Jeremiah 6 9

Jeremiah 6:9 kjv

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.

Jeremiah 6:9 nkjv

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "They shall thoroughly glean as a vine the remnant of Israel; As a grape-gatherer, put your hand back into the branches."

Jeremiah 6:9 niv

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Let them glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine; pass your hand over the branches again, like one gathering grapes."

Jeremiah 6:9 esv

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "They shall glean thoroughly as a vine the remnant of Israel; like a grape gatherer pass your hand again over its branches."

Jeremiah 6:9 nlt

This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says:
"Even the few who remain in Israel
will be picked over again,
as when a harvester checks each vine a second time
to pick the grapes that were missed."

Jeremiah 6 verses

Jeremiah 6 9 Meaning

Jeremiah 6:9 describes the Lord's pronouncement of impending and complete judgment upon Judah, likening it to a diligent harvest. Just as a vinedresser meticulously goes over the vines multiple times to collect every last grape, so too will God allow the invaders to utterly strip away what remains of Israel. This metaphor underscores the severity and comprehensiveness of the coming destruction and exile, leaving no one untouched by the consequences of their unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 6 9 Context

Jeremiah chapter 6 details God's imminent judgment on Judah, using vivid imagery and urgent warnings. Jerusalem is under siege, metaphorically depicted as a beautiful meadow to be trodden down (v.2). The enemies, a fearsome nation from the north (Babylon), are depicted as ready to utterly destroy the land (v.3-6). The reason for this severe judgment is Judah's profound spiritual decay: widespread injustice, violence, greed (v.7-8), corrupt prophets and priests who proclaim "peace, peace" where there is no peace (v.13-15), and a stubborn refusal to heed God's warnings and walk in the "ancient paths" (v.16-17). Jeremiah 6:9 specifically comes amidst these warnings, illustrating the comprehensive nature of the coming disaster, emphasizing that the enemy's stripping of the land will be exhaustive, leaving virtually nothing behind, similar to how Judah has relentlessly sinned against God.

Jeremiah 6 9 Word analysis

• "Thus says": (כֹּה אָמַר koh amar) - A foundational prophetic formula asserting direct divine revelation and authority. It declares that the subsequent message originates unequivocally from God.
• "the LORD": (יְהוָה YHWH) - The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal, self-existent nature, and His covenant relationship with Israel, which is now violated.
• "of hosts": (צְבָאוֹת tseba'oth) - Implies God's omnipotence and control over all celestial and earthly armies and powers, including the enemy nation He will use as His instrument of judgment.
• "Let them thoroughly glean": (עוֹלֵל יְעוֹלְלוּ olel yeol·lelu) - A double verb form, indicating intensive and repeated action. "Glean" (`alal) usually refers to collecting grapes left after the main harvest. The repetition emphasizes that every last bit will be searched for and taken. This contrasts with the Mosaic law that commanded leaving some gleanings for the poor (Lev 19:9-10; Deut 24:21), highlighting the utter devastation God will permit, with nothing to spare. It signifies exhaustive plunder and removal.
• "the remnant": (שְׁאֵרִית she'erit) - The term literally means "that which is left over." While often carrying positive connotations of hope for a future faithful group in other contexts (e.g., Isa 10:21), here it tragically refers to what little might already be left before the thorough stripping, or even what will remain to be meticulously removed by the invaders. It implies the judgment will be so severe that even this small "leftover" portion will be taken.
• "of Israel": (יִשְׂרָאֵל yisra'el) - Referring to the collective people of God's covenant, specifically Judah in this context. The judgment applies to all who claim this identity, signifying God's justice knows no partiality for covenant-breakers.
• "as a vine": (כַּגֶּפֶן ka·gephen) - The central metaphor. Israel is frequently depicted as God's vine or vineyard (e.g., Ps 80, Isa 5). Here, the vine is not pruned for fruitfulness but subjected to a harsh, final stripping by foreign hands.
• "Pass your hand again": (תָּשֵׁב יָדְךָ tasheb yad·ka) - "Bring back your hand." An imperative, directing the metaphorical gleaners (the invading armies) to re-examine, re-harvest. It reinforces the image of methodical and complete collection, leaving nothing overlooked.
• "over the branches": (עַל־סַרְסִרִים al-sarsisirim) - The branches of the vine. This further specifies the extent of the gleaning, implying every accessible part, every individual, will be affected. It's not just the main clusters, but even the scattered grapes among the foliage.

Jeremiah 6 9 Bonus section

• The irony of the "gleaning" metaphor is stark. While the Mosaic Law required leaving gleanings for the poor and the sojourner as an act of grace and justice (Lev 19:9-10), here God commands the meticulous removal of every last gleaning by a foreign enemy, reversing the benevolent intention of the law into an instrument of severe judgment. This highlights the complete abandonment of God's statutes by Israel, which in turn leads to a reversal of His blessings.
• The phrase "the remnant of Israel" usually implies hope or a preserved group, yet in this context, it highlights the extreme nature of the impending judgment. Even if only a small "remnant" currently remains, or if a small group somehow survives an initial wave of disaster, the divine command is that even that will be subjected to the intensive gleaning, implying the almost total annihilation or deportation of the populace.
• This passage functions as a prophetic oracle that both warns and explains. It warns of the immediate future destruction but also provides a theological explanation: it is not random misfortune, but a deliberate act of the "LORD of hosts" who, in His justice, allows this "harvest" of judgment due to Israel's unrepentant sin.

Jeremiah 6 9 Commentary

Jeremiah 6:9 is a powerful, concise declaration of God's total and inevitable judgment against Judah's deep-seated spiritual apostasy. Using the vivid agricultural metaphor of thoroughly gleaning a vine, the prophet conveys that no part of the nation, no individual or possession, will escape the invaders' relentless grasp. This divine command acts as an authorized warrant for the foreign enemy, emphasizing that their actions, though brutal, are instruments in God's sovereign hand to exact justice. It's a sobering image that speaks to the finality of patience exhausted, where even the "remnant" is not spared from the impending ruin. The command to "pass your hand again over the branches" underscores the painstaking meticulousness with which Judah's resources and population will be taken, leaving a desolation reflective of their stubborn refusal to repent. This verse starkly reminds God's people then and now of the severe consequences of persistent disobedience to His covenant.