Breakdown of Jeremiah 5:15-17

"Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, declares the LORD. It is an enduring nation; it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you…" — The verse doesn't just describe a foreign enemy; it highlights their very otherness by emphasizing their incomprehensible language. This isn't just about communication breakdown; it points to a dee…

Jeremiah 5:15-17 Meaning Explained

All verses

Jeremiah 5:15-17

Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, declares the LORD. It is an enduring nation; it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say. Their quiver is like an open tomb; they are all mighty warriors. They shall eat up your harvest and your food; they shall eat up your sons and your daughters; they shall eat up your flocks and your herds; they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; your fortified cities in which you trust they shall beat down with the sword.”

English Standard Version (ESV)

The verse doesn't just describe a foreign enemy; it highlights their very otherness by emphasizing their incomprehensible language. This isn't just about communication breakdown; it points to a deep, existential separation, making mercy impossible and judgment absolute because there's no shared understanding or empathy possible.

What Jeremiah 5:15-17 means

Jeremiah has just described the utter corruption and unfaithfulness of Israel, comparing them to adulterous spouses and rebellious children. In response, God declares that He will bring a powerful, ancient nation from far away to discipline them. This foreign force will be utterly incomprehensible and merciless to Israel, highlighting the severity of their impending judgment.

The Unknowable Enemy

Imagine facing an army whose shouts of war are utterly meaningless to you. What makes this incomprehensible enemy so terrifying?

Jeremiah paints a picture of a devastating enemy that is not just powerful, but fundamentally alien. This nation is described as:

Distant and Unexpected: Coming 'from afar,' they weren't on Israel's immediate radar.
Enduring and Ancient: This isn't a fleeting threat, but a deeply established power, 'mighty' and 'ancient.' The original language suggests something that lasts, like an unceasing river or an unshakeable mountain.
Linguistically Alien: Their 'language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say.' This isn't just about not speaking the same dialect; it implies a profound inability to communicate or comprehend.

This lack of understanding heightens the terror. It means pleas for mercy are lost, negotiations are impossible, and the enemy's intentions are opaque. It isolates Israel, making them vulnerable to a force they cannot reason with or appeal to.

God's Hand in Foreign Conquests

When God unleashes judgment, it often comes through unexpected and even 'foreign' means. How does this verse show God's ultimate sovereignty?

Jeremiah isn't just describing a geopolitical event; he's declaring God's direct involvement. The phrase 'I am bringing' is crucial.

Divine Initiative: God is the one initiating this invasion. The enemy nation is an instrument in His hands.
Judgment on Disobedience: This invasion is a consequence for Israel's sin and rebellion. The foreignness and might of the enemy underscore the seriousness of their offense.
A Sovereign Plan: Even though the enemy is 'ancient' and 'enduring,' their appearance and actions are part of God's predetermined plan. They may be powerful in themselves, but their power is authorized and directed by the Lord.

Understand the original words

Original language

nationגּוֹי

goy · Hebrew Noun

A group of people sharing a common ancestry, land, and culture; in the prophets, it often refers to foreign empires used by God as agents of His judgment upon His covenant people.

quiverאַשְׁפָּה

aspah · Hebrew Noun

A container for arrows, often used metaphorically in Scripture to represent the capacity for destruction or the readiness for conflict. In this context, the comparison to an open tomb signifies that the enemy's potential for killing is vast and insatiable.

tombקֶבֶר

qeber · Hebrew Noun

A burial site or burial place. Symbolically, it represents death, corruption, and the grave's insatiable nature, often used to depict wickedness or inevitable destruction.

Historical context

Written: Likely between 626 and 586 BC, during Jeremiah's prophetic ministry.
Author: Jeremiah the prophet
Location: Written from Judah, likely Jerusalem, to the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
Genre: Prophetic literature, characterized by vivid imagery and direct address.

Historical background

Jeremiah's prophecy of an 'enduring nation' whose language is unknown points directly to the Babylonian Empire, a formidable and ancient power whose rise and eventual conquest of Judah brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC.

c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its people and scattering them among other conquered territories. This event marks the end of the unified kingdom and leaves Judah as the sole remaining part of the house of Jacob.
626 BC
Rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
Nabopolassar declares independence from Assyria, establishing the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This marks the beginning of a new, powerful empire that will eventually challenge Judah's sovereignty.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, the Babylonians defeat the Egyptians at Carchemish and then besiege Jerusalem. A first group of Judean nobles and skilled individuals, including Daniel, are deported to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar II again besieges Jerusalem. King Jehoiachin and another significant portion of the population, including the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon.

Key themes

01Divine judgment from afar
02Unintelligible and irresistible foe
03Enduring and ancient power

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 28:49

This passage describes a similar judgment where a nation with an unknown language will be brought against Israel, highlighting the complete and disorienting nature of the judgment.

Isaiah 28:11

This verse speaks of God giving Israel 'stammering lips' and a foreign tongue as judgment, mirroring the incomprehensible language of the invaders in Jeremiah.

2 Kings 18:26

Here, Hezekiah's officials ask the Assyrian commander to speak in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, showing the practical and emotional impact of encountering an unintelligible language during a time of crisis.

Genesis 11:9

The confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel serves as a foundational example of divine judgment through incomprehensible speech, creating division and isolation.

Scholarly commentary

Jeremiah 5:15: "Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say."

From far, viz. from Chaldea. House of Israel : by these are meant Judah; for Israel, properly so called, viz. the ten tribes, were in captivity before; see on Jeremiah 4:1 ; called the house of Israel, not only because they descended from Jacob, but because they were the chi…
poole

Jeremiah 5:15: "Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say."

Israel is not put here for the ten tribes, but for the whole house of Jacob, of which Judah was now the representative. Mighty - "permanent, enduring." The word is the usual epithet of the rocks Numbers 24:21, and of ever-flowing streams Deuteronomy 21:4, Hebrew). It describ…
barnes

Frequently asked questions

What does Jeremiah 5:15-17 mean?

Explain the meaning of Jeremiah 5:15-17

What is the context of Jeremiah 5:15-17?

Study this verse in Sola

Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.

Open in Sola app Get the app

Ask a follow-up

Ask Sola about this verse

Ask Sola things like:

“What does "nation" mean in the original Hebrew?”
“Why did Jeremiah the prophet write Jeremiah 5:15-17?”
“How does divine judgment from afar show up in Jeremiah 5:15-17?”

Ask in the Sola app Get the app

Live chat about Jeremiah 5:15-17 is available in the Sola app.

This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.

What Jeremiah 5:15-17 means

Original language

nationגּוֹי

goy · Hebrew Noun

A group of people sharing a common ancestry, land, and culture; in the prophets, it often refers to foreign empires used by God as agents of His judgment upon His covenant people.

quiverאַשְׁפָּה

aspah · Hebrew Noun

tombקֶבֶר

qeber · Hebrew Noun

A burial site or burial place. Symbolically, it represents death, corruption, and the grave's insatiable nature, often used to depict wickedness or inevitable destruction.

Historical background

c. 722 BC

Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel

The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its people and scattering them among other conquered territories. This event marks the end of the unified kingdom and leaves Judah as the sole remaining part of the house of Jacob.

626 BC

Rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire

Nabopolassar declares independence from Assyria, establishing the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This marks the beginning of a new, powerful empire that will eventually challenge Judah's sovereignty.

605 BC

First Deportation to Babylon

Under Nebuchadnezzar II, the Babylonians defeat the Egyptians at Carchemish and then besiege Jerusalem. A first group of Judean nobles and skilled individuals, including Daniel, are deported to Babylon.

597 BC

Second Deportation to Babylon

Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar II again besieges Jerusalem. King Jehoiachin and another significant portion of the population, including the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon.

Scholarly commentary

Jeremiah 5:15: "Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say."

From far, viz. from Chaldea. House of Israel : by these are meant Judah; for Israel, properly so called, viz. the ten tribes, were in captivity before; see on Jeremiah 4:1 ; called the house of Israel, not only because they descended from Jacob, but because they were the chi…
poole

Jeremiah 5:15: "Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say."

Israel is not put here for the ten tribes, but for the whole house of Jacob, of which Judah was now the representative. Mighty - "permanent, enduring." The word is the usual epithet of the rocks Numbers 24:21, and of ever-flowing streams Deuteronomy 21:4, Hebrew). It describ…
barnes

Frequently asked questions

What does Jeremiah 5:15-17 mean?

Explain the meaning of Jeremiah 5:15-17

What is the context of Jeremiah 5:15-17?