Jeremiah 17 18

Jeremiah 17:18 kjv

Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

Jeremiah 17:18 nkjv

Let them be ashamed who persecute me, But do not let me be put to shame; Let them be dismayed, But do not let me be dismayed. Bring on them the day of doom, And destroy them with double destruction!

Jeremiah 17:18 niv

Let my persecutors be put to shame, but keep me from shame; let them be terrified, but keep me from terror. Bring on them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction.

Jeremiah 17:18 esv

Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed; bring upon them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction!

Jeremiah 17:18 nlt

Bring shame and dismay on all who persecute me,
but don't let me experience shame and dismay.
Bring a day of terror on them.
Yes, bring double destruction upon them!

Jeremiah 17 verses

Jeremiah 17 18 Meaning

Jeremiah 17:18 is a deeply personal and fervent plea by the prophet Jeremiah to God for divine intervention and justice. Faced with relentless persecution and mockery for faithfully proclaiming God's truth, Jeremiah petitions God to bring shame and dismay upon his persecutors. Conversely, he asks that he himself remain steadfast, unashamed, and undismayed in his prophetic calling. The verse culminates in a powerful request for God to bring a day of calamity upon his enemies, inflicting upon them a thorough and decisive judgment, described as "double destruction." It reflects a prophet's honest anguish and an appeal to God as the ultimate arbiter of righteousness and injustice.

Jeremiah 17 18 Context

Jeremiah 17:18 falls within one of the "confessions" or laments of Jeremiah (11:18-20:18), which reveal the prophet's personal struggles and the deep anguish he experienced due to the immense opposition he faced while delivering God's challenging message to Judah. The verses immediately preceding this one show Jeremiah appealing to God (v. 14, "Heal me, O LORD"), recounting the mockery of his enemies who question the fulfillment of his prophecies (v. 15, "Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now!"), and affirming his faithfulness to God (v. 16, "I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee"). Verse 17 is a plea for refuge: "Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil." Following these expressions of pain and trust, verse 18 escalates into an earnest petition for God to deal justly with his tormentors. Historically, Jeremiah ministered during the tumultuous final decades of the Kingdom of Judah, facing rejection from kings, priests, false prophets, and the general populace for foretelling destruction by Babylon as God's judgment on their sin. His solitary stance as God's mouthpiece in a society bent on spiritual corruption led to profound suffering and a desperate reliance on divine justice.

Jeremiah 17 18 Word analysis

• Let them be confounded (יֵבֹ֙שׁוּ֙ - yêbōšū): Derived from the Hebrew root bosh, meaning "to be ashamed, confounded, disgraced, put to shame." This is a public and humiliating disgrace, often resulting from failed plans or exposure of sin/folly. Jeremiah prays that the schemes and arrogant boasts of his enemies will fail, leading to their public embarrassment and exposure before God and man. This stands in stark contrast to God's faithful servants who trust Him, as seen in Rom 5:5 and Pss 25:3.
• that persecute me (רֹדְפַי - rōděfay): From the verb radaph, meaning "to pursue, chase, hunt, persecute." This signifies active, hostile opposition, not passive disagreement. It describes those who relentlessly pursue Jeremiah to harm him, silence his message, or undermine his authority, indicating malicious intent.
• but let not me be confounded (וְאֶל־אֵבֹ֣שָׁה אָ֑נִי - wĕʾel-ʾēbōšâ ʾānî): This direct contrast is a critical element. Jeremiah prays that despite the challenges, he would not be put to shame. This means he trusts in the vindication of his prophetic word and his personal integrity, demonstrating his faithfulness and God's eventual fulfillment of his words (Jer 20:11).
• let them be dismayed (יֵחַ֣תּוּ - yēḥattū): From the Hebrew root chathath, meaning "to be broken, shattered, terror-stricken, filled with despair, lose courage." This implies a loss of confidence, a breaking of spirit, and perhaps a sudden, paralyzing fear or realization of impending doom.
• but let not me be dismayed (וְאֶל־אֵחַ֣תָּה אָ֑נִי - wĕʾel-ʾēḥattâ ʾānî): Again, the emphatic contrast. Jeremiah asks that he would not lose heart or be terror-stricken, but rather maintain courage and conviction, even in the face of their threats and the dire predictions he had to deliver. His strength comes from the LORD (Jer 15:20-21).
• bring upon them (הָבֵ֧א - hābēʾ): An imperative verb, a direct command to God to act. It's a forceful petition for divine intervention, asking God to actively inflict judgment upon them. This underscores Jeremiah's reliance on God as the just judge, not taking matters into his own hands.
• the day of evil (יֹ֥ום רָעָ֛ה - yôm rāʿâ): Refers to a divinely appointed time of calamity, disaster, or punishment. In prophetic literature, this often signifies the "Day of the LORD," a time of specific, often national, judgment (e.g., Am 5:18, Zeph 1:15). Jeremiah prays for such a day to come upon his persecutors.
• and destroy them (וְשִׁבְרֵם - wĕšibrēm): From the verb shavar, meaning "to break, shatter, smash." This speaks of a complete and utterly devastating ruin, a catastrophic breaking, leaving them utterly defeated. The form used here means "and their breaking."
• with double destruction (שֶׁ֖בֶר כֶּֽפֶל - shebher kephel): Shebher means "breaking, ruin, destruction." Kephel means "double, twofold." This phrase can signify:
  • Comprehensive/Complete: Not literally twice the amount, but a thorough, decisive, and inescapable judgment. A complete undoing or total ruin.
  • Proportional/Deserved: Justice meted out in full proportion to their accumulated wickedness or their doubling of the persecution and malice against God's prophet (cf. Rev 18:6).
  • Severe: An unusually heavy judgment due to their flagrant rejection of God's word through His prophet.
  This isn't merely a wish for harm, but for a just, overwhelming divine reckoning on those who opposed God's work.

• "Let them be confounded... let not me be confounded": This phrase-group encapsulates the core prayer for vindication. Jeremiah seeks reversal of fortunes: his tormentors, who delight in his suffering, should face the shame and disgrace they sought to inflict upon him, while his own integrity and mission, stemming from God, should remain publicly vindicated and without reproach.
• "let them be dismayed... let not me be dismayed": This highlights the theme of resilience and resolve in contrast to despair. Jeremiah desires that his enemies face fear and brokenness as their plans fail, but that he, a faithful messenger, retains his spiritual courage and hope, sustained by God's promise.
• "bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction": This climax is a powerful imprecation for definitive divine judgment. It asks God not only to bring general misfortune but a specific, calamitous "day" of reckoning, ending in a complete, thorough, and just destruction proportionate to their hostility towards God's prophet.

Jeremiah 17 18 Bonus section

These "imprecatory prayers" in the Psalms and prophetic books (like Jer 17:18) are often a point of theological discussion. Scholars understand them not as expressions of private vengeance, which the Bible often condemns (Prov 24:29, Rom 12:17-19), but as prophetic appeals to divine justice by those who were God's instruments or who suffered for righteousness' sake. Such prayers acknowledge that true justice belongs to God alone. Jeremiah, speaking as God's representative, entrusts the righteous judgment of his persecutors entirely to the Lord, affirming God's sovereignty over justice and vengeance. Furthermore, Jeremiah's profound suffering and prayer for vindication prefigure the sufferings of Christ (Isa 53) who endured intense opposition and ultimately committed His spirit to the One who judges righteously (1 Pet 2:23).

Jeremiah 17 18 Commentary

Jeremiah 17:18 represents a profound and unvarnished cry from a prophet deeply burdened by both divine judgment and human opposition. It is not merely a personal desire for revenge, but a plea rooted in the prophet's fidelity to God's mission. Jeremiah had faithfully proclaimed God's warnings, yet faced relentless scorn, mockery, and persecution for it. In this lament, he appeals to God's righteous character, trusting Him as the ultimate Judge. The "double destruction" signifies not an excessive, vengeful punishment, but a full and fitting retribution that totally breaks the power and plans of his adversaries, revealing their folly and God's justice. Jeremiah desires that God's name be glorified through the vindication of His messenger and the just downfall of those who stubbornly resist His word, ensuring that truth prevails and he is not disgraced for obeying God.