Jeremiah 15:15
O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jeremiah isn't just asking for vengeance; he's pleading with God not to let His own patient forbearance with the wicked lead to Jeremiah's destruction. He fears that God's delay in judgment on his persecutors might accidentally sweep him up in the coming wrath, so he reminds God that his suffering is because of his faithfulness to God.
Jeremiah is in the depths of despair, feeling abandoned by God and attacked by his own people. He's just been promised by God that he will be delivered and protected (Jeremiah 15:11), but he's still reeling from the betrayal and persecution he's faced. This verse is his cry to God, pleading for remembrance, vindication, and protection from those who revile him for being God's messenger.
Jeremiah is hurting. His message of warning is falling on deaf ears, and his own people are turning against him. He cries out to God, not just for comfort, but for justice.
Jeremiah feels the weight of his calling and the intense opposition he faces. In this verse, he directly asks God to 'revenge me of my persecutors.' This isn't a call for personal vengeance, but a cry for God’s justice to be seen.
A Righteous Cry
Many commentators note that while this sounds harsh to modern ears, Jeremiah isn't seeking personal revenge. He's acting out of zeal for God's honor and righteousness. Because he's suffering for God's sake, he asks God to step in and vindicate His own name through him.
God Knows and Sees
Jeremiah begins with, 'O LORD, you know.' This is a profound statement of faith. He knows God sees his suffering, his sincerity, and the injustice he faces. This knowledge fuels his plea for God to act. He's not trying to convince God of his situation, but to remind God of it and trust in His sovereign justice.
Jeremiah is caught in a difficult tension: God is patient with the wicked, but this patience feels like abandonment to Jeremiah. He fears being swept away in judgment.
The phrase 'take me not away in your longsuffering' is critical. Jeremiah observes God's incredible patience and mercy toward a rebellious people, but this same mercy seems to delay the justice he desperately seeks.
The Dilemma of Divine Patience
God's 'longsuffering' (or patience) is a divine attribute, meant to lead people to repentance. However, for those suffering because of the unrepentant, this patience can be agonizing. Jeremiah fears that God's continued patience with his persecutors will inadvertently lead to his own destruction.
A Plea for Distinction
He isn't asking God to stop being patient with everyone. Instead, he's asking God to distinguish him from the wicked. He wants to be spared from the judgment that is coming upon those who persecute him, even as God continues to bear with them. He's essentially praying, 'Don't let your patience with them become the reason I am destroyed.'
Understand the original words
naqam · Hebrew Noun
The act of responding to wrong or injustice by inflicting a reciprocal penalty. In the Bible, vengeance belongs ultimately to God, who judges righteously to restore order and vindicate the oppressed.
erek appayim · Hebrew Noun phrase
Long-suffering or the withholding of judgment. It reflects God’s character of patience, giving space for repentance before His inevitable judgment falls.
cherpah · Hebrew Noun
Shame, disgrace, or insult experienced by an individual, often for their faithfulness to God. It highlights the social or personal cost of standing for truth in a world that opposes it.
Jeremiah's prayer in this verse emerges from the ashes of Jerusalem's destruction and the deep personal suffering he endured for proclaiming God's word. The surrounding historical events highlight the devastating consequences of national sin and the profound isolation the prophet felt as God's messenger.
Late 8th - Early 7th century BC
Assyrian Captivity of Northern Israel
While not directly related to Jeremiah's time, the fall of the northern kingdom to Assyria served as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of disobedience and ongoing idolatry.
609 BC
Josiah's Death
King Josiah, a righteous ruler who had initiated reforms, was killed in battle at Megiddo. His death plunged Judah into political instability and spiritual decline, paving the way for Jehoiakim's ungodly reign.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and took some of the royal family and skilled citizens captive to Babylon. This marked the beginning of Judah's exile and set the stage for Jeremiah's prophecies.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, were taken to Babylon. Judah's political and spiritual situation worsened significantly.
This psalm expresses similar sentiments of deep suffering and reproach endured for righteousness' sake, crying out to God for deliverance and vindication, much like Jeremiah in this passage.
Psalm 139:1-2Jeremiah's opening 'O LORD, you know' echoes the psalmist's appeal to God's intimate knowledge of his heart and circumstances, finding comfort and validation in that divine awareness.
Romans 8:18This passage highlights the theme of present suffering being incomparable to future glory, a concept that resonates with Jeremiah's bearing of reproach for God's sake, trusting in a future vindication.
Luke 11:47-51Jesus speaks of the prophets being persecuted and killed, acknowledging their suffering for God's word and implicitly validating Jeremiah's cry for justice against those who oppose God's messengers.
clarkeJeremiah 15:15: "O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke."
O Lord - remember me, and visit me - Let me not be carried away into captivity; and it does not appear that he had ever been taken to Babylon. After the capture of the city he went into Egypt; and either died there, or was put to death by his countrymen.
pooleJeremiah 15:15: "O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke."
O Lord, thou knowest; either thou knowest my sincerity, how faithfully I have revealed thy will; so Psalm 139:1,23 ; or thou knowest my sufferings, how wickedly they deal with me; or thou knowest what thou hast to do, what is in thy purpose and resolution to dc; I will say no more unto thee; only for my. own sa…
Jeremiah isn't just asking for vengeance; he's pleading with God not to let His own patient forbearance with the wicked lead to Jeremiah's destruction. He fears that God's delay in judgment on his persecutors might accidentally sweep him up in the coming wrath, so he reminds God that his suffering is because of his faithfulness to God.
Jeremiah is in the depths of despair, feeling abandoned by God and attacked by his own people. He's just been promised by God that he will be delivered and protected (Jeremiah 15:11), but he's still reeling from the betrayal and persecution he's faced. This verse is his cry to God, pleading for remembrance, vindication, and protection from those who revile him for being God's messenger.
Jeremiah is in the depths of despair, feeling abandoned by God and attacked by his own people. He's just been promised by God that he will be delivered and protected (Jeremiah 15:11), but he's still reeling from the betrayal and persecution he's faced. This verse is his cry to God, pleading for remembrance, vindication, and protection from those who revile him for being God's messenger.
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Jeremiah grounds his entire plea in one undeniable fact: his suffering is not for his own gain, but for God's. This reframes reproach as a badge of honor.
The verse concludes with a powerful declaration: 'know that for your sake I have suffered rebuke.' Jeremiah isn't just complaining about his personal hardship; he's highlighting that the very reason he is being attacked is because of his faithfulness to God.
Reproach as Proof
He asks God to 'know' this fact. The reproach (or shame, disgrace, insult) he endures is evidence of his commitment to God's message and God's honor. When people insult Jeremiah, they are, in effect, insulting God whom he represents.
A Higher Purpose
This shifts the focus from personal grievance to divine purpose. Jeremiah’s suffering isn't random; it has a cosmic significance. It’s a battle for God's reputation in the world. By pleading for vengeance, he’s asking God to defend His own name and honor, which are being trampled through the persecution of His prophet.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroyed Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, marking the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the culmination of the exiles. This devastating event profoundly impacted Jeremiah's ministry and the faith of his people.
After 586 BC
Flight to Egypt
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, a remnant, including Jeremiah, fled to Egypt, fearing retribution from the Babylonians. This marked a somber end to Jeremiah's prophetic mission within Judah.
"O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach." — Jeremiah isn't just asking for vengeance; he's pleading with God not to let His own patient forbearance with the wicked lead to Jeremiah's destruction. He fears that God's delay in judgment on his pe…
