Go not out into the field, nor walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse isn't just about physical danger, but the pervasive psychological terror that paralyzes the people. The phrase "fear is on every side" isn't just descriptive; it's a specific, recurring watchword for Jeremiah, highlighting how the enemy's presence has created a state of overwhelming dread that traps them even within their own city.
Go not out into the field, nor walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is crying out to the people of Jerusalem, warning them that the enemy is drawing near and surrounding the city. He’s telling them to stay inside their walls, because venturing out into the fields or onto the roads means certain death from the enemy's swords and overwhelming terror. This dire warning, famously echoed in Jeremiah’s own life as "terror on every side," is part of God's judgment upon a people who have refused to repent.
Jeremiah's words paint a stark picture of impending doom. But is the enemy's power independent of God's will?
The prophet isn't just describing a military threat; he's revealing a spiritual reality. When Jeremiah warns, 'for the enemy has a sword,' he's not just saying the enemy is armed.
A Divine Commission
He's reminding his people that this 'sword' is actually an instrument in God's hand. The enemy has been given permission, a commission, to execute judgment. This perspective is crucial: the danger isn't random chaos, but a consequence of sin, wielded by God for His purposes.
When Judgment Looms
This means even in the face of overwhelming human power, God remains sovereign. The enemy's ability to harm comes from God's allowance, a terrifying thought that underscores the seriousness of sin and the ultimate authority of the Almighty.
Jeremiah famously uses a phrase here that became a personal identifier and a chilling cry. What does this 'terror on every side' truly signify?
The phrase 'terror is on every side' is more than just descriptive; it's deeply significant. In the original language, it's a powerful expression often translated as 'fear all around' or 'Magor-Missabib.'
A Prophet's Burden
This phrase deeply impressed Jeremiah. He even gave it as a name to the priest Pashur in Jeremiah 20:3, turning it into a prophetic judgment. It wasn't just a description of the city's situation, but a personal burden for the prophet, and a cry used by enemies against him.
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Pervasive and Personal
This terror wasn't confined to the battlefield; it permeated every aspect of life. Whether staying within the city walls or venturing out, there was no escape. It speaks to a psychological and spiritual siege as much as a physical one, a constant state of dread.
Echoes in the New Testament
This pervasive sense of danger and the need to stay alert finds echoes in Jesus' warnings about the end times, where He advises people not to be caught unprepared.
Understand the original words
magor · Hebrew Noun
A feeling of intense fear, dread, or alarm, often associated with the presence or impending judgment of God or the wrath of enemies.
The chilling warning in Jeremiah 6:25 paints a vivid picture of a city under siege, where leaving the safety of its walls means certain death. The phrase 'terror is on every side' was not just a poetic flourish but a constant reality during the Babylonian invasions and the final, devastating siege of Jerusalem.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian invasions of Judah
Under Sennacherib and later kings, Assyria launched significant campaigns into the Levant, including Judah, increasing pressure and a sense of impending doom.
c. 626-586 BC
Jeremiah prophesies during crises
Jeremiah served as a prophet during a tumultuous period, witnessing the decline of Assyrian power, the rise of Babylon, and repeated invasions and threats to Jerusalem.
605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated the Egyptians and Assyrians, then besieged Jerusalem and took a first group of Judean nobles and skilled workers into exile.
597 BC
Second Babylonian deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar again besieged Jerusalem, this time deporting King Jehoiachin and thousands more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel.
588-586 BC— this verse
Siege and fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem for an extended period, culminating in the city's destruction, the temple's burning, and a final, massive deportation of survivors.
This passage is directly related, as Jeremiah himself names Pashur 'Magor-missabib,' meaning 'terror on every side,' a phrase echoing the constant dread described in Jeremiah 6:25.
Lamentations 4:18This passage describes a similar situation where people can no longer safely walk in public streets or roads due to impending destruction and enemy pursuit.
Matthew 24:17-18Jesus uses similar language when warning about the destruction of Jerusalem, advising those in Judea to flee to the mountains and not even pause to retrieve belongings from their homes.
Psalm 31:13This psalm uses the imagery of 'terror on every side' to describe the constant fear and danger experienced by the psalmist, highlighting the pervasive nature of such dread.
barnesJeremiah 6:25: "Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side."
For the sword of the enemy - literally, "for to the enemy a sword; i. e., for the enemy is armed," he has a commission from God to execute judgment. See Jeremiah 12:12 ; Isaiah 10:5 , and Psalm 17:13 note. Fear is on every side - Magor-Missabib, Jeremiah's watchword (compare Jeremiah 20:3, Jeremiah 20:10). The "and" before it should be omitted.
ellicottJeremiah 6:25: "Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side."
(25) The field. — i.e., the open country. To pass beyond the walls of the beleaguered city would be full of danger. The warning has its parallel in Matthew 24:17-18 . In the same chapter we find also an echo of the prophet’s reference to the pangs of childbirth ( Matthew 24:8 ). Fear is on every side.—The words are more notable than they seem. They impressed themselves on the…
The verse isn't just about physical danger, but the pervasive psychological terror that paralyzes the people. The phrase "fear is on every side" isn't just descriptive; it's a specific, recurring watchword for Jeremiah, highlighting how the enemy's presence has created a state of overwhelming dread that traps them even within their own city.
Jeremiah is crying out to the people of Jerusalem, warning them that the enemy is drawing near and surrounding the city. He’s telling them to stay inside their walls, because venturing out into the fields or onto the roads means certain death from the enemy's swords and overwhelming terror. This dire warning, famously echoed in Jeremiah’s own life as "terror on every side," is part of God's judgment upon a people who have refused to repent.
Jeremiah is crying out to the people of Jerusalem, warning them that the enemy is drawing near and surrounding the city. He’s telling them to stay inside their walls, because venturing out into the fields or onto the roads means certain death from the enemy's swords and overwhelming terror. This dire warning, famously echoed in Jeremiah’s own life as "terror on every side," is part of God's judgment upon a people who have refused to repent.
"Go not out into the field, nor walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side." — The verse isn't just about physical danger, but the pervasive psychological terror that paralyzes the people. The phrase "fear is on every side" isn't just descriptive; it's a specific, recurring wat…
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Last reviewed October 2026