Jeremiah 9:9 kjv
Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
Jeremiah 9:9 nkjv
Shall I not punish them for these things?" says the LORD. "Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?"
Jeremiah 9:9 niv
Should I not punish them for this?" declares the LORD. "Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?"
Jeremiah 9:9 esv
Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD, and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?
Jeremiah 9:9 nlt
Should I not punish them for this?" says the LORD.
"Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?"
Jeremiah 9 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 32:35 | "Vengeance is mine, and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time..." | God declares His exclusive right to vengeance. |
| Psa 94:1 | "O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth, O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself." | Prayer acknowledging God's rightful vengeance. |
| Isa 10:3 | "And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come...?" | Rhetorical question about impending judgment. |
| Nah 1:2-3 | "The LORD is a jealous God, and the LORD revengeth... he will not at all acquit the wicked." | Describes God as avenging, full of wrath. |
| Rom 12:19 | "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine..." | NT reaffirms God's sole right to vengeance. |
| Heb 10:30 | "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord..." | Quoting Deut 32:35, emphasizes God's retribution. |
| 2 Thes 1:8-9 | "...in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God..." | God's future judgment and vengeance on the ungodly. |
| Gen 18:25 | "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" | Rhetorical question affirming God's justice. |
| Isa 5:4 | "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it...?" | God's rhetorical question regarding Israel's failure. |
| Jer 5:9 | "Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation..." | Near identical verse reiterating judgment certainty. |
| Jer 5:29 | "Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation..." | Again, reinforcing the certainty of judgment. |
| Amos 3:2 | "You only have I known... therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." | God's specific judgment on His chosen, for their sins. |
| Hos 9:7 | "The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it..." | Explicit declaration of coming judgment days. |
| Psa 89:32 | "Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes." | God's promise to punish His covenant people if they sin. |
| Jer 23:14 | "I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies..." | Listing reasons for God's impending judgment. |
| Hos 4:1-2 | "There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God... By swearing, and lying, and killing..." | Describes the pervasive moral decay leading to judgment. |
| Mal 3:5 | "And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against... those that oppress..." | God as a witness and judge of injustice. |
| Psa 11:5 | "The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth." | Shows God's inner being ("soul") reacts against wickedness. |
| Psa 78:40-41 | "How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back..." | Illustrates Israel's historical rebellion grieving God. |
| Isa 59:17 | "For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation... and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing..." | Portrays God as actively ready to execute judgment. |
| Rev 2:23 | "...and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works." | Christ's judgment and discernment in NT church. |
| Matt 12:18 | "...Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased..." | While positive, demonstrates God's "soul" expressing deep resolve. |
Jeremiah 9 verses
Jeremiah 9 9 Meaning
Jeremiah 9:9 declares God's solemn and emphatic resolution to bring judgment upon the nation of Judah. It poses rhetorical questions that serve as powerful affirmations: God will indeed "visit" them for their transgressions, and His very being, His "soul," will not allow such pervasive sin to go unpunished. The verse underscores God's unwavering commitment to justice and holiness in response to widespread deceit, apostasy, and unfaithfulness that has characterized the people, revealing the depth of their offense to His divine nature.
Jeremiah 9 9 Context
Jeremiah 9:9 sits within a larger prophetic lament and warning concerning the severe moral corruption of Judah and its inevitable divine judgment. Chapter 9 immediately follows descriptions of Judah's widespread deceit, lies, distrust among neighbors, and rejection of God's law (Jer 9:2-8). Jeremiah portrays the nation as a spiritual wasteland, devoid of truth, and immersed in unfaithfulness. The prophet himself expresses profound grief over this state. The historical backdrop is the late 7th to early 6th century BCE, a period preceding the Babylonian exile, when Judah had fallen into idolatry, social injustice, and a false sense of security, believing Jerusalem and its temple were inviolable. God, through Jeremiah, is directly addressing this pervasive apostasy and revealing the divine justice that will confront their deep-seated sin.
Jeremiah 9 9 Word analysis
- Shall I not (הֲ... לֹא): A strong rhetorical question in Hebrew that functions as an emphatic affirmation. It essentially means "Certainly I shall" or "Indeed, I must." This conveys absolute certainty and divine necessity.
- visit (אֶפְקֹד / ’efqod): From the root פָקַד (paqad), which means to inspect, appoint, number, or care for. Critically, in this context, paqad denotes a visitation for the purpose of judgment and punishment. It signifies divine reckoning and accountability, not merely a benevolent presence. This meaning is frequently found in prophetic warnings of impending judgment.
- them (בָּם / bām): Refers to the people of Judah, specifically those involved in the widespread deceit, idolatry, and unrighteousness described earlier in the chapter.
- for these things (עַל־אֵלֶּה / ‘al-’elleh): This phrase points back to the litany of sins detailed in Jeremiah 9:2-8: pervasive deceit, treachery, lying, oppressive actions, refusal to know God, and spiritual infidelity. God's judgment is directly provoked by these specific behaviors.
- saith the LORD (נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה / nĕ’um-YHWH): This is a standard prophetic formula emphasizing the divine origin and authority of the message. Ne'um signifies an oracle or declaration, specifically from God. YHWH (the Tetragrammaton) is God's covenant name, signifying His self-existent, covenant-keeping nature, implying that this judgment comes from the very core of His being as the God of Israel.
- shall not my soul be avenged (לֹא־תִתְנַקֵּ֥ם נַפְשִֽׁי / lo’-titnakkēm nafshî):
- shall not (וְאִם־לֹא / wĕ’im-lo’): Again, a rhetorical question asserting absolute certainty.
- my soul (נַפְשִֽׁי / nafshî): Nephesh in Hebrew typically refers to the entire person, the vital self, inner being, desires, or life force. Here, it conveys God's profound, personal resolve and His deep sense of affront against their sin. It emphasizes that this judgment is not arbitrary, but a righteous outflow from His very nature.
- be avenged (תִתְנַקֵּ֥ם / titnakkēm): From the root נָקַם (naqam), meaning to avenge or take revenge. The Hithpael stem ("be avenged" or "avenge myself") indicates a reflexive or reciprocal action. God's avenging is not a human emotion of vindictiveness but a just act to vindicate His holiness, righteousness, and insulted honor. It's the necessary consequence for rejecting His covenant.
- on such a nation as this (בְּג֥וֹי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶ֖ה / bĕgôy ’ăšer-kāzeh):
- a nation (bĕgoy): Goy means "nation." While often used for gentile nations, its application to Israel here highlights how deeply they have fallen and how similar their behavior has become to pagan nations. They are no longer acting as God's distinct, holy people.
- as this (’ăšer-kāzeh): Refers directly to the description of their utter corruption in the preceding verses, underscoring the egregious nature of their specific transgressions.
Jeremiah 9 9 Bonus section
- The parallel phrasing in Jer 5:9 and 5:29 with Jer 9:9 creates a thematic refrain, underscoring the unwavering and oft-repeated divine resolve for judgment. This repetition adds rhetorical force, emphasizing the certainty and consistency of God's character.
- The concept of God's "vengeance" must be understood Biblically as divine justice, distinct from human vindictiveness. It is an act of re-establishing moral order, upholding His covenant, and vindicating His holy name against those who openly defy it. It signifies His absolute intolerance for sin within His covenant people, particularly after repeated warnings and gracious forbearance.
- Scholars note that the Hebrew paqad has a broad semantic range but gains its specific meaning (e.g., benevolent or punitive) from the surrounding context. In Jeremiah, especially in connection with the nation's severe sins, it is almost exclusively punitive.
- The chapter vividly details the human instruments of sin—lying, slandering, lack of knowledge of God—but verse 9 forcefully reminds that God himself will be the divine agent of accountability, not just human consequences.
Jeremiah 9 9 Commentary
Jeremiah 9:9 serves as a definitive statement of God's justice and an anchor point for the consequences of pervasive national sin. Through a series of rhetorical questions, God emphatically declares that He is not passive concerning the deep moral decay and spiritual rebellion evident in Judah. The use of "visit" (paqad) implies an inspection that inevitably leads to punitive action, a direct consequence of their unfaithfulness. The powerful imagery of God's "soul" being avenged highlights the intensely personal offense their actions have caused the Almighty. This is not merely an institutional or legal judgment, but a righteous response from the very heart of the holy God who is deeply grieved and insulted by their rejection and deceit. It asserts that His divine nature demands a response to such flagrant disobedience. This verse dismantles any false sense of security derived from their status as God's chosen people or their possession of the temple; election carries accountability, not immunity. The judgment described here is both severe and entirely warranted by the people's choices. It warns against superficial religiosity or self-deception, emphasizing that God truly sees, judges, and executes justice against persistent wickedness.