Jeremiah 32 36

Jeremiah 32:36 kjv

And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;

Jeremiah 32:36 nkjv

"Now therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, 'It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence':

Jeremiah 32:36 niv

"You are saying about this city, 'By the sword, famine and plague it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon'; but this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:

Jeremiah 32:36 esv

"Now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, 'It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence':

Jeremiah 32:36 nlt

"Now I want to say something more about this city. You have been saying, 'It will fall to the king of Babylon through war, famine, and disease.' But this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:

Jeremiah 32 verses

Jeremiah 32 36 meaning

Jeremiah 32:36 serves as a divine affirmation of the immediate and severe judgment destined for Jerusalem. It confirms the grim reality facing the city and its inhabitants, declaring that it is irrevocably committed to destruction by the Babylonian forces. The verse precisely outlines the means of this judgment—the brutal combined forces of military assault ("sword"), scarcity ("famine"), and disease ("pestilence")—validating the current dire situation and setting the stage for God's larger, ultimate plan which includes restoration.

Jeremiah 32 36 Context

Jeremiah 32 unfolds while Jerusalem is under severe siege by the Babylonian army, and Jeremiah himself is imprisoned in the court of the guard. The chapter begins with the stark reality of the imminent fall of the city, yet it pivots dramatically with God's instruction for Jeremiah to purchase a field in Anathoth—a seemingly illogical act given the surrounding desolation. This land purchase, detailed in verses 6-15, serves as a symbolic act, a divine sign of future restoration when properties will once again be bought and sold in the land. Jeremiah then expresses a prayer in verses 16-25, acknowledging God's omnipotence and past deeds but questioning the practical wisdom of the land purchase amidst such overwhelming destruction. Jeremiah 32:36 is part of God's direct response to Jeremiah's prayer, beginning in verse 26. In this divine response, God first emphatically confirms the inescapable judgment about to fall upon Jerusalem, validating the dire predictions of destruction (which Jeremiah himself had been prophesying). Only after this clear affirmation of judgment does God then pivot to His unwavering promise of future restoration and renewed covenant in the verses that follow (37-44). Thus, verse 36 is a crucial transitional point, underscoring the absolute certainty of current devastation before revealing the greater, ultimate hope.

Jeremiah 32 36 Word analysis

• Now therefore, thus says the Lord: This opening phrase marks a solemn transition in God's message, establishing a logical consequence of previous statements and concerns. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה (koh amar YHWH), "Thus says the Lord," is a definitive prophetic formula emphasizing divine authority and direct speech from God, leaving no doubt about the origin and truthfulness of the declaration.
• the God of Israel: This title underscores God's covenant relationship with His chosen people, affirming that the coming judgment is from the faithful, covenant-keeping God who acts within His divine prerogative for justice and sanctification, despite their unfaithfulness.
• concerning this city: This refers specifically to Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, the center of worship, and the focal point of God's dwelling place on earth. The reference to "this city" brings immediacy and specific application to the prophecy.
• of which you say,: This acknowledges the current consensus, understanding, or prophetic utterances, likely including Jeremiah's own long-standing warnings (e.g., Jer 14:13, 20:4) and the widespread despair among the people facing siege. God validates that their assessment of the impending doom is correct.
• ‘It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon: נִתְּנָה (nitnah) implies a definite act, expressing divine sovereign will. It emphasizes that Jerusalem's fall is not merely a consequence of military might but a divinely orchestrated act of handing over the city. Nebuchadnezzar, "the king of Babylon," is presented as God's instrument, acting under God's authority to execute judgment.
• by sword, by famine, and by pestilence’: This triad is a recurring and comprehensive description of divine judgment in the Old Testament, signifying a complete and devastating destruction from multiple fronts.
  • sword (בַּחֶרֶב, bacherev): Represents military conquest, death in battle, and violent executions.
  • famine (וּבָרָעָב, uvahra'av): Signifies siege conditions, scarcity of food leading to starvation, often a consequence of war.
  • pestilence (וּבַדֶּבֶר, uvaddaver): Refers to plague, disease, and epidemics that typically follow periods of war and famine due to poor sanitation and weakened populations. This threefold combination ensures total devastation and leaves no avenue for escape.

Jeremiah 32 36 Bonus section

The emphatic affirmation of impending doom in Jeremiah 32:36 is particularly powerful because it immediately precedes some of the most hopeful restoration prophecies in the book of Jeremiah (32:37-44). This demonstrates a significant theological principle: God often validates the painful reality of consequence and judgment before revealing the glorious promise of redemption. It tells us that divine hope is not offered as a means to circumvent justice or ignore present suffering, but emerges out of a clear and acknowledged understanding of both God's righteous wrath against sin and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant purposes. Jeremiah buying the field, then his prayer, then God's answer starting with 32:36, collectively teach that even in the darkest valleys, where all seems lost and the direst predictions come true, God's ultimate plan is for life and renewal, but not without confronting the sin that necessitates the initial judgment.

Jeremiah 32 36 Commentary

Jeremiah 32:36 is a stark and crucial declaration that underscores the certainty and divine origin of Jerusalem's impending destruction. Placed within a chapter that also promises future restoration, this verse confirms the immediate, bleak reality for Judah. God uses a formal prophetic pronouncement ("thus says the Lord") and His covenantal title ("God of Israel") to emphasize that this judgment is not random misfortune but a deliberate act from the sovereign God in response to persistent sin. The phrase "of which you say" confirms the widely held and agonizingly true understanding of the people—Jerusalem will fall. By specifying the "king of Babylon" and the "sword, famine, and pestilence," God identifies both the instrument and the comprehensive nature of the judgment. This ensures that the suffering about to be endured is recognized as a direct fulfillment of prophecy and covenant curses, thus preparing the way for understanding the grace of eventual restoration within God's larger, unchanging plan. It highlights that God always speaks truthfully, even when His message is severe, laying a firm foundation for trust in His later promises of hope.