Jeremiah 31 30

Jeremiah 31:30 kjv

But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Jeremiah 31:30 nkjv

But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Jeremiah 31:30 niv

Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes?their own teeth will be set on edge.

Jeremiah 31:30 esv

But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Jeremiah 31:30 nlt

All people will die for their own sins ? those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker.

Jeremiah 31 verses

Jeremiah 31 30 meaning

Jeremiah 31:30 pronounces a fundamental shift in understanding divine judgment: individual responsibility for one's own sin. It states that each person will suffer the consequences directly resulting from their own transgressions, repudiating the preceding proverb that blamed parental sins for the children's suffering. The vivid imagery of eating sour grapes and one's own teeth being set on edge underscores a direct, personal link between sin and its unpleasant consequence. This declaration establishes a crucial principle of justice and personal accountability before God, setting the stage for the New Covenant where the law is inscribed upon individual hearts.

Jeremiah 31 30 Context

Jeremiah 31:30 appears within the "Book of Consolation" (Jeremiah chapters 30-33), a section focused on the future restoration of Israel and Judah after their exile. Preceding this verse, Jeremiah 31:29 directly quotes a common proverb: "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." This proverb reflected a prevalent mindset among the people during a time of national suffering and exile, where they believed they were unjustly bearing the consequences of their ancestors' sins, specifically Manasseh's idolatry (2 Kgs 21). This fatalistic view undermined personal responsibility and hope. Verse 30 directly refutes this mindset, introducing a radical principle of individual moral accountability. It signals a shift from collective, inherited guilt as the sole or primary driver of their suffering towards an era where personal choice and righteousness matter profoundly. This concept is foundational to the subsequent prophecy of the New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34), where God's law would be internalized within each individual, enabling a direct and personal relationship with Him based on individual understanding and obedience.

Jeremiah 31 30 Word analysis

• But (כִּי, ki): This conjunction serves as a strong adversative, signaling a dramatic shift in understanding. It introduces a contrasting principle, moving from the old proverb's claim to a new, divinely declared truth. It negates the prior assumption and ushers in a foundational theological concept.

• everyone (אִישׁ, 'ish): Meaning "man" or "each man/person." The singular emphasis here is crucial. It deliberately counteracts any corporate or generational transfer of ultimate responsibility for sin at the point of divine judgment, firmly placing it on the individual. It removes ambiguity about who is accountable.

• will die (יָמוּת, yamut): From the verb מוּת (mut), meaning "to die." This encompasses not only physical death but also spiritual death, alienation from God, and divine judgment or severe consequence. It signifies the definitive outcome and penalty for sin, reinforcing the gravity of individual transgression.

• for their own sin (בַּעֲוֹנוֹ, ba'awono): Literally "in his iniquity." The prefix 'בּ' (ba) can mean "in" or "for." 'Awono (עָוֺן) means "iniquity," "guilt," or "punishment for iniquity." It denotes a deep moral crookedness or perversion, not just a misstep, and the consequence attached to it. The phrase stresses personal ownership of this profound moral failing.

• whoever eats sour grapes (הָאֹכֵל בֹּסֶר, ha'okhel boser): This is a direct parallel to the previous verse but applies to each individual. 'Ha'okhel' is "the one who eats," and 'boser' (בֹּסֶר) refers to unripe, tart, or astringent grapes. These grapes symbolize the act of personal sin—a choice to partake in something forbidden or contrary to God's will, with an immediate, unpleasant effect.

• their own teeth will be set on edge (תִּקְהֶינָה שִׁנָּיו, tikhena shinnav): 'Tikhena' (תִּקְהֶינָה) comes from the root קָהָה (qahah), meaning to be "dull," "blunted," "set on edge," or "sensitive." 'Shinnav' means "his teeth." This vivid image conveys the immediate, personal, and uncomfortable consequence that directly results from one's own choice to "eat the sour grapes." It is a discomfort, an unpleasant sensation that is undeniable and tied to the individual's direct action, serving as the metaphor for experiencing the fruit of one's personal sin.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "But everyone will die for their own sin": This opening declares a radical change from the previous understanding. It definitively assigns the ultimate consequence of death (judgment) to the individual's own sin, fundamentally reframing accountability.
  • "whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge": This proverbial statement reinforces the first clause with a memorable, relatable image. It connects the personal action ("eats sour grapes") directly and causally to the personal consequence ("their own teeth will be set on edge"), vividly illustrating the principle of immediate, individualized repercussions. The parallel structure with verse 29's proverb serves to highlight the correction in understanding.

Jeremiah 31 30 Bonus section

• Refutation of Fatalism: This verse actively combats a deterministic and fatalistic worldview. During Israel's exile, many likely felt helpless, believing they were destined to suffer due to ancestral curses. Jeremiah 31:30 shatters this, giving agency and hope by shifting focus to current individual choice and behavior as determinative for one's own destiny and relationship with God.
• Foundation for Individual Ethics: Beyond legalistic accountability, this principle forms a basis for personal ethical living. If one is truly responsible for their actions, it incentivizes careful moral discernment, repentance, and striving for righteousness. It encourages introspection rather than scapegoating or victimhood.
• Theological Balance: While emphasizing individual responsibility, it does not nullify the concepts of corporate sin, generational patterns, or the effects of an inherited sinful nature. Rather, it delineates the sphere of ultimate divine judgment as personal. Humans may experience consequences from others' actions, but at God's final reckoning, each soul answers for its own deeds.

Jeremiah 31 30 Commentary

Jeremiah 31:30 marks a pivotal moment in the biblical understanding of justice, individual responsibility, and the relationship between humanity and God. By decisively rejecting the old proverb that blamed inherited sin for present suffering, Jeremiah asserts a profound truth: ultimate divine judgment is dispensed based on personal culpability. This is not to say that the consequences of others' sins or corporate sin disappear entirely, but it clarifies that, before God, each individual stands accountable for their own moral choices and actions. The "sour grapes" imagery serves as a powerful, visceral metaphor for personal transgression and its directly experienced, unpleasant consequences. This principle dismantles excuses, empowers individuals to exercise moral agency, and provides hope that future generations will not be automatically doomed by the sins of the past. It sets the theological foundation for the coming New Covenant, described just a few verses later, where the law would be internalized within each person, enabling a new era of personal faith and direct, intimate relationship with God, predicated on individual commitment and obedience.