Jeremiah 6:21 kjv
Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
Jeremiah 6:21 nkjv
Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish."
Jeremiah 6:21 niv
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "I will put obstacles before this people. Parents and children alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish."
Jeremiah 6:21 esv
Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.'"
Jeremiah 6:21 nlt
Therefore, this is what the LORD says:
"I will put obstacles in my people's path.
Fathers and sons will both fall over them.
Neighbors and friends will die together."
Jeremiah 6 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Is 8:14 | He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel… | God Himself as a cause of stumbling for the disobedient. |
| Ps 69:22 | Let their table become a snare before them, And their well-being a trap. | Divine judgment turning comfort into a stumbling block. |
| Ez 14:3 | Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble… | Idolatry as an internal stumbling block, here God adds external ones. |
| Ro 9:32-33 | Why? Because they did not seek it by faith… a stumbling stone and a rock of offense. | Disobedience to God's ways results in stumbling. |
| Ro 11:9-10 | Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them; Let their eyes be darkened… | Quoting Ps 69:22, a divine judicial hardening/stumbling. |
| 1 Cor 1:23 | but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. | The gospel itself can be an obstacle for those who reject it. |
| Jer 13:16 | Give glory to the LORD your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains… | Warning of impending judgment and stumbling. |
| Lam 2:10-12 | The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground and keep silence… | Description of widespread devastation and collapse of society. |
| Ez 7:27 | The king will mourn, The prince will be clothed with desolation; And the hands of the common people will tremble… | Universality of judgment, affecting all levels of society. |
| Am 5:2 | The virgin of Israel has fallen; She will rise no more. She lies forsaken on her land… | Figurative fall, indicating irreversible national destruction. |
| Deut 28:15 | But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God… | Consequences of breaking the covenant, foundational for Jeremiah's prophecy. |
| Is 3:5 | The people will be oppressed, Every one by another and every one by his neighbor; The child will be insolent toward the elder… | Breakdown of social order and disrespect, mirroring judgment. |
| Mic 7:6 | For son dishonors father, Daughter rises against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; A man’s enemies are the men of his own household. | Breakdown of familial and social bonds under judgment. |
| Mt 10:21 | Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents… | Prophetic parallel in NT regarding ultimate judgment and societal collapse. |
| Lk 21:23 | For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. | Jesus' prophecy of wrath and distress upon the Jewish people, mirroring Jeremiah. |
| Lev 26:17 | I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you… | God's active role in bringing judgment through adversaries. |
| Deut 28:20 | The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do… | God actively bringing various forms of distress and defeat. |
| Hos 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you… | Rejection of divine knowledge leads to national ruin. |
| Mt 23:36 | Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. | Jesus affirming generational consequence of persistent rejection of God's messengers. |
| Am 3:6 | If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it? | Direct affirmation of God's ultimate agency in all calamity and judgment. |
| Is 45:7 | I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things. | God's sovereignty over both good and perceived evil, including judgment. |
| 2 Pet 2:8 | for that righteous man dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds— | The suffering of the righteous amidst societal decay, contrasting the perishing. |
| Jude 1:11 | Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. | Warning against specific types of unrighteousness that lead to perishing. |
| Prov 29:18 | Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he who keeps the law is blessed. | A principle where lack of divine guidance leads to destruction. |
Jeremiah 6 verses
Jeremiah 6 21 Meaning
The LORD declares an imminent and severe judgment upon Judah due to their unrepentant sin. He will actively place obstacles, or "stumbling blocks," in their path, ensuring their downfall. This divine retribution will be comprehensive, affecting all strata of society and all generations – fathers and sons, neighbors and friends alike – leading to widespread and utter destruction for the covenant-breaking people. It signifies God's direct agency in executing justice.
Jeremiah 6 21 Context
Jeremiah chapter 6 details God's lament and severe pronouncement of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem. The city is likened to a desirable pasture about to be trampled by foreign invaders, symbolized as "shepherds" bringing their flocks. Jeremiah emphasizes the widespread moral corruption within Judah: greed, deceit, and false prophecy plague society, from the least to the greatest. They reject God's "ancient paths" of righteousness and ignore the warnings of His true prophets. Immediately preceding verse 21, the LORD questions the value of their empty sacrifices and incense (v.19-20), asserting that their wicked thoughts and deeds make their offerings unacceptable. Verse 21, therefore, serves as God's definitive response to their spiritual unfaithfulness and persistent sin, outlining the catastrophic consequences of their continued rebellion against His covenant. Historically, Jeremiah is prophesying during a period where the Babylonian empire is rising, and Judah is on the cusp of divine judgment executed through this foreign power, leading to the devastating exile.
Jeremiah 6 21 Word analysis
- Therefore (וְלָכֵן - v'lachen): This conjunction serves as a critical bridge, explicitly linking God's forthcoming action to Judah's preceding unfaithfulness, particularly their rejection of His word and their hollow worship described in verses 19-20. It signifies a direct cause-and-effect relationship in divine justice.
- thus says the LORD (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar YHWH): This is a standard and powerful prophetic formula. It asserts that the message is not Jeremiah's personal opinion but an authoritative, undeniable declaration originating directly from God Himself, rendering it inviolable and certain.
- Behold (הִנְנִי - hinn'ni): An emphatic particle drawing immediate attention to the ensuing statement. It indicates a significant and determined action God is about to undertake, underscoring the gravity and certainty of the divine decree. It conveys "I Myself," highlighting personal, divine agency.
- I will lay (נֹתֵן - noten): This is a participle, expressing an ongoing or resolute action, translated as "I am setting" or "I am placing." It emphasizes God's active and intentional role in orchestrating the coming judgment, rather than it being a mere passive consequence. He is not merely allowing calamity; He is directing it.
- stumbling blocks (מִכְשֹׁלִים - miksholīm): Literally "things that cause one to stumble." Metaphorically, these are obstacles or snares that lead to a downfall or ruin. In a spiritual sense, sin can be a stumbling block (Ez 14:3), but here, God actively places them as instruments of judgment. These would encompass the invading armies, famine, plague, and societal collapse that Judah would experience.
- before this people: The specific target of the judgment: Judah, God's covenant people, who are now viewed with a certain distance due to their prolonged apostasy. "This people" contrasts with the affectionate "My people," highlighting God's current disfavor.
- fathers and sons (אָבוֹת וּבָנִים - avot uvanim): This phrase represents the generational scope of the judgment. It indicates that the catastrophe will affect all age groups, from the patriarchs to the youth, demonstrating the widespread and inescapable nature of the impending doom.
- together (יַחְדָּיו - yachdāv): This adverb reinforces the comprehensive and simultaneous nature of the disaster. All members of society, across generations, will be entangled in the same fate; there will be no escape for any demographic group.
- shall stumble over them (וְכָשְׁלוּ בָם - v'kashlu vam): The direct consequence of the "stumbling blocks." This implies not just a minor trip, but a fall leading to ruin. The divine obstacles will assuredly bring about their downfall.
- the neighbor and his friend (שָׁכֵן וְרֵעַ - shachen v'rea'): This signifies the social dimension of the judgment. It demonstrates the complete breakdown of communal ties and solidarity. Even the most basic interpersonal relationships—those between close acquaintances—will be engulfed and dissolved by the widespread desolation.
- shall perish (וְאָבָדוּ - v'avadū): A strong term signifying utter destruction, ruin, or being completely cut off. It highlights the severe and irreversible nature of God's judgment, confirming that the "stumbling" will result in ultimate loss and desolation, not just a temporary setback.
- "I will lay stumbling blocks before this people": This group of words emphasizes God's direct and intentional intervention in the course of history as the ultimate sovereign. It signifies active judgment rather than passive permission. The "stumbling blocks" are divinely orchestrated calamities.
- "fathers and sons together shall stumble over them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish": This extended phrase powerfully conveys the universal and inescapable nature of the coming calamity. It breaks down all societal barriers and generational distinctions, illustrating that no one, irrespective of age or social standing, will be spared from the devastating consequences of their national apostasy. All communal bonds and structures will collapse in this shared ruin.
Jeremiah 6 21 Bonus section
The concept of God laying "stumbling blocks" highlights a theological tension where God, while righteous, actively participates in bringing about the just consequences of persistent sin. This is not arbitrary cruelty, but a determined act against those who have spurned His covenant love and consistently refused opportunities for repentance (as outlined throughout Jeremiah 6 and earlier chapters). The imagery implies that Judah's path, already crooked by their own sin, will now be riddled with divinely placed obstacles ensuring their final collapse. Furthermore, the use of "this people" instead of "My people" subtly indicates God's withdrawal of special favor and affection from them in their unfaithfulness, positioning them as an estranged, condemned entity.
Jeremiah 6 21 Commentary
Jeremiah 6:21 delivers a stark message of God's unwavering resolve to execute judgment on an unrepentant Judah. Having repeatedly warned them and observed their rejection of His commands and continued reliance on hypocritical worship, the LORD declares that He will actively orchestrate their downfall. The "stumbling blocks" signify divinely appointed calamities – likely the impending Babylonian invasion, famine, and societal collapse – which are inescapable. This judgment will be all-encompassing, impacting every segment of society: "fathers and sons" denote generational ruin, while "neighbor and friend" portray the complete disintegration of social solidarity and personal relationships. The phrase "shall perish" underscores the absolute and devastating finality of this divine reckoning. This verse stands as a solemn warning that continued disobedience, even from a chosen people, culminates in severe divine justice, where the very fabric of their existence unravels.