Jeremiah 17:18
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jeremiah isn't just asking for his shame to be removed, but for his dismay to be averted. This isn't just about being spared defeat, but about God preserving his inner peace and resolve against overwhelming opposition. The "double destruction" isn't merely a wish for harsh punishment, but an emphasis on a complete and utter demolition, reflecting the severity of their offense.
Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed; bring upon them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction!
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just before this, Jeremiah lamented his own suffering and confusion, feeling like a fool for trusting God when his message of judgment seemed to fall on deaf ears. Now, he turns from his personal anguish to pronounce a stark prophecy of doom upon those who mock and persecute him, calling for a complete and utter destruction upon his enemies. This dramatic shift highlights the intense pressure and opposition the prophet faced as he delivered God's unpalatable message to a resistant people.
Jeremiah's words sound harsh, like a personal attack. But was he just venting or speaking divine truth?
It's easy to read Jeremiah's powerful words – 'destroy them with double destruction!' – and think he's just a prophet consumed by personal anger. However, the biblical context suggests a different perspective. Many scholars see these strong pronouncements not as personal prayers fueled by malice, but as prophetic declarations of God's certain judgment. Jeremiah wasn't asking God to conjure up revenge; he was foretelling the inevitable downfall that awaited those who rejected God's word and persecuted His messenger. This was about upholding God's justice and validating His truth, even when it meant severe consequences for the wicked.
What does it mean to be destroyed with 'double destruction'? Was it just a harsh idiom, or something more specific?
The phrase 'double destruction' isn't necessarily about two distinct types of punishment, like sword and famine, though those could be part of it. Instead, it functions as an intensifier, signifying a complete, utter, and overwhelming destruction. Think of it like saying 'completely destroyed' or 'utterly ruined.' The original language points to a 'double breach' or 'breaking with a twofold breaking,' emphasizing the totality of the devastation. This judgment was a consequence not only of their national apostasy but also, in Jeremiah's specific case, their direct persecution of the prophet and mockery of God's word.
Understand the original words
Ask a follow-up
bush · Hebrew Verb
A state of disgrace, dishonor, or disappointment, frequently used to describe the fate of the wicked or those who oppose God's purposes.
chathath · Hebrew Verb
To be broken, terrified, or shattered in spirit, typically due to the manifestation of God's judgment or power.
This verse plunges us into the heart of Jeremiah's anguish. He's not just declaring God's judgment; he's crying out against those who mocked and tormented him during Judah's darkest hours, right up to and following the catastrophic fall of Jerusalem. The 'double destruction' likely refers to the utter devastation of the city and nation, perhaps even a twofold punishment for their apostasy and their cruel treatment of God's prophet.
Late 7th Century BC
Jeremiah's Call to Prophesy
Jeremiah is called by God to prophesy to Judah and Jerusalem, a message that would be increasingly unwelcome as the kingdom faced escalating threats.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, deports a first group of Judean nobles and skilled workers, including Daniel, to Babylon after defeating the Egyptians at Carchemish.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation
Another wave of Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon following a Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon, marking the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 586 BC
Jeremiah's Imprisonment and Release
Jeremiah, who had prophesied the city's fall, is initially imprisoned by Judean officials but later released by the Babylonians after the city's destruction.
This passage echoes Jeremiah's plea for his persecutors to be shamed and dismayed, highlighting a consistent theme of seeking divine justice against those who afflict God's people.
Psalm 40:14Similar to Jeremiah's prayer, this psalm asks God to confound and bring to ruin those who seek the psalmist's life, showing a shared desire for vindication in the face of opposition.
Jeremiah 11:20This verse provides context for Jeremiah's imprecations, revealing his prayer for the Lord to bring judgment upon his enemies, even in his own time, showing this isn't an isolated outburst but a pattern of prayer.
Revelation 18:6The concept of 'double destruction' finds a parallel in the judgment described for Babylon, suggesting that 'double' signifies a complete and overwhelming recompense for wickedness.
barnesJeremiah 17:18: "Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction."
Confounded - Put to shame. Destroy them ... - Rather, break them with a double breaking: a twofold punishment, the first their general share in the miseries attendant upon their country's fall; the second, a special punishment for their sin in persecuting and mocking God's prophet.
clarkeJeremiah 17:18: "Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction."
Let them be confounded - They shall be confounded. These words are to be understood as simple predictions, rather than prayers.
Jeremiah isn't just asking for his shame to be removed, but for his dismay to be averted. This isn't just about being spared defeat, but about God preserving his inner peace and resolve against overwhelming opposition. The "double destruction" isn't merely a wish for harsh punishment, but an emphasis on a complete and utter demolition, reflecting the severity of their offense.
Just before this, Jeremiah lamented his own suffering and confusion, feeling like a fool for trusting God when his message of judgment seemed to fall on deaf ears. Now, he turns from his personal anguish to pronounce a stark prophecy of doom upon those who mock and persecute him, calling for a complete and utter destruction upon his enemies. This dramatic shift highlights the intense pressure and opposition the prophet faced as he delivered God's unpalatable message to a resistant people.
Just before this, Jeremiah lamented his own suffering and confusion, feeling like a fool for trusting God when his message of judgment seemed to fall on deaf ears. Now, he turns from his personal anguish to pronounce a stark prophecy of doom upon those who mock and persecute him, calling for a complete and utter destruction upon his enemies. This dramatic shift highlights the intense pressure and opposition the prophet faced as he delivered God's unpalatable message to a resistant people.
"Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed; bring upon them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction!" — Jeremiah isn't just asking for his shame to be removed, but for his dismay to be averted. This isn't just about being spared defeat, but about God preserving his inner peace and resolve against o…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
