Jeremiah 6:26 kjv
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
Jeremiah 6:26 nkjv
O daughter of my people, Dress in sackcloth And roll about in ashes! Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us.
Jeremiah 6:26 niv
Put on sackcloth, my people, and roll in ashes; mourn with bitter wailing as for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
Jeremiah 6:26 esv
O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
Jeremiah 6:26 nlt
Oh, my people, dress yourselves in burlap
and sit among the ashes.
Mourn and weep bitterly, as for the loss of an only son.
For suddenly the destroying armies will be upon you!
Jeremiah 6 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 4:8 | "For this, put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us." | Warning of God's wrath |
| Jeremiah 6:11 | "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace." | False peace and superficial healing |
| Jeremiah 6:14 | "They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace." | Repetition of false security |
| Jeremiah 8:11 | "They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace." | Similar theme of superficiality |
| Jeremiah 9:1 | "Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes were a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" | Intense personal grief |
| Jeremiah 14:17 | "You shall say this word to them: ‘Let my eyes flow weeping, night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is struck down with a mighty blow, with a fatal wound.'" | Vivid imagery of destruction |
| Jeremiah 31:15 | "Thus says the LORD: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, anguish, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted because they are no more.’" | Prophecy fulfilled in Bethlehem |
| Jeremiah 48:37 | "For every head is baldness, and every beard is shaven; on all hands are cuts, and on the loins are sackcloth." | Expressions of deep mourning in Moab |
| Ezekiel 27:30 | "And they shall cry aloud over you and call out in bitterness, and they shall cast dust on their heads and wallow in ashes." | Mourning for the fall of Tyre |
| Ezekiel 24:17 | "Sigh over it silently; no mourning for the dead; wrap yourself in your turban, put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men." | Silence and deep inward sorrow |
| Amos 5:2 | "Fallen, fallen is the virgin Israel; no one raises her up from the ground." | Imagery of helplessness and defeat |
| Amos 5:16 | "Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord: ‘A wailing shall be in all the streets, and in all the squares the mourners will cry, “Alas! Alas!” They will call the farmers to mourning and to wailing whoever is skillful in lamentation.'" | Public and widespread lamentation |
| Micah 1:8 | "Therefore I will wail and howl; I will go stripped and naked. I will make a wail like a jackal, and mourning like an owl." | Prophet's personal lament |
| Matthew 2:18 | "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are not." | Fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15 |
| Luke 23:27 | "And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were grieving and lamenting for him." | Women lamenting Jesus |
| Revelation 18:9 | "And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning." | Lamentation over the fall of Babylon |
| Romans 12:15 | "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." | Empathy and shared suffering |
| 2 Corinthians 7:10 | "For the sorrow that God has desired works repentance unto salvation not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world works death." | Distinction between godly and worldly sorrow |
| Galatians 4:27 | "For it is written: ‘Rejoice, O barren one, you who bear no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have not travailed; for the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.’" | Symbolic of barrenness and fruitfulness |
| Hebrews 12:17 | "For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it with tears." | Esau's rejection and remorse |
Jeremiah 6 verses
Jeremiah 6 26 Meaning
This verse signifies a lamentation over a people who are afflicted by disaster and presented with images of mourning. It speaks of profound grief and distress experienced by individuals and the community.
Jeremiah 6 26 Context
Jeremiah chapter 6 describes the impending judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem due to their persistent sinfulness and rejection of God's word. The chapter vividly portrays the approach of the Babylonian army, symbolizing a destructive and unstoppable force. The people are warned of the severe consequences of their disobedience, which include exile and destruction. This verse appears within a section where the prophet is describing the deep sorrow and mourning that will afflict the nation as a result of God's judgment. The imagery reflects the reality of war, displacement, and loss that the people will experience. The lamentations mentioned are not merely expressions of sadness but a response to a national catastrophe.
Jeremiah 6 26 Word Analysis
- Go to the gates (Hebrew: לְכִי־בַשְּׁעָרִים - lechî bashshə‘ārîm): This phrase literally means "Go to the gates." The gates were centers of public life, places of commerce, justice, and congregating. It signifies entering into the public space of the city to enact the prescribed actions of mourning.
- lamentation (Hebrew: מִסְפֵּד - mispēd): This word denotes wailing, moaning, or deep sorrow, often publicly expressed in times of great loss. It carries a sense of intense grief.
- the daughter of my people (Hebrew: בַּת־עַמִּי - bath ‘ammî): This is a poetic and tender way to refer to the nation or city of Jerusalem, personifying it as a woman, often a virgin, representing its purity and vulnerability before its downfall.
- sit in ashes (Hebrew: שְׁבִי בָּאֵפֶר - shəvî bā’ēp̱er): Sitting in ashes is a well-known ancient Near Eastern sign of extreme mourning, repentance, and humility. It signifies being humbled, covered in the dust of devastation, and in a state of deep abasement before God or in the face of disaster.
- make yourself a mourning dress (Hebrew: עֲשִׂי לָךְ מִסְפֵּד - ‘əśî lakh mispēd): This could mean to put on mourning garments, or to prepare oneself internally for mourning, emphasizing the need for outward expressions of grief. It is a directive for solemn preparation.
- mourning dress (Hebrew: מִסְפֵּד - mispēd): Again, this refers to the act or garb of mourning. It reinforces the theme of collective, public grief.
- sackcloth (Hebrew: קְרַח - qəraḥ or Hebrew: שַׂק - saq used in similar contexts for mourning apparel): While "sackcloth" (שַׂק) is a common term for mourning garments made from coarse material like goat hair, the Hebrew term here might be implicitly referencing such attire through the broader context of mourning practices.
- wickedness (Hebrew: בְּלִיַּעַל - bəliyya‘al): This refers to worthlessness, wickedness, ruin, or destructive force. It can be a characteristic of people, things, or even abstract concepts that lead to ruin. It speaks to the inherent corruption that has led to the current crisis.
Word Group Analysis
- "Go to the gates, lamentation! in the broad place make yourself a mourning dress, sit in ashes": This group of commands directs the people of Judah to engage in the most profound public acts of grief and repentance. The "gates" and "broad place" highlight the communal nature of the mourning, ensuring it is visible and widely recognized. "Sitting in ashes" is the apex of physical humiliation and sorrow.
- "daughter of my people": This personification of the nation underscores its vulnerability and the intimate, almost familial, relationship God has with His people, making their impending suffering all the more poignant.
- "with the dust of ashes": This reinforces the preceding action of sitting in ashes, adding emphasis to the depth of despair and the desire to express utter brokenness.
Jeremiah 6 26 Bonus Section
The act of "sitting in ashes" was not merely a symbolic gesture but was deeply ingrained in the cultural understanding of mourning and repentance across the ancient Near East. It symbolized a stripping away of all comfort, adornment, and status, reducing individuals and the community to their most basic state, vulnerable and exposed. This imagery is powerfully echoed in the New Testament through Jesus' empathy with human suffering and the apostles' call to "weep with those who weep." It underlines the profound spiritual truth that acknowledging one's fallen state and approaching God with deep contrition is often the prerequisite for true restoration and renewal.
Jeremiah 6 26 Commentary
This verse issues stark directives for communal lamentation, recognizing the severe spiritual and national crisis Judah faces. It calls for outward, public displays of deep sorrow and repentance through mourning customs. The mention of "the daughter of my people" highlights the vulnerability of the nation. The act of sitting in ashes signifies extreme distress, brokenness, and acknowledgment of utter dependence on God amidst judgment. It's a call for the people to face the reality of their sin and its consequences, to shed the pretense of peace, and to enter a season of profound mourning and contrition before a Holy God. This isn't about passive sadness but active, visible acknowledgment of sin and dependence on God's mercy, though judgment is inevitable without true repentance.