Jeremiah 9 19

Jeremiah 9:19 kjv

For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.

Jeremiah 9:19 nkjv

For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: 'How we are plundered! We are greatly ashamed, Because we have forsaken the land, Because we have been cast out of our dwellings.' "

Jeremiah 9:19 niv

The sound of wailing is heard from Zion: 'How ruined we are! How great is our shame! We must leave our land because our houses are in ruins.'?"

Jeremiah 9:19 esv

For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion: 'How we are ruined! We are utterly shamed, because we have left the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.'"

Jeremiah 9:19 nlt

Hear the people of Jerusalem crying in despair,
'We are ruined! We are completely humiliated!
We must leave our land,
because our homes have been torn down.'"

Jeremiah 9 verses

Jeremiah 9 19 Meaning

Jeremiah 9:19 vividly portrays the overwhelming grief and despair emanating from Zion. It captures the cries of the people who recognize their devastating plight: they are plundered and profoundly shamed. This suffering is attributed to their expulsion from their land and the utter destruction of their homes, a direct consequence of God's judgment upon them for their unfaithfulness. The verse is a prophetic lament, announcing the severe judgment and the resultant national calamity and humiliation that will befall Judah.

Jeremiah 9 19 Context

Jeremiah chapter 9 falls within a section of Jeremiah's prophecies detailing God's impending judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem for their persistent apostasy and sin. The prophet is profoundly distressed, lamenting the moral corruption of his people and the inescapable disaster. Verses 17-22 specifically issue a call for professional wailing women to join in a funeral lament, foretelling the death and desolation that will soon engulf the land. Jeremiah 9:19 serves as the very heart of this communal dirge, articulating the desperate cry from Zion as the actual (or imminent) destruction unfolds. The historical context is the period leading up to and including the Babylonian invasion and the eventual destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE, a time of profound national crisis. Culturally, communal lament was a significant expression of grief and an appeal to divine mercy, often performed with specific rituals and hired mourners, reflecting the deep sorrow for personal and national catastrophe. This lament is not merely descriptive; it underscores the reversal of Zion's destiny from being God's dwelling to a scene of utter despair, challenging any lingering belief in the inviolability of Jerusalem apart from obedience to YHWH.

Jeremiah 9 19 Word analysis

• For a sound of wailing: The Hebrew qōl nehî (ק֥וֹל נֶהִי֙) signifies a deep, mournful cry, a lament, often associated with a funeral dirge. It highlights the pervasive and inescapable sorrow that permeates the city.
• is heard: The verb nišmaʿ (נִשְׁמַ֤ע) is in the passive form, indicating that the wailing is so widespread and profound that it simply "is heard" by everyone, perhaps even by God, making the grief undeniable.
• from Zion: ṣiyyôn (צִיּ֑וֹן) refers to the city of Jerusalem, particularly the temple mount area. This is highly significant as Zion was considered God's dwelling place and the symbol of His presence and protection. The wailing from Zion thus represents the deepest irony and tragedy – a holy city turned into a scene of utter desolation and sorrow.
• ‘How we are plundered!’: êḵ šuddadnû (אֵ֚יךְ שֻׁדַּ֔דְנוּ). êḵ (how) expresses profound shock and despair. šuddadnû is the passive voice of shaddad, meaning to be utterly destroyed, ravaged, or laid waste. This is not mere theft but complete desolation, often implying military action.
• We are greatly shamed: bōšēnû məʾōḏ (בֹּ֤שְׁנוּ מְאֹד֙). bōšenû (we are shamed) signifies deep humiliation, disgrace, and public degradation. It's often linked to the exposure of weakness or failure, especially in the eyes of enemies. məʾōḏ (greatly) emphasizes the intensity of this shame, highlighting the profound loss of honor and status.
• Because we have left the land: The Hebrew kî niṭṭašnuʾ āreṣ (כִּ֤י נִטַּ֙שְׁנוּ֙ אָ֔רֶץ). kî means "because." The verb niṭṭašnu is from nataš, meaning to forsake, abandon, or cast off. Crucially, it's in the Niph'al stem, implying a passive or reflexive action: "we were abandoned from the land" or "we were driven out from the land" rather than voluntarily leaving. This underscores that their displacement is an external, forced act of judgment.
• Because they have cast down our dwellings: kî hārĕsû mišḵənôtênû (כִּ֥י הָרְס֖וּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵֽינוּ). hārĕsû means they (the enemy, acting as God's instrument) destroyed, tore down, or broke in pieces. mišḵənôtênû (our dwellings) refers to their homes, habitations, and tabernacles, emphasizing the complete destruction of their domestic and societal life, leading to homelessness and exile.

Jeremiah 9 19 Bonus section

The lament in Jer 9:19 reflects the complete reversal of fortune for Judah, a state utterly contrary to the blessings promised in the covenant. Instead of security and prosperity, there is plundering and shame. The lament is not just an expression of grief but also a confession, implicitly acknowledging that their plight is due to a broken covenant, even if the direct words "we sinned" are not explicitly present. The vivid imagery of widespread wailing emphasizes the communal and inescapable nature of this suffering; no one will be untouched. This also hints at the collective guilt and shared consequences for the nation's idolatry and injustice. The verse showcases Jeremiah's unique role as both prophet and empathizer, deeply connected to the suffering he prophesies, experiencing it along with his people.

Jeremiah 9 19 Commentary

Jeremiah 9:19 is a profound and poignant prophetic declaration that captures the essence of divine judgment manifested in the fall of Jerusalem. It projects the agonizing cries of the people, foreseeing or reflecting a time when Zion, the sacred heart of their nation, becomes a place of bitter lamentation rather than divine celebration. The twofold suffering – plunder and profound shame – encapsulates both material loss and the crushing blow to their national identity and spiritual standing before God and other nations. The emphasis on being "greatly shamed" speaks to the public degradation and the shattering of their belief in an unconditional divine protection for Zion.

The verse is key in explaining the reason for this calamity: "Because we have left the land" (better understood as "we have been forsaken from the land" or "driven out from the land") and "because they have cast down our dwellings." This links their exile and destruction directly to their spiritual abandonment of God, which in turn leads to their physical abandonment from the land God promised them. Their covenant infidelity resulted in God allowing their enemies to act as instruments of His judgment, uprooting them from their inheritance and destroying their homes. The verse underscores that the consequences of disobedience are comprehensive, impacting not only their spiritual well-being but also their physical safety, societal structure, and national dignity. It is a powerful reminder that turning away from God inevitably leads to a state of lament, loss, and disgrace.