Jeremiah 49:9 kjv
If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough.
Jeremiah 49:9 nkjv
If grape-gatherers came to you, Would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, Would they not destroy until they have enough?
Jeremiah 49:9 niv
If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? If thieves came during the night, would they not steal only as much as they wanted?
Jeremiah 49:9 esv
If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings? If thieves came by night, would they not destroy only enough for themselves?
Jeremiah 49:9 nlt
Those who harvest grapes
always leave a few for the poor.
If thieves came at night,
they would not take everything.
Jeremiah 49 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 49:9 | "If grape gatherers come for you, | Connects to the idea of thorough plundering. |
| would they not leave gleanings? | ||
| If thieves by night, | Emphasizes the complete removal of possessions. | |
| would they not steal until satisfied?" | ||
| Isaiah 17:6 | "Yet gleanings will be left in it, | Echoes the theme of remaining remnants. |
| like olive berries on the highest | ||
| bough, | ||
| or storm-tossed branches on | ||
| the lowest." | ||
| Obadiah 1:5 | "If thieves came to you, | Parallels the thoroughness of plunder. |
| if plunderers of the night, | ||
| how you have been brought to | ||
| naught! Would they not steal their | ||
| fill? | ||
| Jeremiah 50:10 | "Thus says the LORD of hosts, | Similar judgment on Babylon for its pride. |
| the God of Israel: 'They shall not | ||
| glean the grapes of Ephraim again. | ||
| Jeremiah 6:9 | "Thus says the LORD of hosts: | Judgment that spares nothing for Israel. |
| 'They shall thoroughly glean | ||
| the remnant of Israel | ||
| as a vineyard. | ||
| Turn back your hand again as | ||
| a grape gatherer into the baskets. | ||
| Deuteronomy 24:21 | "When you harvest your vineyard, | Prohibition against gleaning for the poor. |
| do not glean the missed grapes. | Contrasts with the complete plunder described. | |
| Deuteronomy 28:30 | "You shall betroth a wife, | Warning of conquest and dispossession. |
| but another man shall lie with her. | ||
| You shall build a house, | ||
| but you shall not dwell in it. | ||
| You shall plant a vineyard, | ||
| but you shall not enjoy its fruit. | ||
| Jeremiah 49:8 | "O inhabitants of Dedan, flee, | Precedes the verse, setting the context of flight. |
| turn back! Dwell in the deep, | ||
| O inhabitants of Teman, for I shall | ||
| bring the calamity of Esau upon | ||
| him, the time for him to be | ||
| punished. | ||
| Ezekiel 35:15 | "As you rejoiced over the | Edom's downfall is likened to a ruinous desolation. |
| inheritance of the house of Israel | ||
| because it was desolate, so I shall | ||
| do to you. You shall be desolate, | ||
| O Mount Seir, and all of Edom, | ||
| every one of them. And they shall | ||
| know that I am the LORD.” | ||
| Revelation 18:17 | "For in a single hour all this | Judgment on Babylon, mirroring total loss. |
| wealth has been laid desolate." | ||
| Proverbs 6:31 | "But if he is found, he must | Contrasts the shame of theft with divine judgment. |
| restore sevenfold; he must give | ||
| all the wealth of his house." | ||
| Amos 9:10 | "For I will command, and I will | Judgment against God's enemies who would persist. |
| sift the house of Israel among all | ||
| nations as grain is sifted in a | ||
| sieve, yet no grain shall fall to | ||
| the ground. | ||
| Zephaniah 2:14 | "And flocks and all | Nations made desolate due to God's wrath. |
| kinds of beasts shall lie down | ||
| in its lodges; | ||
| both the nightingale and the | ||
| screech owl shall howl in its | ||
| upper galleries, | ||
| for desolation shall be in the | ||
| doorways." | ||
| Isaiah 32:10 | "In days and a year | Describes the effects of judgment on the land. |
| from now you will | ||
| tremble, you complacent ones; | ||
| for the vintage will fail, | ||
| the gathering of fruit will not | ||
| come. | ||
| Isaiah 24:13 | "For thus it shall be in the | Depicts widespread desolation after judgment. |
| midst of the land, among the | ||
| peoples, as when an olive tree is | ||
| beaten, or as when grape bunches | ||
| are searched out after harvest." | ||
| Hosea 2:9 | "And I will take back my | God's reclaiming of His gifts from an unfaithful |
| grain, my wine, and my oil, | people. | |
| which I gave her for her provision, | ||
| and I will take back my wool and | ||
| my flax, which she used for her | ||
| nakedness." | ||
| Amos 4:7 | "I caused it to rain upon one city, | God's judgment through drought, still selective. |
| and caused it not to rain upon | ||
| another. One field flourished, | ||
| but another in which it did not | ||
| rain withered." | ||
| Joel 1:7 | "It has laid my | A vine destroyed by locusts, symbolizing devastation. |
| vineyard waste, | ||
| and my fig tree | ||
| a peeled branch; | ||
| it has stripped it bare | ||
| and thrown it down; | ||
| its branches are made white." |
Jeremiah 49 verses
Jeremiah 49 9 Meaning
This verse speaks of a harvest or plunder that is thorough and complete, leaving nothing behind for the enemy. It highlights the vulnerability of the Edomites to those who would seek to take all their possessions and resources.
Jeremiah 49 9 Context
Jeremiah 49 contains prophecies against several nations, including Elam, on the eve of their destruction or subjugation. This particular verse is part of the judgment pronounced against Edom, the descendants of Esau, who were descendants of Abraham and historically linked with Israel. Edom had a long-standing animosity towards Israel. The prophecy likely pertains to the Babylonian conquest of the region, which impacted all the surrounding nations, including Edom. The imagery of grape gatherers and thieves emphasizes the completeness of the impending judgment and dispossession. Edom, like other nations, would experience the ravages of war and conquest, leaving them utterly vulnerable and stripped of their wealth and security.
Jeremiah 49 9 Word Analysis
- "If" (Hebrew: 'im) - Introduces a conditional clause, setting up a hypothetical scenario.
- "grape gatherers" (Hebrew: 'osafim) - Refers to those who harvest grapes, implying a thorough collection.
- "come" (Hebrew: yabo') - To enter, arrive, or come upon.
- "for you" (Hebrew: lachem) - Directing the action towards Edom.
- "would they not" (Hebrew: halo') - An interrogative particle often expressing expectation or a rhetorical question implying the negative.
- "leave" (Hebrew: yattiru) - To leave over, to leave remaining.
- "gleanings" (Hebrew: 'olelot) - The overlooked or fallen grapes left after the main harvest.
- "If" (Hebrew: 'im) - Again, introducing a conditional.
- "thieves" (Hebrew: ganavim) - Those who steal.
- "by night" (Hebrew: baleilah) - During the nighttime, often associated with stealth and increased effectiveness in theft.
- "would they not" (Hebrew: lo') - Another interrogative particle indicating expectation of a negative result.
- "steal" (Hebrew: yignozu) - To take stealthily, to pillage.
- "until" (Hebrew: 'ad) - Up to the point that.
- "satisfied" (Hebrew: sibo') - To be filled, to have enough.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "If grape gatherers come for you, would they not leave gleanings?" This phrase uses the agricultural practice of harvesting grapes. Even in a normal harvest, some small amounts or fallen fruit are often left behind, especially for the poor (Deuteronomy 24:21). The rhetorical question suggests that those coming against Edom would be far more ruthless, leaving nothing.
- "If thieves by night, would they not steal until satisfied?" This image refers to thieves operating stealthily. A normal thief might take what they need, but the implication here is that these "thieves" would be agents of judgment who would take everything possible, leaving Edom utterly destitute and completely plundered. The thoroughness is emphasized.
Jeremiah 49 9 Bonus Section
The prophecy against Edom, stemming from their familial relationship to Israel through Esau, often carried a deeper emotional resonance. Edom's historical cruelty and opposition to Israel, particularly during times of crisis like the Babylonian exile, fueled God's judgment. The thoroughness described in this verse is echoed in prophecies against other nations like Babylon and Assyria, illustrating God's universal justice and sovereignty over all peoples. This complete plundering signifies not just economic loss but a total disruption of their way of life and national identity, orchestrated by divine decree.
Jeremiah 49 9 Commentary
This verse employs powerful agricultural and thieving imagery to underscore the absolute nature of God's judgment on Edom. Unlike a human harvest where remnants might be left, or a thief who might take their fill, the judgment brought by God's agents would be so comprehensive that it would leave Edom stripped of everything. It’s a stark declaration that God’s hand of justice would be unforgiving and leave no trace of Edom's wealth or security. The contrast highlights Edom’s impending devastation, going beyond mere loss to utter desolation.