Jeremiah 5:15 kjv
Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
Jeremiah 5:15 nkjv
Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel," says the LORD. "It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.
Jeremiah 5:15 niv
People of Israel," declares the LORD, "I am bringing a distant nation against you? an ancient and enduring nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you do not understand.
Jeremiah 5:15 esv
Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, declares the LORD. It is an enduring nation; it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say.
Jeremiah 5:15 nlt
O Israel, I will bring a distant nation against you,"
says the LORD.
"It is a mighty nation,
an ancient nation,
a people whose language you do not know,
whose speech you cannot understand.
Jeremiah 5 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 28:49 | "The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth...a nation whose language you do not understand" | Prophecy of foreign invasion & unknown tongue |
| Deut 28:50 | "a nation of fierce countenance, who shall not regard the person of the old nor show favor to the young." | Describing the cruel nature of invaders |
| Isa 5:26 | "He will raise a signal for nations from afar...they will come with speed and swiftness;" | God calling nations for judgment |
| Isa 28:11 | "For with stammering lips and another tongue he will speak to this people," | God speaking through foreign tongues/judgmen |
| Jer 6:22 | "Behold, a people is coming from the north country; a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth." | Description of invaders from afar |
| Jer 6:23 | "They lay hold of bow and spear; they are cruel and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea..." | Cruelty and power of the invading nation |
| Jer 25:9 | "behold, I will send and take all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant..." | Naming Babylon as God's instrument |
| Hab 1:6 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth" | Identifying the Chaldeans (Babylonians) |
| Hab 1:7 | "dreadful and dreadful are they; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves." | The terror and self-authority of Chaldeans |
| Hab 1:8 | "Their horses are swifter than leopards...and they come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour." | Swift and distant nature of invaders |
| Zeph 1:17 | "I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD..." | General judgment for sin |
| Ezek 7:24 | "I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their houses;" | God bringing the worst nations for judgment |
| Joel 3:10 | "Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, 'I am a warrior!'" | Preparation for a mighty invasion |
| Isa 39:3-6 | Hezekiah shows envoys from Babylon his treasures; Isaiah prophesies Babylon taking everything and exiling his sons. | Foreshadowing Babylonian exile |
| Amos 6:14 | "For behold, I will raise up against you, O house of Israel, a nation, declares the LORD, the God of hosts..." | God raising a nation against Israel |
| Zech 8:15 | "So again I have purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah..." | Contrast: God's ultimate purpose is good |
| Lev 26:14-17 | Warnings of defeat by enemies if the covenant is broken. | Covenant curses for disobedience |
| 2 Ki 24:1-2 | "In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years." | Historical fulfillment of Babylonian invasion |
| 1 Cor 14:21 | "In the Law it is written, 'By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people...'" | NT reference to unknown tongues as judgment |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." | God's universal judgment on sin |
| 2 Th 1:8-9 | "in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel..." | Future judgment for disobedience |
| Heb 12:29 | "for our God is a consuming fire." | God's consuming judgment on sin |
Jeremiah 5 verses
Jeremiah 5 15 Meaning
Jeremiah 5:15 conveys a stark message of impending divine judgment. Through the prophet, God declares that He is personally orchestrating the invasion of Judah by a powerful and ancient foreign nation from a distant land. This nation's might and its unintelligible language emphasize the complete alienation and overwhelming nature of the coming destruction upon the "house of Israel" due to their deep-seated unfaithfulness and rebellion. It signifies that the consequences of their sin are inescapable and will be delivered by a force they neither understand nor can resist.
Jeremiah 5 15 Context
Jeremiah chapter 5 depicts Jerusalem's moral corruption, describing widespread sin from the common people to the prophets and priests. God sought just individuals but found none. He expresses shock at their blatant apostasy, idolatry, and social injustice, repeatedly asking why He should forgive them (Jer 5:7-9).
Verse 15 immediately follows a pronouncement of divine judgment in Jeremiah 5:14, where God declares His words will be a fire consuming the people. The verses following Jeremiah 5:15 (Jer 5:16-17) elaborate on the invader's actions: they are skilled warriors, and they will consume Judah's harvest, children, and fortified cities.
Historically, Jeremiah prophesied during a turbulent period in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. Judah, the southern kingdom, had witnessed the fall of its northern counterpart (Israel) to Assyria. Now, Assyria was declining, and a new formidable power, the Babylonian (Chaldean) Empire under Nebuchadnezzar, was rapidly rising. This "nation from afar" unmistakably points to Babylon. Judah, having observed the fate of Israel, failed to learn from its history, instead plunging deeper into covenant infidelity and idolatry, leading to the prophesied, imminent divine judgment via Babylon. This also serves as an indirect polemic against Judah's reliance on superficial religiosity or geopolitical alliances instead of genuine repentance and trust in God.
Jeremiah 5 15 Word analysis
- Behold (הִנֵּה - hinnēh): An emphatic interjection drawing immediate attention. It signals the grave importance and certainty of the following declaration.
- I am bringing (מֵבִיא אֲנִי - mēḇî ‘ănî): Hebrew emphasizes God's direct, personal agency. "I am causing to come" – highlights God's sovereignty over nations and history, presenting the invasion not as a random event but as divine action.
- against you (עֲלֵיכֶם - ‘alêḵem): Specifically targets Judah, confirming they are the direct object of this judgment.
- a nation (גּוֹי - gōy): The term often refers to Gentile, non-Israelite nations. Its use here reinforces the foreignness and alienation of the impending enemy.
- from afar (מֵרָחוֹק - mērāḥôq): Stresses the great distance. This implies the unexpected nature of the threat from an unlooked-for quarter, far from Judah's usual regional adversaries, adding to its terrifying aspect.
- O house of Israel (בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל - bêt yiśrā’ēl): While primarily referring to Judah, this term encompasses God's entire covenant people. It's a somber reminder of their identity and privileges, contrasting sharply with their present unfaithfulness and coming punishment. It underlines that even the chosen nation faces consequences for breaking covenant.
- a mighty nation (גּוֹי אֵיתָן - gōy ’êṯān): Describes strength, endurance, and power. This enemy is not a minor tribal group but a formidable, well-established military power.
- a nation ancient of days (גּוֹי מֵעוֹלָם - gōy mē‘ôlām): Literally "a nation from antiquity/forever." This does not refer to Daniel's "Ancient of Days" for God. Here, it denotes a deeply established, long-standing, and sophisticated civilization, suggesting experience in warfare and governance, contrasting with newly formed powers. This fits Babylon, which had an ancient and enduring heritage.
- whose language you do not know (אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תֵדַע לְשֹׁנוֹ - ’ăšer lō’-ṯēḏa‘ ləšōnô): A critical element of terror. The linguistic barrier renders communication impossible, blocking pleas for mercy, negotiation, or even understanding commands. It heightens their foreignness and the severity of the invasion.
- nor can you understand what they say (וְלֹא תִשְׁמַע אֶת־מַדַּבֵּר - wəlo’ tišma‘ ’eṯ-maḏdabbēr): Reinforces the previous point. "Understand" here means not just hearing, but comprehending the actual speech. The invaders will be utterly alien and unintelligible, creating an atmosphere of utter helplessness and fear for the doomed inhabitants.
Jeremiah 5 15 Bonus section
The depiction of the "nation from afar" as speaking an unknown language is a specific echo of covenant curses from Deuteronomy (28:49). This strong connection emphasizes that the impending judgment is not random misfortune, but a direct consequence of Judah's breaking their covenant with God. The phrase "ancient of days" used for the nation is unique in prophetic literature for describing a human entity's venerable, powerful, and deeply established nature, distinguishing it from a temporary or nascent force. This foresight highlights Babylon's formidable and enduring empire status rather than its later demise, underscoring its unstoppable force at that historical juncture. Furthermore, the ineffectiveness of human speech in the face of this judgment foreshadows the ultimate silence and despair that accompanies total defeat and exile. This divine strategy also showcases how God employs instruments that, though seemingly evil from a human perspective, perfectly fulfill His righteous purposes for judgment, without excusing the evil of the instruments themselves.
Jeremiah 5 15 Commentary
Jeremiah 5:15 is a prophetic thunderclap, declaring the certainty and character of divine judgment against Judah. God unequivocally states His direct role in bringing this devastating invasion, emphasizing His sovereignty even over pagan empires like Babylon. The description of the enemy is meticulously crafted to evoke terror and helplessness. Their "afar" origin implies they are an unexpected, unmanageable force; their "might" speaks of military prowess, assuring conquest; their "ancient of days" status indicates established power and ruthlessness, not a fledgling opponent. Most striking is the linguistic barrier: "whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say." This signifies not merely difficulty in communication but a total disconnect, emphasizing the alien, dehumanizing nature of the invaders and rendering any appeal or understanding impossible. It is a terrifying consequence of Israel's persistent rebellion, isolating them from their covenant Lord and exposing them to the full wrath expressed through a wholly incomprehensible enemy. The verse teaches that persistent sin leads to divine intervention that can dismantle a society completely, using means utterly foreign and terrifying to the transgressors, illustrating God's power to turn covenant blessings into curses for unrepentant disobedience.