Jeremiah 30 16

Jeremiah 30:16 kjv

Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

Jeremiah 30:16 nkjv

'Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; Those who plunder you shall become plunder, And all who prey upon you I will make a prey.

Jeremiah 30:16 niv

"?'But all who devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil.

Jeremiah 30:16 esv

Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured, and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity; those who plunder you shall be plundered, and all who prey on you I will make a prey.

Jeremiah 30:16 nlt

"But all who devour you will be devoured,
and all your enemies will be sent into exile.
All who plunder you will be plundered,
and all who attack you will be attacked.

Jeremiah 30 verses

Jeremiah 30 16 meaning

Jeremiah 30:16 pronounces a profound declaration of divine justice against the nations that oppressed and exploited God's chosen people. It asserts that the destructive actions inflicted upon Judah—devouring, enmity, captivity, plunder, and preying—will be precisely reciprocated upon their tormentors by the direct hand of God. This powerful promise serves as a beacon of comfort and reassurance to a suffering Judah, affirming that ultimate justice belongs solely to the Lord and that He is unyieldingly committed to vindicate His covenant people, even amidst their deepest affliction.

Jeremiah 30 16 Context

This verse is centrally located within Jeremiah chapters 30-33, a pivotal section known as the "Book of Comfort" or "Book of Consolation." This portion of Jeremiah's prophecy marks a significant thematic shift, moving away from the consistent pronouncements of impending judgment and destruction, towards a message of hope, restoration, and a glorious future for both Israel and Judah. Jeremiah 30 primarily details the future return from exile and the subsequent rebuilding of God's covenant people.

Immediately preceding Jeremiah 30:16 (in verses 12-15), Jeremiah explicitly articulates Judah's deep and seemingly incurable wound—a divine punishment inflicted due to their great iniquity. These verses establish the severe reality of their suffering as a direct consequence of their disobedience. Verse 16 then follows, offering a crucial promise: despite this profound, God-ordained suffering as discipline, the nations and individuals who exploited and tormented Judah beyond God's punitive intentions will themselves face severe retribution. This passage ensures that while Judah's hardship originated from God's righteous hand, the malicious overreach and cruelty of their adversaries warranted a distinct divine response.

Historically, this prophecy speaks directly to the tumultuous period surrounding the Babylonian conquest and the subsequent exile. Jerusalem had been utterly destroyed, its population deported, and surrounding nations like Edom and Moab frequently aided or reveled in Judah's catastrophe. For an audience grappling with such profound loss and displacement, the promise of the oppressors receiving their just deserts offered profound emotional solace. It served as an unwavering declaration of Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty over all nations, His unwavering commitment to justice, and His faithful memory of the plight of His people, thereby refuting any contemporary perception that Babylon's deities had triumphed over the God of Israel.

Jeremiah 30 16 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן, lakhen): This conjunctive particle emphatically introduces a direct consequence or conclusion. It establishes a firm connection to the preceding verses (Jer 30:12-15), which detail Judah's severe suffering and incurable wound inflicted by God. While God afflicted Judah, "Therefore" signals that there is a separate, impending judgment for their malicious oppressors.
• all who devour you (כָּל־אֹכְלַיִךְ, kol okhelaikh):
  • all (כָּל, kol): This term highlights the complete inclusivity; not a single oppressor will escape this pronouncement.
  • devour (אָכַל, akal): Literally meaning "to eat," but powerfully used metaphorically in prophetic literature to denote utter destruction, economic exploitation, or the violent consumption of a people and their resources, much like a predator consumes its prey.
• shall be devoured (יֵאָכְלוּ, ye'akhlu): This is a Niphal imperfect form, conveying a passive action. It implies divine agency—God ensures that the very destruction and exploitation they meted out will be precisely turned back upon them, a principle of divine retribution where the punishment fits the crime.
• and all your adversaries (וְכָל־צָרַיִךְ, vekol tsaraikh):
  • all (כָּל, kol): Reiterates the comprehensive scope of judgment, leaving no enemy untouched.
  • adversaries (צָר, tsar): Refers to enemies, oppressors, or those causing tightness, distress, or anguish, highlighting the multifaceted suffering inflicted upon Judah.
• every one of them (כֻּלָּם, kullam): An emphatic, absolute affirmation that reiterates the totality of the previous "all," underscoring individual accountability and guaranteeing no foe will be overlooked.
• shall go into captivity (בַּשְּׁבִי יֵלֵכוּ, bashshevi yelekhu): Literally, "into the captivity they shall go." This specific phrase signifies that they will experience the very fate that they imposed upon Judah—forcible displacement, loss of land, and subjugation—a direct and fitting recompense.
• and those who plunder you (וְשֹׁאסַיִךְ, veshosayaikh):
  • plunder (שֹׁסֵס, shoses from שׁוּס, shus): Denotes the violent robbing, pillaging, or laying waste of material possessions and resources. This implies active, aggressive material theft.
• shall be plundered (יִשָּׁסוּ, yisshasu): Another passive form, implying divine intervention. Their wealth and spoils, accumulated through their oppressive acts, will similarly be stripped away from them.
• and all who prey on you (וְכָל־בֹּזְזַיִךְ, vekol bozezayikh):
  • prey on (בָּזַז, bazaz): Means to loot, spoil, or take as booty, often within the context of military conquest, emphasizing comprehensive despoilment and the seizure of both goods and people.
• I will give for prey (אֶתֵּן לָבַז, etten lavaz): This clause is particularly significant. Unlike the previous passive constructions which imply God's agency, this phrase features the first-person singular "I" (אֶתֵּן, etten – "I will give"). This directly attributes the act of turning the enemies into "prey" to God Himself, emphasizing His personal, active, and determined involvement in orchestrating this precise judgment and ensuring its execution.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "all who devour you will be devoured": This opening establishes the overarching principle of divine lex talionis—retributive justice. It proclaims a complete and universal reversal of fortunes, where the act of aggressive destruction upon God's people will boomerang upon the destroyers, who will themselves become the objects of destruction.
• "all your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity": This segment reinforces the comprehensive nature of the judgment through strong repetition ("all... every one of them"). It specifies the mode of retribution, captivity, which directly mirrors the suffering that Judah was undergoing, signifying a just and experiential penalty for their tormentors.
• "those who plunder you will be plundered; and all who prey on you I will give for prey": These parallel clauses expand upon the principle of retribution concerning material theft and exploitation. The shift from a general passive statement ("will be plundered") to a direct divine declaration of agency ("I will give for prey") intensifies the promise. It underscores God's personal, sovereign commitment to dismantling the prosperity and power of Judah's enemies and ensuring they become the spoils of His righteous judgment.

Jeremiah 30 16 Bonus section

This promise within Jeremiah has historical fulfillments, such as the downfall of the Babylonian Empire and other nations that had troubled Israel. However, the comprehensive and emphatic nature of this divine justice also points towards an ultimate, eschatological fulfillment. The full realization of this judgment awaits the complete establishment of God's Kingdom and the final vindication of His people, culminating in events like the second coming of Christ and the definitive defeat of all who oppose Him and His Church. The "Book of Comfort" provides solace not only for ancient Israel but also serves as an eternal testament to God's unfailing justice for all His people who suffer oppression and injustice throughout history. It affirms that the Lord acts as the ultimate Avenger, intimately aware of the plight of His own, and will bring about a day when all wrongs are righted.

Jeremiah 30 16 Commentary

Jeremiah 30:16 is a foundational pillar within the "Book of Consolation," offering a powerful and essential declaration of divine justice. While the prophet first acknowledges Judah's righteous punishment for their sins (Jer 30:12-15), this verse assures them that their malicious oppressors will not escape divine accountability. It articulates a perfect quid pro quo—a "measure for measure" justice—where the exact evils of devouring, hostile aggression, captivity, and plundering will be reciprocated upon the perpetrators. The deliberate repetition of "all" and the specific mention of God's active hand in "I will give for prey" emphatically confirm the comprehensiveness, certainty, and divine execution of this judgment. This passage provided immense comfort to an exiled Judah, underscoring Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty, His unwavering commitment to justice, and His faithfulness to ultimately vindicate and restore His covenant people. It reaffirms that even in suffering, God observes and orchestrates a future where righteousness prevails.