they shall not be lamented | Jer 22:18-19 (Judgment on Jehoiakim) |
| Jer 16:4 | nor shall they be buried | Jer 25:33 (CarKasses left unburied), Isa 14:20 (Judgment on king of Babylon) |
| Jer 16:4 | they shall be as refuse on the surface of the earth. | Jer 8:2 (Burial in open fields) |
| Jer 16:4 | they shall be as refuse on the surface of the earth. | 2 Kings 9:37 (Jezebel's fate) |
| Jer 16:4 | they shall be as refuse on the surface of the earth. | Ezek 39:11-15 (Gog's army burial) |
| Jer 16:5 | For thus says the LORD, “Do not enter a house of mourning, or go to lament or to console them, for I have withdrawn my peace from this people,” declares the LORD, “my steadfast love and my mercy.” | Isa 54:10 (God’s withdrawn love is temporary) |
| Jer 16:5 | or go to lament or to console them | Eccles 3:4 (A time to weep, a time to mourn) |
| Jer 16:5 | for I have withdrawn my peace from this people | Ps 51:11 (Do not cast me from your presence) |
| Jer 16:6 | Both the great and the small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried, nor shall they lament them, nor shall anyone cut himself or make himself bald for them. | Ezek 24:17 (Jeremiah not to mourn) |
| Jer 16:6 | Both the great and the small shall die in this land. | Jer 7:32-33 (Valley of slaughter) |
| Jer 16:6 | They shall not be buried, nor shall they lament them, nor shall anyone cut himself or make himself bald for them. | Lev 19:28 (Prohibition against cutting oneself) |
| Jer 16:6 | nor shall anyone cut himself or make himself bald for them. | Deut 14:1 (Prohibition against mourning practices) |
| Jer 16:9 | For behold, I will send upon them all the Chaldean cities, wages for their iniquity, for they have turned a deaf ear to my words, and they have rejected my counsel.” | Jer 5:31 (Prophets speak lies) |
| Jer 16:10 | “And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?’ | Jer 2:14 (Israel as a backsliding heifer) |
| Jer 16:11 | then you shall say to them, ‘It is because your fathers have forsaken me,’ declares the LORD, ‘and have gone after other gods and served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, | Deut 31:16 (Warning of future apostasy) |
| Jer 16:12 | and you yourselves have done more evil than your fathers, for behold, each of you is walking according to the stubbornness of his evil heart, so that you do not listen to me.’ | Rom 1:18-23 (Mankind's suppression of truth) |
| Jer 16:13 | “So I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods day and night. For I will show you no favor.” | Deut 28:36-37 (Exile and foreign service) |
| Jer 16:15 | but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the people of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands into which he had driven them.’ I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.” | Jer 23:7-8 (Future restoration) |
Jeremiah 16 verses
Jeremiah 16 4 Meaning
This verse pronounces a severe judgment upon the people of Israel, specifically declaring that they will die from pestilence and not be mourned, nor will they be buried, but rather become refuse upon the face of the earth. It emphasizes the totality of their destruction and the dishonor associated with it.
Jeremiah 16 4 Context
Jeremiah chapter 16 describes a period of intense divine judgment against Judah. God instructs Jeremiah not to marry, not to have children, and not to participate in mourning rituals, illustrating the complete desolation that will come upon the land due to their sins. This specific verse, Jeremiah 16:4, details the finality and disgrace of death for the unrighteous. It follows God’s command to Jeremiah that he will not enter a house of mourning or offer condolences because He has withdrawn His peace from the people due to their persistent disobedience and forsaking of Him. The entire chapter speaks to the comprehensive nature of God's judgment, impacting every aspect of life and death for those who have turned away from Him.
Jeremiah 16 4 Word Analysis
- They shall die (Hebrew: və-mū): The verb "muth" (מ֣וּ) means "to die." The
vavconjunction indicates a continuation of the pronouncement of judgment. It emphasizes an impending and certain demise. - of deadly pestilences (Hebrew: bə·mə·qō·lōṯ ḥă·wō·lāh): "Meqoloth" (מְקוֹל֣וֹת) is a plural form, likely from a root related to distress or sickness. "Ḥawolah" (חֲוֹלָה) means "sickness," "pain," or "distress." This phrase signifies death resulting from severe, widespread disease. This reflects a judgment mentioned throughout the Law as a consequence of sin (Deut 28:21-22).
- they shall not be lamented (Hebrew: wə·lōʾ · yi·lō·nū): "Yilonu" (וְלֹ֣א יִלֹּ֔נוּ) comes from the verb "lanah" (לוּן) meaning "to mourn" or "to lament." This highlights the absence of proper mourning rites, indicating a societal breakdown and lack of community care in the face of overwhelming disaster. Normal funeral practices were deeply important to prevent spiritual defilement and to honor the deceased.
- nor shall they be buried (Hebrew: wə·lōʾ · yiq·qā·ḇə·rū): "Yiqqarebu" (וְלֹא֙ יִקָּ֣בְר֔וּ) from the root "qabar" (קָבַר), meaning "to bury." This signifies a profound indignity, leaving bodies exposed, a direct contravention of burial customs designed to return the body to the earth as part of God's creation (Gen 3:19).
- they shall be as refuse (Hebrew: wə·hā·yū kə·pî·rūš): "Hayu" (וְהָי֔וּ) means "they shall be," indicating a transformation of state. "Kephirush" (כִּפָּר֖וּשׁ) means "as dung" or "as refuse." This is a potent image of utter worthlessness and devaluation. It portrays their final state as something cast aside and offensive.
- on the surface of the earth (Hebrew: ʿal·pə·nê · hā·ʾ·ā·reṣ): "Al penei ha'arets" (עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֔ה) literally means "upon the face of the ground" or "upon the surface of the earth." This reinforces the totality of the destruction and the spread of their debased end across the land.
Word Group Analysis:
- "die of deadly pestilences, they shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried": This connected phrase depicts a complete breakdown of society and its death rituals. It conveys the overwhelming nature of the calamity where proper respect for the dead is impossible. This is not just death, but death devoid of honor and communal grief.
- "they shall be as refuse on the surface of the earth": This final clause emphasizes the absolute degradation of the people. Their death will be not just an ending, but an ignominious scattering, akin to waste material that pollutes the land and has no value. It highlights a loss of divine protection and a descent into extreme dishonor.
Jeremiah 16 4 Bonus Section
The severity of the judgment described in Jeremiah 16:4, particularly the lack of burial and the bodies being left as refuse, can be seen as a spiritual counterpoint to the honor bestowed upon the righteous who die in the Lord (Revelation 14:13, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on... for their deeds follow them!"). This verse starkly contrasts with the promises of honorable rest and burial for those who are faithful. The concept of being "refuse" is a profound spiritual denunciation, indicating a state where the life formerly inhabited by God's presence becomes defiled and dishonored through sin. It also highlights the importance God places on the physical treatment of the body, not for its inherent value, but as a reflection of covenant relationship and respect. The prophecy serves a dual purpose: it condemns the sin of Judah by forecasting its ultimate consequences, and it emphasizes God's holiness and the serious implications of breaking His covenant.
Jeremiah 16 4 Commentary
Jeremiah 16:4 paints a stark picture of divine retribution. The unburied dead, left like refuse, symbolize a total abandonment by God and the people's complete loss of status and dignity. This outcome is a direct consequence of their idolatry and disobedience, as outlined in the preceding verses and echoed throughout the Law. The absence of mourning further illustrates the depth of the societal collapse; when destruction is so pervasive, there is no capacity for communal grieving. This prophetic pronouncement serves as a severe warning about the consequences of rejecting God's covenant. It underscores that covenant faithfulness brings life and honor, while unfaithfulness leads to desolation and disgrace. The future restoration, however, assures that God's promise to His people ultimately endures despite these judgments.