Jeremiah 33 10

Jeremiah 33:10 kjv

Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,

Jeremiah 33:10 nkjv

"Thus says the LORD: 'Again there shall be heard in this place? of which you say, "It is desolate, without man and without beast"?in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast,

Jeremiah 33:10 niv

"This is what the LORD says: 'You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without people or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more

Jeremiah 33:10 esv

"Thus says the LORD: In this place of which you say, 'It is a waste without man or beast,' in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again

Jeremiah 33:10 nlt

"This is what the LORD says: You have said, 'This is a desolate land where people and animals have all disappeared.' Yet in the empty streets of Jerusalem and Judah's other towns, there will be heard once more

Jeremiah 33 verses

Jeremiah 33 10 meaning

Jeremiah 33:10 is a direct, divine counter-statement to the despair of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Through the prophet, God declares that the very places they perceive as utterly desolate—devoid of human life and animals—will soon be filled with the sounds of thriving life, joy, and restoration. It is a powerful prophecy of reversal, promising a complete transformation from ruin and silence to vitality and gladness, affirming God's unfailing commitment to rebuild His people and His land despite overwhelming evidence of destruction.

Jeremiah 33 10 Context

Jeremiah 33:10 is located within Jeremiah's "Book of Consolation" (chapters 30-33), a section predominantly filled with promises of future hope and restoration for Judah and Israel. This particular prophecy was delivered while Jeremiah was imprisoned during the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (Jer 32:2, 33:1). The physical and emotional landscape of Judah was one of ruin and despair; cities were destroyed, Jerusalem itself was under siege and facing imminent destruction, and the people believed their land was irreversibly desolate, devoid of inhabitants and economic activity. Their human perspective, encapsulated by the phrase "It is a waste, without man or beast," reflected the dire reality of widespread judgment due to their disobedience. Against this backdrop of hopelessness and present desolation, God speaks through Jeremiah, offering a future filled with vibrant life, joy, and the re-establishment of covenant blessings, powerfully contradicting the immediate visual and emotional evidence of ruin.

Jeremiah 33 10 Word analysis

• Thus says the LORD (כה אמר יהוה, Koh amar Yahweh): This established prophetic formula signifies absolute divine authority. It acts as an incontestable introduction, underscoring that the subsequent message originates from God, directly countering human doubt and despair with the certainty of His word.
• In this place (במקום הזה, bəmaqōm hazzeh): This geographically precise reference points to the physical land of Judah and Jerusalem, which at that time were undergoing severe judgment and perceived as utterly ruined. "Place" here is tangible, known, and deeply associated with current destruction.
• of which you say (אשר אתם אומרים, ʾăšer ʾattem ʾōmərîm): Highlights the human viewpoint and spoken declaration of hopelessness, explicitly juxtaposing human perception based on visible destruction against God's omniscient decree of restoration.
• "It is a waste (חרבה, ḥorḇāh), without man or beast" (מאדם ומבהמה, mêʾādām ûmibbəhēmāh): The Hebrew word ḥorḇāh describes a desolate ruin, implying utter destruction, often due to divine judgment or warfare. The phrase "without man or beast" conveys a scene of complete emptiness, a land incapable of sustaining life, emphasizing the profundity of the perceived devastation and the current absence of human and animal sounds.
• in the cities of Judah (ובערי יהודה, ûvəʿārê Yəhūḏāh): This broadens the scope of the prophecy from just Jerusalem to encompass all urban centers throughout the southern kingdom, indicating widespread and collective devastation.
• and in the streets of Jerusalem (ובחוצות ירושלים, ûḇəḥûṣōṯ Yərūšālayim): Specifically mentions the capital city and its public thoroughfares, which typically pulsed with activity. Their desolation highlighted the collapse of national life.
• that are desolate (הישממות, hayšōməmōwṯ): Derived from the root šamam, this term denotes extreme desolation, often implying an eerie silence and emotional shock, intensifying the description of ruin. It reiterates and strengthens the previous "waste."
• without man or inhabitant or beast (מאדם ומאין יושב ומבהמה, mêʾādām ūməʾên yōšêḇ ūmibbəhēmāh): This three-fold emphasis on absence further intensifies the description of emptiness. "Inhabitant" (yoshev) specifically indicates a settled resident, thereby stressing not just a temporary lack of people but a perceived complete void of established human life, reinforcing the deep sense of irreversible desolation.
• there shall be heard again (ושמע עוד, wəyiššāmaʿ ʿôḏ): This phrase introduces the dramatic shift. Yiššāmaʿ is the Niphal imperfect form, conveying an assured future occurrence: "it shall certainly be heard." ʿÔḏ (again/still) promises a reversal, signifying the restoration of something that once existed (the sounds of life and joy) but had been silenced by judgment, implying a divine reversal of their current state.

Jeremiah 33 10 Bonus section

The phrase "you say" not only highlights the human perspective but also implies a challenge to God's character and promises. The people, in their despair, had effectively written off the land, echoing the language of curse found in Mosaic Law (e.g., Lev 26, Deut 28) regarding the consequences of disobedience, where the land would be made desolate. God's declaration in Jeremiah 33:10-11 then serves as an affirmation that while the curses were fulfilled, His ultimate covenant promises of restoration remain firm and will be fulfilled as well. This passage from the Book of Consolation offers solace during imprisonment and exile, teaching that God's power extends beyond the immediate circumstances, capable of turning places of death into arenas of life, reinforcing His faithfulness and ultimate redemptive purpose.

Jeremiah 33 10 Commentary

Jeremiah 33:10 presents a striking divine declaration designed to puncture human despair with hope. It precisely echoes the prevalent lament among the Jewish exiles and those under siege, recognizing the depths of their perceived and actual ruin. By acknowledging the utter devastation—"a waste, without man or beast" and "without man or inhabitant or beast"—God validates their suffering, yet simultaneously asserts His absolute power to override visible reality. The repetition of terms describing desolation intensifies the bleakness, making the subsequent promise of sounds of life and joy, detailed in the following verse, even more miraculous. This verse embodies a key principle of divine intervention: God can and will restore even the most profoundly broken situations, often in the very place of ruin. It emphasizes that human perception of irreversible desolation is subject to God's sovereign and restorative will, turning judgment into a precursor for grace and renewal.