Jeremiah 22:8-9
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This verse highlights a profound irony: even in its utter devastation, the ruined city will become a powerful sermon. Foreigners, not the inhabitants, will observe the desolation and recognize God's hand at work, prompting them to ask why such a "great city" met such a fate. This implies that God's judgment, while painful, ultimately testifies to His power and justice to the watching world.
“‘And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, “Why has the LORD dealt thus with this great city?” And they will answer, “Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and worshiped other gods and served them.”’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God's message to the king of Judah is stark: sin will bring ruin, even to the royal house. This verse describes the aftermath, where foreign travelers will witness the desolation of Jerusalem, a great and once-beloved city. They will pause among the ruins, marveling and asking why the Lord, who once blessed this place, has brought such destruction upon it.
Jerusalem was no ordinary city. It was God's chosen dwelling place. So why would its destruction be so complete that even passing foreigners would ponder it?
This verse paints a stark picture of Jerusalem's future desolation. After its inevitable judgment, foreign nations will travel through the ruins. It's a powerful image: people who aren't even part of God's covenant will pause and question why such a 'great city,' once favored by the Lord, has met such a fate.
A Global Witness
The onlookers aren't looking for an escape route or a new home; they are observing a divine spectacle. Their question, 'Why has the LORD dealt thus with this great city?' reveals that the destruction of Jerusalem will be so profound and public that it will serve as a lesson to the entire world. Even those outside the covenant will recognize that this wasn't random misfortune, but a deliberate act of God. They understand, perhaps better than the unrepentant Israelites, that the city’s former glory and God’s past favor make its current ruin a significant and divinely orchestrated event.
The ruins of Jerusalem will prompt questions. What is the answer? It’s not just about the city’s sins, but about God’s unwavering commitment to justice.
The question from the foreign nations isn't just idle curiosity; it’s an acknowledgment that this destruction is not arbitrary. It stems from the LORD's actions. The commentaries point out that God judges sin, especially the sins of His chosen people and their leaders. While the Jews themselves may have ignored the reasons for their downfall, the surrounding nations will recognize the divine cause.
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God's Justice Displayed
Jeremiah’s prophecy here underscores a crucial theological truth: God is not indifferent to sin. He is a God of justice. The utter destruction of Jerusalem, the very place He designated for His name to dwell, serves as a powerful testament to His righteous judgment against persistent disobedience and corruption within His covenant people. This isn't a sign of God's weakness, but of His holiness and His faithfulness to the terms of His covenant, which included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
Understand the original words
berit · Hebrew Noun
A formal, binding agreement between God and His people, characterized by divine requirements of obedience and promises of blessing for faithfulness or curses for rebellion.
azab · Hebrew Verb
To abandon, reject, or leave behind; in a biblical context, it denotes a willful turning away from one's relationship with God or obligations toward Him.
elohim acherim · Hebrew Noun Phrase
False deities or idols that occupy the place in the human heart that belongs solely to the Creator; their worship is strictly prohibited in the biblical law.
This prophecy vividly describes the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction, a stark reality for the exiles and a future warning to those who remained. It echoes warnings from Deuteronomy, emphasizing that such judgment would be observable and understandable, even to foreign nations, as a consequence of unfaithfulness to God.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Invasions
The Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sennacherib, exerted significant control over Judah, leading to political upheaval and economic strain. This period saw foreign powers deeply involved in Judean affairs.
609 BC
King Josiah's Death at Megiddo
King Josiah, a righteous ruler, was killed in battle against the Egyptians. His death plunged Judah into political instability and spiritual decline, paving the way for future judgment.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeats the Egyptians and Assyrians, then begins deporting Judean elites, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a Judean rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and thousands more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. Jerusalem's temple is partially plundered.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's armies conquer Jerusalem, destroy the city and Solomon's Temple, and exile the remaining population to Babylon. This is the catastrophic event Jeremiah prophesied.
Post-586 BC
Nations Observe Jerusalem's Ruins
After Jerusalem's destruction, travelers from surrounding nations pass by the desolate city. They marvel and question why such a prominent city, once favored by its God, has met such a fate.
This passage directly parallels Jeremiah's imagery, describing future generations asking about Jerusalem's destruction, attributing it to the Lord's anger due to their ancestors' disobedience.
1 Kings 9:8This verse echoes the same prophetic warning, stating that if Israel strays, Jerusalem will become a proverb and byword, causing passersby to question its desolation.
Ezekiel 5:14-15Ezekiel describes Jerusalem becoming a desolation and a reproach, with surrounding nations witnessing the judgment and acknowledging the Lord's hand in their devastation.
Lamentations 1:8-9The book of Lamentations itself grapples with this very question, detailing Jerusalem's fall and lamenting why God has allowed such devastation to befall His chosen city.
henryJeremiah 22:1-9: "Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,"
22:1-9 The king of Judah is spoken to, as sitting upon the throne of David, the man after God's own heart. Let him follow his example, that he may have the benefit of the promises made to him. The way to preserve a government, is to do the duty of it. But sin will be the ruin of the houses of princes, as well as of meaner men. And who can contend with destroyers of God's preparing? God…
gillJeremiah 22:8: "And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?"
And many nations shall pass by this city,.... After it is burned down and destroyed; that is, people out of many nations travelling that way: and they shall say every man to his neighbour; as in company together, passing along the ruined walls of the city: wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city? so fortified and so full…
This verse highlights a profound irony: even in its utter devastation, the ruined city will become a powerful sermon. Foreigners, not the inhabitants, will observe the desolation and recognize God's hand at work, prompting them to ask why such a "great city" met such a fate. This implies that God's judgment, while painful, ultimately testifies to His power and justice to the watching world.
God's message to the king of Judah is stark: sin will bring ruin, even to the royal house. This verse describes the aftermath, where foreign travelers will witness the desolation of Jerusalem, a great and once-beloved city. They will pause among the ruins, marveling and asking why the Lord, who once blessed this place, has brought such destruction upon it.
God's message to the king of Judah is stark: sin will bring ruin, even to the royal house. This verse describes the aftermath, where foreign travelers will witness the desolation of Jerusalem, a great and once-beloved city. They will pause among the ruins, marveling and asking why the Lord, who once blessed this place, has brought such destruction upon it.
"“‘And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, “Why has the LORD dealt thus with this great city?” And they will answer, “Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and worshiped other…" — This verse highlights a profound irony: even in its utter devastation, the ruined city will become a powerful sermon. Foreigners, not the inhabitants, will observe the desolation and recognize God'…
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Last reviewed October 2026
