Jeremiah 6 11

Jeremiah 6:11 kjv

Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.

Jeremiah 6:11 nkjv

Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD. I am weary of holding it in. "I will pour it out on the children outside, And on the assembly of young men together; For even the husband shall be taken with the wife, The aged with him who is full of days.

Jeremiah 6:11 niv

But I am full of the wrath of the LORD, and I cannot hold it in. "Pour it out on the children in the street and on the young men gathered together; both husband and wife will be caught in it, and the old, those weighed down with years.

Jeremiah 6:11 esv

Therefore I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary of holding it in. "Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the gatherings of young men, also; both husband and wife shall be taken, the elderly and the very aged.

Jeremiah 6:11 nlt

So now I am filled with the LORD's fury.
Yes, I am tired of holding it in!
"I will pour out my fury on children playing in the streets
and on gatherings of young men,
on husbands and wives
and on those who are old and gray.

Jeremiah 6 verses

Jeremiah 6 11 Meaning

This verse conveys the intense, accumulated wrath of the LORD, which Jeremiah, as God's prophet, has felt the overwhelming burden of containing. Having reached its limit, this divine judgment is declared to be universally poured out without discrimination, affecting all segments of Judahite society—from infants in the streets to assemblies of young men, and from married couples to the extremely aged—signifying total and unavoidable destruction and capture as a consequence of their persistent sin.

Jeremiah 6 11 Context

Jeremiah chapter 6 details God's imminent judgment on Judah, particularly Jerusalem, for its deep-seated spiritual corruption and persistent disobedience. The chapter begins with a vivid depiction of an approaching invasion from the north, signaling distress and siege. God highlights Judah's widespread moral decay, including the pervasive greed from prophet to priest, the offering of "superficial peace" where there is no genuine peace, and a complete lack of shame regarding their abominations (v. 7-15). God calls His people to return to "ancient paths" of righteousness, but they refuse to listen (v.16-17). Their rejection of God's warnings, refusal to be purified, and idolatry have accumulated, causing God's patience to wear thin. Verse 11, therefore, serves as the declaration of an overflowing, inevitable divine response to this unrepentant apostasy, stressing that the coming catastrophe will spare no one in society, underlining the severity of their rebellion and the righteous finality of God's judgment.

Jeremiah 6 11 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן, lakhen): This serves as a consequential particle, linking the preceding unrepentant acts and rejection of God's warnings (especially in vv. 9-10) directly to the ensuing declaration of judgment. It signifies that the impending wrath is not arbitrary but a logical and deserved consequence.
• I am full (מָלֵאתִי, male'ati): A first-person common singular perfect verb. Here, it could be interpreted as Jeremiah speaking on behalf of the LORD, articulating the divine fullness of wrath, or, as Jeremiah's personal experience of the profound, overwhelming burden of having to deliver such a dire message and feeling the intensity of God's anger. Scholarly consensus often leans towards Jeremiah's personal identification with and feeling the weight of the message from God.
• of the wrath (חֲמַת, ḥamat): Hebrew ḥamah refers to a strong, burning anger, often accompanied by passion or indignation. It is not an uncontrollable rage but a righteous, intense displeasure and indignation in response to injustice, rebellion, and covenant violation. In God, it is always just and purposed.
• of the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing that this is not human wrath, but the holy and covenantal God whose justice and character are at stake. This divine anger is therefore holy and right.
• I am weary (נִלְאֵיתִי, nil'eti): From the root la'ah, meaning "to be weary, faint, exhausted." This is also a first-person common singular perfect verb, parallel to "I am full." It highlights extreme exhaustion or being fed up with restraining. It reflects God's profound, long-suffering patience reaching its absolute limit, or Jeremiah's own emotional and spiritual exhaustion from repeatedly warning a heedless people and from carrying this divine burden.
• of holding it in (הָכִיל, hakhîl): The Hiphil infinitive construct of kul or kil, meaning "to contain, hold, bear, sustain." The specific use here refers to restraining or withholding the deserved judgment. It vividly pictures God's forbearance, as if His anger has been building up and could no longer be contained by His long-suffering, or Jeremiah's burden of suppressing this prophetic truth.
• I will pour it out (אֶשְׁפּוֹךְ, eshpōkh): A first-person common singular imperfect verb, shafakh, "to pour out." This verb often describes liquids or blood and suggests an uninhibited, copious, and thorough discharge. Here, it signifies the deliberate, unstoppable, and overwhelming release of God's pent-up wrath. It marks a transition from the prophet's burdened feeling to the direct declaration of God's active judgment.
• on the children (עַל־עוֹלָל, 'al-'ōlal): ʻōlal specifically refers to infants, suckling children. Targeting infants emphasizes the total destruction, showing no age is exempt and signaling a catastrophe that profoundly affects the continuity of society.
• in the street (בַּחוּץ, baḥutz): Refers to the public thoroughfare, the common space. This highlights the public and inescapable nature of the judgment; it will not be hidden, nor will anyone be able to avoid it by staying indoors.
• and on the gatherings (וְעַל־מִשְׁמֶרֶת, vê'al-mishmeret) of young men alike (בַּחוּרִים יַחְדָּו, baḥûrîm yaḥdaw): While the original Hebrew word for 'gatherings' (mishmeret) often denotes a "guard, watch, or obligation," many translations prefer "gatherings" or "assemblies" to reflect the context of young men together. Baḥûrîm means "young men" (typically referring to vigorous, marriageable age). Yaḥdāw means "together, as one, alike." This phrase targets the strong, virile, and future generation, implying no age or social vigor can escape the coming judgment.
• For even the husband (כִּי גַּם־אִישׁ, ki gam-'ish): Gam ("also, even") underscores the universality. Ish means "man, husband."
• with his wife (אִם־אִשְׁתּוֹ, 'im-ishtô): Im means "with," 'ishto means "his wife." This targets the core family unit, showing that even the sacred institution of marriage and its private sphere will not offer protection. It implies the tearing apart of fundamental societal structures.
• shall be taken (נִלְכָּדוּ, nilkhadu): A Niphal perfect third-person common plural, from lakad, "to catch, seize, capture." This points to their fate as prisoners or casualties in the impending siege and invasion. It highlights the forced removal and utter helplessness in the face of judgment.
• the old (זָקֵן, zāqēn): "Old man."
• with the very aged (עִם מְלֵא יָמִים, 'im melē' yamim): Literally "with full of days," an idiom for someone who has lived a complete, long life, signifying extreme old age. The inclusion of the very oldest emphasizes the judgment's comprehensiveness across all age groups and its finality.

Words-group analysis:

• "I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary of holding it in.": This couplet profoundly conveys the critical moment where divine patience gives way to justice. The first-person pronouns "I" can be understood as Jeremiah deeply embodying and articulating God's perspective, feeling the immense weight of the divine decision to bring judgment after prolonged forbearance. It reflects God's pain and weariness, anthropopathically expressed through the prophet, at the people's stubborn refusal to repent.
• "I will pour it out on the children in the street and on the gatherings of young men alike. For even the husband with his wife shall be taken, the old with the very aged.": This comprehensive catalog of victims underscores the pervasive nature of Judah's sin and the severity of God's unreserved judgment. The enumeration covers all stages of life—infancy, youth, productive adulthood, and extreme old age—and various social units (individuals, groups, family nucleus). It declares an utterly indiscriminate judgment, where no one will be exempt or spared, emphasizing the catastrophic societal collapse due to befall Jerusalem. The vivid imagery conveys both the breadth and depth of the coming destruction.

Jeremiah 6 11 Bonus section

• Anthropopathism: The description of God being "weary of holding it in" is an anthropopathism, attributing human-like emotional experience (weariness, exhaustion) to God. This conveys the depth of God's feeling—His extended patience and pain over His people's disobedience, not that God truly "gets tired" in a human sense. It makes His divine patience relatable and emphasizes the deliberateness of His decision to act after every other means has been exhausted.
• The Prophet's Burden: This verse also deeply reflects Jeremiah's own experience as the "weeping prophet." He is not merely a messenger but someone who deeply internalizes God's anguish and bears the heavy weight of delivering such a devastating message. His personal suffering often mirrors God's grief over His people.
• Covenant Fidelity: The judgment described here is a direct consequence of Judah's infidelity to the Mosaic Covenant. The curses for disobedience (Deut 28-29), which included famine, siege, and exile, are coming to fruition, underscoring the serious implications of covenant breach with a holy God.

Jeremiah 6 11 Commentary

Jeremiah 6:11 marks a somber turning point where divine long-suffering reaches its breaking point, compelling God to execute judgment. The prophet Jeremiah, burdened by the divine message, articulates the LORD's decision: His righteous indignation, having been contained, can no longer be held back. This anthropopathic expression of weariness signals not a human flaw in God, but the ultimate end of His gracious patience towards Judah's consistent rebellion. The consequence is a comprehensive, indiscriminate outpouring of wrath, depicted through a chilling list of victims that spans all demographics. From helpless infants to vigorous young men, and from the sacred union of husband and wife to the most vulnerable elderly, no one within the covenant community will be exempt from the impending catastrophe. This totality signifies the pervasive nature of Judah's sin, impacting every level of society, and the equally thorough cleansing judgment required. It speaks to the utter desolation awaiting Jerusalem and foreshadows the fall to the Babylonians, a fate rendered unavoidable by their persistent refusal to heed God's calls to repentance.