Jeremiah 30:5-7
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This verse isn't just about hearing bad news; it's about God revealing that He hears the sound of terror itself. The prophet shifts from "Thus says the LORD" to "We have heard," putting God in the position of an observer who is keenly aware of the fear emanating from His people, an awareness that precedes any hope of comfort. This emphasizes that God sees and knows our deepest anxieties, even when we're too panicked to find words for them ourselves.
“Thus says the LORD: We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and no peace. Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale? Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is about to reveal a powerful message of future restoration for Israel and Judah, but first, he paints a stark picture of the terror and despair that will precede this salvation. This verse depicts a sound filled with dread and anguish, indicating a time of profound crisis and the utter absence of security. It sets the stage for the dramatic announcement that follows, where God promises to gather His people and bring them back from exile.
Jeremiah 30:5 opens with a stark declaration: 'We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and no peace.' This isn't just a description; it's God identifying Himself with the sound of His people's distress.
God's Attentive Ear
The verse begins with "Thus says the LORD: 'We have heard...'" This is significant. God isn't distant or unaware of the suffering. The "we" here, speaking from God's perspective, suggests He is intimately involved, hearing and acknowledging the fear that grips His people. It's a powerful reminder that even in moments of deepest anxiety, God is listening.
The Sound of a Broken People
The "cry of panic, of terror, and no peace" paints a vivid picture of a community in crisis. This isn't the sound of celebration or contentment, but the raw, unfiltered expression of fear. It could be the fear of impending judgment, invasion, or the lingering dread of exile. Regardless of the specific cause, God hears this sound loud and clear.
The verse doesn't just mention fear; it explicitly states 'and no peace.' What does this profound absence of peace signify in God's message?
Peace as Wholeness
In the biblical context, 'peace' (often translated from the Hebrew word 'shalom') means far more than just the absence of conflict. It signifies completeness, well-being, harmony, and security. It's a state of flourishing in every aspect of life.
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The Reality of Brokenness
Therefore, 'no peace' is a powerful declaration of a shattered reality. It speaks to a state of deep distress, where relationships are broken, security is gone, and the very fabric of community is in disarray. This lack of 'shalom' is a direct consequence of sin and disobedience, leading to the painful reality described in the verse.
Understand the original words
pachad · Hebrew Noun
A state of intense, paralyzing alarm or distress, often used in prophetic literature to describe the reaction of people under the weight of divine judgment or impending destruction.
shalom · Hebrew Noun
The Hebrew word 'shalom'; it denotes far more than the absence of conflict. It refers to completeness, wholeness, soundness, and a state of flourishing, harmony, and well-being in all relationships—especially with God.
tsarah · Hebrew Noun
A period of intense trouble, difficulty, or affliction, often used in prophetic literature to describe divine judgment or historical calamities preceding restoration.
Ya'aqov · Hebrew Noun
A representative term for the nation of Israel, descended from the patriarch Jacob, emphasizing their identity as the chosen people of the covenant.
Jeremiah's prophecy of terror and distress here vividly captures the immediate fear and anguish experienced by the people of Judah in the face of the brutal Babylonian invasions and the impending destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. It’s not a far-off Messianic hope but a raw depiction of a nation in crisis.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and scattering them among other conquered peoples.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieges Jerusalem and deports a group of Judean nobles and skilled workers, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
After a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally destroy Jerusalem and the First Temple, scattering the remaining population and exiling many to Babylon.
c. 550-540 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great unites the Medes and Persians, rapidly expanding his empire and posing a growing threat to the Babylonian Empire.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire and setting the stage for the return of the Jewish exiles.
This passage also describes a cry of terror and distress, emphasizing the anguish and emotional turmoil caused by impending disaster, much like the 'cry of panic, of terror, and no peace' in Jeremiah 30:5.
Jeremiah 6:24Here, the prophet describes hearing news that causes hands to tremble and pain to seize the people, likening the distress to that of a woman in labor, a vivid parallel to the 'trembling' and 'fear' mentioned in Jeremiah 30:5.
Lamentations 2:19-22This passage paints a picture of deep distress and a lack of peace, where Jerusalem cries out in the night and its people are in anguish, mirroring the overwhelming fear described in Jeremiah 30:5.
Isaiah 13:7-8This prophetic oracle about Babylon's fall describes a similar scene of terror, with hands becoming feeble, hearts melting, and people being seized with pain like a woman in labor, directly echoing the sentiments of fear and distress in Jeremiah 30:5.
calvinJeremiah 30:4-6: "And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah."
- Inquirite et aspicite an pariat masculus? quare video cunctos viros manibus suis super lumbos tanquam parturiens (solet mulier, subaudiendum est, vel, sicuti solet mulier parturiens) et conversae sunt omnes facies in pallorem (vel, in auriginem, ut alii vertunt, sed nomen palloris melius convenit?)
Both Jews and Christians pervert this passage, for they apply it to the time of the Messiah;…
cambridgeJeremiah 30:5: "For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace."
5 . We have heard … of peace ] Jehovah is quoting the words of consternation which He hears the people uttering; but more probably the words “Thus saith the Lord” are the insertion of a scribe, and it is really the people who are speaking. of fear, and not of peace ] mg. (better) there is fear, and no peace . 5–22 . See introd. note to section. For a parallel in the character of the descript…
This verse isn't just about hearing bad news; it's about God revealing that He hears the sound of terror itself. The prophet shifts from "Thus says the LORD" to "We have heard," putting God in the position of an observer who is keenly aware of the fear emanating from His people, an awareness that precedes any hope of comfort. This emphasizes that God sees and knows our deepest anxieties, even when we're too panicked to find words for them ourselves.
Jeremiah is about to reveal a powerful message of future restoration for Israel and Judah, but first, he paints a stark picture of the terror and despair that will precede this salvation. This verse depicts a sound filled with dread and anguish, indicating a time of profound crisis and the utter absence of security. It sets the stage for the dramatic announcement that follows, where God promises to gather His people and bring them back from exile.
Jeremiah is about to reveal a powerful message of future restoration for Israel and Judah, but first, he paints a stark picture of the terror and despair that will precede this salvation. This verse depicts a sound filled with dread and anguish, indicating a time of profound crisis and the utter absence of security. It sets the stage for the dramatic announcement that follows, where God promises to gather His people and bring them back from exile.
"“Thus says the LORD: We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and no peace. Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor?…" — This verse isn't just about hearing bad news; it's about God revealing that He hears the sound of terror itself. The prophet shifts from "Thus says the LORD" to "We have heard," putting God in the…
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Last reviewed October 2026
