And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth, and none will frighten them away.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's chillingly easy to miss here is the phrase "none will frighten them away." This isn't just about a lack of burial; it signifies a complete societal collapse where even the basic human decency of protecting the dead from desecration is lost, leaving them vulnerable to scavengers without any hands raised to intervene.
And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth, and none will frighten them away.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has just proclaimed God's judgment on Jerusalem and its people for their idolatry and injustice, specifically targeting the valley of Tophet as a place defiled by child sacrifice. This verse describes the horrific aftermath of that judgment: the bodies of the slain will lie unburied, left to be scavenged by wild animals and birds without anyone to drive them away. This chilling imagery echoes the curses in Deuteronomy, emphasizing the utter devastation and abandonment that will befall those who turn from God.
This verse paints a grim picture, but it's not a new threat. God's warnings often carry layers of meaning and consequences that resonate across generations.
The Weight of Repeated Warnings
Jeremiah 7:33 isn't an isolated prophecy. The imagery of unburied bodies left as prey for scavengers is almost a direct quote from Deuteronomy 28:26. This wasn't a new idea; it was a stark reminder of the covenant curses God warned Israel about if they continually disobeyed.
What does it mean for the dead to be left without proper burial? It speaks volumes about the complete collapse of a society and the ultimate consequences of rebellion.
More Than Just a Messy End
In ancient Israelite culture, proper burial was incredibly important. It was a sign of respect for the deceased and a fundamental part of honoring the family and community.
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Understand the original words
nebelah · Hebrew Noun
The state of being deceased; in the Old Testament, the unburied dead are considered a sign of extreme covenantal curse and divine abandonment.
Jeremiah's prophecy echoes the curses laid out in Deuteronomy, reminding the people that their impending destruction, symbolized by unburied corpses left to scavengers, is a direct consequence of their covenant betrayal.
c. 1406 BC
Deuteronomy Given to Israel
Moses delivers the final words of God to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, including the curses for disobedience, such as unburied bodies being consumed by scavengers.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the deportation of many Israelites and demonstrating the devastating consequences of disobedience to God's covenant.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invades Judah and takes captive a select group of Israelites, including Daniel, signaling the beginning of Judah's decline and exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Babylon deports more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, intensifying the nation's crisis and bringing them closer to total destruction.
587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
The Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, executing a brutal siege and carrying off most of the remaining population into exile.
This passage directly parallels Jeremiah's prophecy, listing the exposure of bodies to birds and beasts as a curse for disobedience, underscoring the severe consequences of turning away from God.
2 Samuel 21:10This account provides a stark contrast, showing Rizpah protecting the bodies of her sons, highlighting the horror of Jeremiah's prophecy where *no one* is left to even perform this basic act of care for the dead.
1 Kings 14:11Similar to Jeremiah, this verse predicts that anyone belonging to Jeroboam's house who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the country will be eaten by birds, emphasizing the complete abandonment and desecration that awaits the disobedient.
Revelation 19:17This future prophetic vision echoes the grim imagery of Jeremiah, describing birds being summoned to eat the flesh of those killed in the final battle, indicating that such divine judgment on the wicked recurs throughout redemptive history.
Isaiah 18:6This prophecy describes birds feeding on the corpses of the Ethiopians, mirroring the desolation and judgment faced by nations that defy God, similar to the fate prophesied for Judah.
cambridgeJeremiah 7:33: "And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away."
33 . fray ] frighten . The word is obsolete, except as a provincialism. It is the root of affray (participle, afraid ). Cp. “he thought hir to affraye.” Chaucer’s Clerk’s Tale . ( Bible Word-Book .)
pulpitJeremiah 7:33: "And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away."
Verse 33. - And the carcasses etc.; almost verbally identical with Deuteronomy 28:26.
What's chillingly easy to miss here is the phrase "none will frighten them away." This isn't just about a lack of burial; it signifies a complete societal collapse where even the basic human decency of protecting the dead from desecration is lost, leaving them vulnerable to scavengers without any hands raised to intervene.
Jeremiah has just proclaimed God's judgment on Jerusalem and its people for their idolatry and injustice, specifically targeting the valley of Tophet as a place defiled by child sacrifice. This verse describes the horrific aftermath of that judgment: the bodies of the slain will lie unburied, left to be scavenged by wild animals and birds without anyone to drive them away. This chilling imagery echoes the curses in Deuteronomy, emphasizing the utter devastation and abandonment that will befall those who turn from God.
Jeremiah has just proclaimed God's judgment on Jerusalem and its people for their idolatry and injustice, specifically targeting the valley of Tophet as a place defiled by child sacrifice. This verse describes the horrific aftermath of that judgment: the bodies of the slain will lie unburied, left to be scavenged by wild animals and birds without anyone to drive them away. This chilling imagery echoes the curses in Deuteronomy, emphasizing the utter devastation and abandonment that will befall those who turn from God.
"And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth, and none will frighten them away." — What's chillingly easy to miss here is the phrase "none will frighten them away." This isn't just about a lack of burial; it signifies a complete societal collapse where even the basic human decency…
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Last reviewed October 2026