Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet's question is layered: it's not just about the absence of a remedy, but the failure to use a readily available one. Gilead was famed for its medicinal balms, and its people were known for healing arts, yet the nation remained spiritually sick because they neglected the very means of their restoration, even when offered by God. This highlights that sometimes the biggest obstacle to healing isn't the lack of a solution, but our own stubborn refusal to embrace it.
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah's people are facing the devastating consequences of their sin, with the enemy poised to strike and destruction looming. Despite this dire situation, they seem paralyzed and without hope, prompting the prophet to question why their nation's spiritual sickness remains untreated, given that Gilead was known for its healing balms and skilled physicians. The verses following will reveal that the true issue isn't a lack of remedy, but the people's persistent refusal to seek it.
Imagine a land so renowned for its healing resources that its name became synonymous with remedies. Jeremiah uses this powerful image to confront his people.
A Well-Known Remedy
The land of Gilead, located east of the Jordan River, was historically famous for its fragrant and medicinal resins and gums, often referred to as 'balm' or 'balsam.'
Even the best medicine is useless if not applied. Jeremiah points to a deeper issue: why isn't the healing happening?
A Remedy Ignored
The question 'Is there no physician there?' isn't about a lack of skilled healers, but about their absence or inactivity in the face of suffering.
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Understand the original words
tsori · Hebrew Noun
A resin used for medicinal purposes in the ancient world, often associated with healing, soothing, and recovery. Symbolically, it represents the provision of God for the spiritual and physical restoration of His people.
Gil'ad · Hebrew Proper Noun
A region east of the Jordan River known for its natural wealth and medicinal products. It serves as a geographical symbol of available resources and divine remedy for the nation.
rophe' · Hebrew Noun
One who practices medicine or seeks to cure ailments. In a theological sense, it often refers to God as the healer of Israel or to His appointed instruments of restoration.
arukah · Hebrew Noun
A state of wholeness, soundness, and completeness, often encompassing physical, spiritual, and communal well-being. It is the opposite of the brokenness or injury caused by sin.
'alah · Hebrew Verb
The act of making something whole again, recovering, or bringing back to a state of health. In Scripture, it is deeply linked to repentance and the reversal of God's judgment upon the people.
Jeremiah uses the well-known medicinal renown of Gilead's balm and the presence of skilled healers metaphorically. He laments that despite these 'means of healing'—God's prophets, wisdom, and warnings—the people of Judah refuse the spiritual remedy, leaving them spiritually and politically broken after the devastation of the Babylonian conquest.
~2000 BC
Early Patriarchal Period
The land of Gilead, east of the Jordan River, is settled. The region will later become known for its valuable medicinal resins and gums.
c. 1750 BC
Joseph Sold into Slavery
Joseph's brothers sell him to Ishmaelites traveling from Gilead to Egypt, carrying balm and spices. This marks an early reference to Gilead's renowned medicinal products.
c. 1400 BC - 1000 BC
Period of the Judges and Early Monarchy
Gilead is a significant region within Israel, often involved in tribal conflicts and national affairs. Its medicinal resources continue to be recognized.
c. 730 BC - 720 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Northern Israel
The northern kingdom of Israel, which includes Gilead, falls to the Assyrian Empire. This leads to significant population displacement and political upheaval.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports some of Judea's elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile for Judah.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
More Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon. Jerusalem's political and religious leadership is severely impacted.
c. 587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, culminating the destruction of Judah. Most remaining inhabitants are exiled, leaving the land devastated.
This parable highlights a compassionate stranger acting as a 'physician' and using 'balm' (oil and wine) to heal a wounded man, echoing Jeremiah's desperate question about the availability of healing resources.
Exodus 15:26God presents Himself as the ultimate healer, stating, 'I am the Lord, your healer,' which parallels Jeremiah's rhetorical question about the absence of a physician and a remedy for His people's spiritual ailments.
Isaiah 53:5The suffering Servant's wounds are directly linked to 'our healing,' presenting Jesus as the divine Balm and Physician for the deepest wounds of humanity, a stark contrast to Israel's refusal of God's provided remedies.
Galatians 3:1The Apostle Paul uses similar imagery when questioning the Galatians, 'Who has bewitched you?' after they turned from the clear truth of Christ, much like Jeremiah questions why Israel remains unwell despite God's provisions.
Romans 8:2This verse speaks of the 'law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus' setting us free from the 'law of sin and death,' presenting the spiritual remedy that Jeremiah laments his people are not applying.
barnesJeremiah 8:22: "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?"
No physician there - i. e., in Gilead. Balm used to grow in Israel for the healing of the nations. Her priests and prophets were the physicians. Has Israel then no balm for herself? Is there no physician in her who can bind up her wound? Gilead was to Israel what Israel spiritually was to the whole world. Why then is not the health ... recovered? - Or, "wh…
ellicottJeremiah 8:22: "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?"
(22) Is there no balm in Gilead . . .? —The resinous gums of Gilead, identified by some naturalists with those of the terebinth, by others with mastich, the gum of the Pistaccia lentiscus, were prominent in the pharmacopœia of Israel, and were exported to Egypt for the embalmment of the dead ( Genesis 37:25 ; Genesis 43:11 ; Jeremiah 46:11 ; Jeremiah 51:8…
The prophet's question is layered: it's not just about the absence of a remedy, but the failure to use a readily available one. Gilead was famed for its medicinal balms, and its people were known for healing arts, yet the nation remained spiritually sick because they neglected the very means of their restoration, even when offered by God. This highlights that sometimes the biggest obstacle to healing isn't the lack of a solution, but our own stubborn refusal to embrace it.
Jeremiah's people are facing the devastating consequences of their sin, with the enemy poised to strike and destruction looming. Despite this dire situation, they seem paralyzed and without hope, prompting the prophet to question why their nation's spiritual sickness remains untreated, given that Gilead was known for its healing balms and skilled physicians. The verses following will reveal that the true issue isn't a lack of remedy, but the people's persistent refusal to seek it.
Jeremiah's people are facing the devastating consequences of their sin, with the enemy poised to strike and destruction looming. Despite this dire situation, they seem paralyzed and without hope, prompting the prophet to question why their nation's spiritual sickness remains untreated, given that Gilead was known for its healing balms and skilled physicians. The verses following will reveal that the true issue isn't a lack of remedy, but the people's persistent refusal to seek it.
"Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?" — The prophet's question is layered: it's not just about the absence of a remedy, but the failure to use a readily available one. Gilead was famed for its medicinal balms, and its people were known f…
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Last reviewed October 2026