Jeremiah 9 21

Jeremiah 9:21 kjv

For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.

Jeremiah 9:21 nkjv

For death has come through our windows, Has entered our palaces, To kill off the children? no longer to be outside! And the young men? no longer on the streets!

Jeremiah 9:21 niv

Death has climbed in through our windows and has entered our fortresses; it has removed the children from the streets and the young men from the public squares.

Jeremiah 9:21 esv

For death has come up into our windows; it has entered our palaces, cutting off the children from the streets and the young men from the squares.

Jeremiah 9:21 nlt

For death has crept in through our windows
and has entered our mansions.
It has killed off the flower of our youth:
Children no longer play in the streets,
and young men no longer gather in the squares.

Jeremiah 9 verses

Jeremiah 9 21 Meaning

Jeremiah 9:21 prophesies the grim reality of divine judgment overtaking Judah. It vividly portrays death as a personified, unstoppable invader, breaching all defenses—from the common homes ("windows") to the most secure dwellings ("palaces"). Its purpose is to ruthlessly "cut off" and exterminate the population, targeting both the innocent children who symbolize the future generation and the strong young men who represent the nation's strength and potential. This verse underscores the pervasive and indiscriminate nature of the impending doom, leaving no one spared and devastating the very fabric of society.

Jeremiah 9 21 Context

Jeremiah chapter 9 unfolds a profound lament by the prophet over the spiritual blindness, moral decay, and impending destruction of Judah. It reveals God's deep sorrow and righteous anger over His people's covenantal infidelity, idolatry, and pervasive deceit. The chapter begins with Jeremiah's intense grief, wishing for a "fountain of tears" to mourn his slain people (v. 1). It details their treachery, lies, and refusal to know the Lord (vv. 2-6), declaring God's resolve to refine them through suffering (v. 7). The chapter laments the desolation of the land due to judgment (vv. 10-11) and warns of the sword consuming them (vv. 16). Jeremiah then calls for professional mourners (vv. 17-20), signaling the inevitability of death. Verse 21, therefore, serves as a grim and immediate pronouncement of how that prophesied judgment and death will manifest, explicitly detailing its method and its indiscriminate victims. Historically, this prophecy forewarned the Babylonian invasions, which would result in widespread death, famine, and exile, decimating Jerusalem and its inhabitants, culminating in the destruction of the Temple and the end of the Davidic monarchy in Judah.

Jeremiah 9 21 Word analysis

• For (כִּי, ki): Not just a conjunction, but indicates the certainty or consequence of what precedes. It implies a reason, affirming the impending reality of death.
• death (מָוֶת, mavet): Represents literal cessation of life. Here, personified as an active, conscious agent. It embodies the full horror of mortality, war, and divine judgment.
• is come up (עָלָה, ʿalah): Literally "to ascend" or "to go up." The imagery evokes an unexpected, intrusive arrival, like an invader climbing over walls or emerging stealthily, gaining access from below or above.
• into our windows (חַלּוֹן, challon): Windows are typically for light, air, and viewing outward. For death to "come up" into windows suggests a perverse, violating entry point. It signifies the breaching of private domestic spaces, highlighting the intimate and inescapable nature of the invasion into every home.
• and is entered (בּוֹא, boʾ): To come, to enter. Emphasizes the successful penetration and occupation of these secure spaces.
• into our palaces (אַבִּיר, abbir referring to an impregnable, mighty structure, here implied for armon (אַרְמוֹן), a fortified building or royal residence): "Palaces" denote places of power, wealth, and supposed security—the strongholds of the elite. Even these most protected and prestigious locations offer no refuge from death's grip, showing the universality of the judgment.
• to cut off (לְהַכְרִית, le'hachrit): To cut off, destroy, exterminate, annihilate. This term frequently appears in contexts of divine judgment, often implying a total destruction, an end of a lineage or people, indicating a complete termination rather than just loss.
• the children (עוֹלָל, ʿolal): Refers to infants or young children, representing innocence and the future generation. Their slaughter underscores the brutality and totality of the judgment, eradicating hope and continuity.
• from without (מִחוּץ, michutz): Implies from the outside or from public areas. It contrasts with the previous imagery of entering windows and palaces, suggesting both public and private spaces will see the death of children. Or, it could imply "cutting off from existence."
• and the young men (בָּחוּר, bachur): Able-bodied young men, often associated with strength, military potential, and the prime of life. Their demise removes the generation meant to defend the nation and rebuild it.
• from the streets (רְחוֹב, rechov): Public thoroughfares, gathering places. This location signifies that the judgment will be public and indiscriminate, striking down those who would normally be active in public life, showcasing the chaos and breakdown of society.

Word-groups analysis:

• "For death is come up into our windows": This vivid personification presents death as a clandestine, supernatural intruder, violating the privacy and sanctity of home life through the least expected entry point. It creates an image of inescapable dread.
• "and is entered into our palaces": Extending the invasion, this phrase indicates that no status, wealth, or fortification will prevent the judgment. Both commoners and the elite, vulnerable homes and impregnable strongholds, fall prey to this ubiquitous destructive force.
• "to cut off the children from without": The verb "to cut off" (hachrit) is weighty, indicating divine decree for complete annihilation of lineage or existence. Targeting "children" emphasizes the loss of future, hope, and the ultimate horror of the judgment – the killing of the most vulnerable. "From without" could signify being eliminated from public view or from continuing to exist.
• "and the young men from the streets": This broadens the scope of destruction to include the strong and capable, found in public spaces, ensuring no age group capable of sustaining society is spared. It illustrates the complete collapse of community and military strength. The streets, normally bustling with life, become places of death.

Jeremiah 9 21 Bonus section

The intense personification of death in this verse aligns with similar ancient Near Eastern beliefs and poetic expressions where destructive forces are often given agency. This is not merely a literary device but conveys a sense of irresistible, almost sentient, evil unleashed by divine will. The mention of "windows" specifically highlights an almost supernatural or certainly unexpected mode of entry, circumventing conventional defenses. In siege warfare, disease (pestilence) often claimed more lives than the sword, entering homes and bodies silently, which could be another layer of meaning for "death" "coming up into our windows"—an unseen, pervasive force. The specificity of "children" and "young men" often refers to the two main categories of male citizens, those who are too young to fight and those who are able to fight, encompassing all segments of the population.

Jeremiah 9 21 Commentary

Jeremiah 9:21 is a stark and deeply poetic articulation of impending national catastrophe. The genius of the verse lies in its powerful personification of "death" as an active, malevolent agent. This is not just a metaphor; it conveys the absolute certainty and tangible presence of destruction that will sweep through Judah. The imagery of death entering "windows" and "palaces" paints a chilling picture of an enemy that transcends physical barriers and societal distinctions. Windows, symbols of domesticity and views to the outside world, become entry points for doom. Palaces, symbols of power, security, and wealth, become just as vulnerable. This highlights the comprehensive nature of the judgment – no place, however humble or grand, offers sanctuary.

The focus on "children" and "young men" is particularly devastating. Children represent the future, innocence, and hope; their eradication means the termination of lineage and societal continuity. Young men represent the present strength, productivity, and defense; their demise leaves the nation hollow and undefended. The inclusion of both, and their respective locations "from without" and "from the streets," underscores the indiscriminate reach of this judgment. It speaks to a complete breakdown of order and safety, where even public spaces, normally bustling with activity, become sites of death. This verse encapsulates the severe consequences of Judah's unrepented sin and rebellion against God, emphasizing the horror and finality of divine judgment when fully unleashed. It’s a prophecy not just of warfare, but of existential threat, echoing God's ultimate justice.