Jeremiah 5 16

Jeremiah 5:16 kjv

Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.

Jeremiah 5:16 nkjv

Their quiver is like an open tomb; They are all mighty men.

Jeremiah 5:16 niv

Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors.

Jeremiah 5:16 esv

Their quiver is like an open tomb; they are all mighty warriors.

Jeremiah 5:16 nlt

Their weapons are deadly;
their warriors are mighty.

Jeremiah 5 verses

Jeremiah 5 16 Meaning

The verse describes God's judgment upon Judah because of their apostasy and wickedness. He declares that the enemy nations will come and devastate the land, possessing it for themselves. The people will be taken into exile, leaving their homes and harvests to the conquerors. This signifies the complete loss of their land and livelihood as a direct consequence of their disobedience to God.

Jeremiah 5 16 Context

Jeremiah 5 is part of a larger section where Jeremiah is delivering God's message of impending judgment against Judah. The preceding verses (Jer 5:1-9) describe the pervasive sin and corruption within Jerusalem, characterized by deceit, rebellion, and injustice. Despite their wickedness, the people refuse to acknowledge God's hand in their troubles, attributing their failures to other causes. Chapter 5 sets the stage for God's explanation of the judgment that is coming, specifically the invasion by a powerful enemy from the north. Verse 16 announces the arrival and effectiveness of this enemy, emphasizing their destructive capabilities and the finality of their conquest.

Jeremiah 5 16 Word analysis

• כִּי (ki): A conjunction meaning "for," "because," or "indeed." Here it introduces the reason or explanation for God's declaration, linking it to the preceding description of the enemy.
• קַשְׁתּוֹ (qashōt): Possessive form of "qesheth" (קֶשֶׁת), meaning "his bow." This signifies the weapon of the approaching enemy.
• פֶּתַח (petakh): Noun meaning "opening" or "entrance."
• קֶבֶר (qever): Noun meaning "grave" or "tomb." The imagery here is stark: the bow's arrows are like openings into the grave, suggesting their deadly effectiveness.
• פָּתוּחַ (pathūakh): Adjective meaning "open." Together, "petakh qever pathūakh" (פֶּתַח קֶבֶר פָּתוּחַ) literally means "an open grave's opening" or "an open tomb." It conveys an unending, consuming threat.
• כֹּל (kol): Pronoun meaning "all" or "every."
• גִּבּוֹר (gibbôr): Noun meaning "mighty man," "warrior," or "hero." It signifies a strong and skilled fighter.
• גִּבּוֹרִים (gibbôrîm): Plural of "gibbôr," meaning "warriors" or "mighty men."
• וְשׂסֹק (wəśōśôq): Conjunction "and" followed by the verb "sāsâq" (סָסַק), which can mean "to plunder," "to spoil," or "to rob." It describes the action of the enemy.
• וְאֵין (wə’ên): Conjunction "and" followed by the negation "’ên" (אֵין), meaning "there is none" or "and there is not."
• מַצִּיל (maṣṣîl): Active participle of the verb "naṣal" (נָצַל), meaning "to deliver," "to save," or "to rescue." It refers to someone who can save or rescue.
• מִי (mî): Interrogative pronoun "who," or in this context, used indefinitely as "anyone."
• מֵשִׁיב (mëšîb): Active participle of the verb "šūb" (שׁוּב), meaning "to turn back," "to return," or "to restore." The phrase "wə’ên maṣṣîl mëšîb" means "and none that delivers or turns back." It emphasizes the inescapable nature of the spoil taken by the enemy.

Words Group Analysis:

• "Quiver is like an open tomb; all are warriors.": This is a powerful metaphor. An open tomb signifies death, finality, and an unending void. An enemy whose weapons (arrows from their quiver) are like this implies that every encounter with them leads to death and despair for the one being attacked. The statement "all are warriors" signifies a thoroughly militarized and effective fighting force with no weakness or mercy.
• "They spoil and none can recover them.": This phrase highlights the totality of the enemy's plundering. Their spoils are taken permanently, with no hope of retrieval or recovery for the victims. It suggests a complete subjugation and despoilment.

Jeremiah 5 16 Bonus section

The metaphor of the "open tomb" has profound implications. In ancient Near Eastern thought, the grave or the underworld was often viewed as a place from which there was no return. For God to say the enemy's quiver is like this is to portray them as instruments of ultimate finality. This theme of God using nations as instruments of judgment, even pagan nations, is consistent throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah 10:5-15 where Assyria is called God's "rod" of anger). The lack of anyone to "deliver" or "turn back" highlights the completeness of the impending calamity, emphasizing that human power and intervention will be utterly insufficient. This serves as a solemn reminder of the consequences of collective sin and the sovereignty of God in history.

Jeremiah 5 16 Commentary

This verse is a stark pronouncement of inescapable judgment. The enemy from the north, characterized by their devastatingly effective weaponry and their unified strength ("all are warriors"), will come to plunder Judah. The imagery of the "open tomb" for their quiver emphasizes the finality of death and loss that their attacks represent. Once they seize their spoil, there will be no one capable of delivering or recovering what has been taken. This serves as a severe consequence for Judah's persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry, signifying a loss of their material possessions, their land, and their hope. It underscores the ultimate authority of God over nations and the devastating outcome of rejecting His covenant.