Jeremiah 5:16
Their quiver is like an open tomb; they are all mighty warriors.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jeremiah 5:16
Their quiver is like an open tomb; they are all mighty warriors.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
It's easy to read "their quiver is like an open tomb" as just a metaphor for how many arrows they have. But the imagery is far more chilling: it suggests each arrow is a sure death, like a grave opening to devour anyone it hits, highlighting their terrifying deadliness.
Jeremiah is describing the terrifying invaders, likely the Babylonians, who are about to descend upon Judah. After cataloging Judah's profound sinfulness and God's impending judgment, the prophet reveals the destructive power of the enemy God is unleashing. These warriors are so effective that their arrows, like an open tomb, bring certain death and devastation to all they strike.
Jeremiah uses a shocking image: a quiver like an open tomb. What makes this comparison so terrifying and what does it reveal about God's judgment?
A Proverbial Death Sentence
Jeremiah paints a grim picture of the invading army's military might. The image of a "quiver as an open tomb" isn't just about plentiful arrows; it's a powerful metaphor for their deadly effectiveness.
The verse doesn't just describe their weapons; it describes the men wielding them. What does it mean that "they are all mighty warriors" in the context of God's judgment?
The Unstoppable Force of Judgment
The phrase "they are all mighty men" speaks to the formidable nature of the invading army. This isn't a ragtag militia, but a professional, skilled, and terrifying fighting force.
Understand the original words
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.
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.
This verse, spoken during or shortly after the devastating Babylonian conquest, uses the image of an 'open tomb' for the enemy's quiver to convey the terrifying finality and indiscriminate lethality of their arrows, reflecting the complete destruction of Jerusalem and its people.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Dominance
The Assyrian Empire, a major military power, exerted significant influence and control over the region, including Judah. This era established a precedent for foreign military might impacting the land.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, the Babylonians defeated the Egyptians and Assyrians and began deporting Judean elites, including royalty and skilled individuals, to Babylon. This marked the beginning of Judah's subjugation to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and deported a larger segment of the population, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin. This further weakened the kingdom.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, ending the Davidic monarchy. The majority of the remaining population was exiled to Babylon, completing the devastation of Judah.
This verse uses similar imagery, describing the enemy's throat as an 'open grave,' highlighting the deadly and destructive nature of their words and actions, just as Jeremiah describes the arrows as deadly.
Proverbs 1:12This passage describes a similar voracious, destructive force that 'swallows them alive,' mirroring the 'open tomb' metaphor in Jeremiah for the destructive power of the enemy's arrows.
Jeremiah 4:29This earlier verse in Jeremiah also describes the imminent invasion, mentioning 'horsemen and bowmen,' setting the context for the specific imagery of the deadly quiver and warriors in verse 16.
Lamentations 3:13This verse refers to 'arrows from the Almighty' entering the people, linking the concept of deadly projectiles to divine judgment and underscoring the seriousness of the military threat described in Jeremiah.
pooleJeremiah 5:16: "Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men."
Quiver; collectively expressed for quivers; a synecdoche for the whole military preparations, and a metonymy of the containing for the contained, viz. the arrows that will be shot out of them, called the sons of the quiver , Lamentations 3:13 ; bow and arrow being the chief weapons for war in those countries, and in those days. Is an open sepulchre; a proverbial speech, Psalm 5:9 , relating to the dreadful havoc and…
pulpitJeremiah 5:16: "Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men."
Verse 16. - Their quiver. (See on Jeremiah 4:29.) As an open sepulcher; i.e. furnished with deadly arrows, "fiery darts." So the psalmist, of the "throat" of deceitful persecutors (Psalm 5:9).
It's easy to read "their quiver is like an open tomb" as just a metaphor for how many arrows they have. But the imagery is far more chilling: it suggests each arrow is a sure death, like a grave opening to devour anyone it hits, highlighting their terrifying deadliness.
Jeremiah is describing the terrifying invaders, likely the Babylonians, who are about to descend upon Judah. After cataloging Judah's profound sinfulness and God's impending judgment, the prophet reveals the destructive power of the enemy God is unleashing. These warriors are so effective that their arrows, like an open tomb, bring certain death and devastation to all they strike.
Jeremiah is describing the terrifying invaders, likely the Babylonians, who are about to descend upon Judah. After cataloging Judah's profound sinfulness and God's impending judgment, the prophet reveals the destructive power of the enemy God is unleashing. These warriors are so effective that their arrows, like an open tomb, bring certain death and devastation to all they strike.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Jeremiah 5:16 is available in the Sola app.
c. 586 BC
Jeremiah's Prophecies of Doom
Jeremiah delivered prophecies like this one during and after the Babylonian invasions, vividly describing the terrifying military power of the Chaldeans and the utter destruction they brought upon Judah.
"Their quiver is like an open tomb; they are all mighty warriors." — It's easy to read "their quiver is like an open tomb" as just a metaphor for how many arrows they have. But the imagery is far more chilling: it suggests each arrow is a sure death, like a grave open…