Jeremiah 5 17

Jeremiah 5:17 kjv

And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

Jeremiah 5:17 nkjv

And they shall eat up your harvest and your bread, Which your sons and daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds; They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; They shall destroy your fortified cities, In which you trust, with the sword.

Jeremiah 5:17 niv

They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters; they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.

Jeremiah 5:17 esv

They shall eat up your harvest and your food; they shall eat up your sons and your daughters; they shall eat up your flocks and your herds; they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; your fortified cities in which you trust they shall beat down with the sword."

Jeremiah 5:17 nlt

They will devour the food of your harvest;
they will devour your sons and daughters.
They will devour your flocks and herds;
they will devour your grapes and figs.
And they will destroy your fortified towns,
which you think are so safe.

Jeremiah 5 verses

Jeremiah 5 17 Meaning

Jeremiah 5:17 describes a comprehensive and devastating judgment pronounced by God upon Judah through an invading foreign nation. This enemy will consume all of Judah's vital resources: their agricultural produce, livestock, vineyards, and fruit trees, thereby stripping them of their sustenance and wealth. Furthermore, they will lay waste to the fortified cities in which Judah foolishly placed its trust, utterly impoverishing and destroying their perceived security by military conquest. This verse underscores the complete and all-encompassing nature of divine retribution for Judah's unfaithfulness and idolatry, leaving nothing untouched.

Jeremiah 5 17 Context

Jeremiah chapter 5 depicts Judah as a nation thoroughly steeped in sin, particularly idolatry, injustice, and spiritual adultery, yet blind to its impending doom. Despite God's persistent warnings through Jeremiah, the people, from the common folk to the priests and prophets, had abandoned their covenant obligations and pursued false gods (Jer 5:7-8). They hardened their hearts and refused to repent (Jer 5:3, 5:23). As a consequence, God declares that He will bring a powerful, ancient, and relentless nation from the north – Babylon (Chaldeans) – to execute His judgment (Jer 5:15). Jeremiah 5:17 elaborates on the devastating impact of this invasion, painting a picture of total economic and infrastructural collapse, leaving the nation utterly exposed and stripped of everything they held dear and trusted in, exposing the futility of their self-reliance. This prophecy was delivered against the backdrop of Judah's increasing political instability and spiritual apostasy, shortly before the final series of Babylonian invasions culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Culturally, an agricultural society relied heavily on its harvest, livestock, and tree produce, making their destruction an existential threat. Fortified cities were the ultimate symbols of security and military strength in the ancient Near East, so their downfall represented a complete societal breakdown.

Jeremiah 5 17 Word analysis

• And they shall eat up (וְאָכַל – ve'akhal): The verb akhal means 'to eat', 'to consume', or 'to devour'. The prefix ve- connects it, indicating a continuation of the destructive action. Its repeated use here (three times) emphasizes the utter, systematic, and comprehensive consumption/devastation by the invaders, leaving nothing behind. It's not just taking; it's a complete gobbling up, implying total appropriation and destruction.
• your harvest (קְצִירְךָ – qetzir'kha): Refers to the reaped crops, the fruits of their agricultural labor. This signifies the destruction of their immediate food supply and the yield of their efforts, representing basic sustenance.
• and your bread (וְלַחְמְךָ – ve'lachmekha): The basic staple food. Losing this means direct starvation and loss of daily provision.
• which your sons (בָּנֶיךָ – banekha) and your daughters (וּבְנוֹתֶיךָ – uvenotekha) should eat: This highlights the human tragedy, affecting the most vulnerable and the future generation. The invaders are not just taking food; they are taking the very means of survival from the children, a profound curse reflecting Deut 28:32.
• they shall eat up (וְאָכַל – ve'akhal) your flocks (צֹאנְךָ – tzon'kha) and your herds (וּבְקָרֶךָ – uveqar'kha): Livestock was a primary source of wealth, food (meat, milk), clothing (wool), and sacrifice in ancient Israel. Their consumption represents the stripping away of substantial assets and traditional sources of livelihood and spiritual life.
• they shall eat up (וְאָכַל – ve'akhal) your vines (גַּפְנְךָ – gafn'kha) and your fig trees (וּתְאֵנָתֶךָ – ute'enatekhah): Grapevines and fig trees were symbols of prosperity, blessing, and comfort in ancient Israel (e.g., Mic 4:4, 1 Kgs 4:25). Their destruction is a direct attack on the agrarian economy and the cultural representation of peace and security.
• They shall impoverish / deplete (יְדַלֵּל – yedallel): The verb dalal means to 'hang down', 'be weak', 'be low', or 'to drain/deplete'. It perfectly describes the weakening and emptying out of resources. This signifies a draining away of all strength and means, bringing about utter destitution. Some translations use 'destroy', which conveys the outcome, but 'impoverish' or 'deplete' captures the process of decline.
• your fortified cities (עָרֵי מִבְצָרְךָ – arei mivtzarkha): Cities designed for defense, symbols of military strength and security.
• in which you trust (אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֵן – asher attah boteyakh bahen): This is a crucial theological point. It indicts Judah for placing their trust and security in human constructs (military might, strong walls) rather than in God, their true deliverer and stronghold (Psa 20:7, 33:16-17). Their physical defenses become meaningless because God is against them.
• with the sword (בַּחֶרֶב – bakherev): The primary instrument of war and conquest, denoting violent military action, slaughter, and forceful subjugation. This emphasizes the brutal nature of the invasion and judgment.

• "your harvest and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat": This phrase details the direct impact on immediate sustenance and future generations, deepening the sense of suffering. The loss of daily food for children is particularly grievous, speaking to the ultimate violation of covenant blessings where "every man under his vine and under his fig tree" (1 Kgs 4:25) signified peace and abundance.
• "your flocks and your herds... your vines and your fig trees": This represents a complete economic collapse across different agricultural sectors. It signifies a total confiscation of both staple food sources (crops) and luxury/wealth sources (livestock, vineyards).
• "They shall impoverish your fortified cities in which you trust, with the sword": This phrase juxtaposes Judah's misplaced confidence with the grim reality of destruction. Their sources of "security" are precisely what will be laid low, by the very instrument of war, proving their trust was utterly vain. It serves as a stark reminder that true security lies in God, not in human fortifications or military power.

Jeremiah 5 17 Bonus section

The description in Jeremiah 5:17 directly parallels the covenant curses outlined in Deut 28, where agricultural blight, destruction of livestock, and siege of cities are explicit consequences of disobedience. This emphasizes that Judah's experience was not random misfortune but the exact fulfillment of ancient covenant stipulations for faithlessness. The "eat up" (אכל) motif appears significantly in judgment contexts throughout the prophetic books, signifying a hostile, comprehensive consumption that leaves nothing intact, representing God's withdrawal of protective provision. This invading force, often understood to be the Babylonians, acts as God's disciplinary hand, devoid of their own mercy, demonstrating the principle that when a nation abandons its covenant with God, God uses external powers to bring about restoration or utter desolation. The psychological impact of having one's own children deprived of basic sustenance by foreign enemies, and the strongholds—built with great effort and trusted in for generations—being laid waste, serves to completely break the people's reliance on anything but God. It's a purification through profound suffering, meant to lead to repentance, though tragically, for many in Judah, it would only lead to exile and despair.

Jeremiah 5 17 Commentary

Jeremiah 5:17 reveals the relentless and total nature of God's impending judgment on Judah, meticulously detailing how an external, unnamed enemy, acting as an instrument of divine wrath, would dismantle every aspect of their material and perceived security. The repeated verb "eat up" signifies a complete consumption and appropriation, not just of immediate sustenance like harvest and bread, but extending to valuable long-term assets like livestock, vineyards, and orchards. This systemic plundering would reduce the entire nation to destitution. The specific mention of sons and daughters highlights the devastating human cost and the generational impact of the famine and scarcity that would ensue. Ultimately, the verse exposes the tragic futility of Judah's trust in their "fortified cities," illustrating that no human stronghold or military defense could withstand a judgment decreed by God, when trust in Him was absent. The invaders' "sword" would methodically strip away every comfort and security, compelling Judah to confront the consequences of their sustained rebellion against their covenant Lord. It's a severe object lesson in misplaced trust and the absolute reach of divine justice.