Jeremiah 9:15
Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights God's direct involvement in bringing about this judgment, not merely as a passive observer, but actively "feeding" them bitter food and "giving" them poisonous water. This emphasizes that their suffering is not random misfortune, but a divinely administered consequence for forsaking His law, a profound and unsettling reality for a people who considered themselves chosen.
God declares He will punish Israel for forsaking His law and refusing to walk in His ways. This judgment will be severe, symbolized by being fed bitter herbs and poisonous drink, representing the intense sorrow and calamity of exile. The people, who previously mingled with and learned from foreign nations, will now be scattered among peoples they don't know, experiencing profound alienation and hardship.
God's judgment isn't random. When His people stray, the very things that should sustain them can become instruments of their downfall.
Jeremiah 9:15 uses vivid imagery to describe the consequences of turning away from God. The Lord declares, 'Behold, I will feed this people with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.'
What is 'Wormwood' and 'Gall'?
The Meaning of 'Feeding' and 'Drinking'
God's judgment here is described as 'feeding' and 'giving drink.' This isn't about literal starvation, but about the experience of life itself becoming agonizing. Their sustenance, their very existence, will be filled with the bitterness and poison of their own choices. It's the consequence of forsaking God's law – their lives will reflect that bitter, poisonous departure.
When disaster strikes, people often wonder 'Why?' Jeremiah points us not just to the disaster, but to God's unchanging word as the source of truth, even when ignored.
In the context of Jeremiah 9, the prophet laments that there are few wise or discerning people left who understand why the land is perishing (Jeremiah 9:12). He cries out, 'Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it?'
God's Judgment Has a Reason
Jeremiah 9:15 begins with 'Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel...' This 'therefore' is crucial. It links God's impending judgment directly to the people's actions, which were laid out in preceding verses: forsaking God's law and refusing to walk in it (Jeremiah 9:13).
Understand the original words
Yahweh Seba'ot · Hebrew Noun
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty and supreme authority as the Commander of the vast celestial armies and all powers in heaven and earth.
rosh · Hebrew Noun
Substances that cause death or severe suffering; often used metaphorically in Scripture to describe the deadly consequences of sin and divine judgment.
This verse vividly describes the severe and bitter consequences of the Babylonian conquest and exile. The 'wormwood' and 'poisonous water' aren't just symbolic; they represent the harsh reality of defeat, displacement, and the loss of life-sustaining resources faced by the people of Judah.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Conquest and Deportations
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, and many Israelites are deported from their homeland, beginning a long period of exile for many.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylon conquers Judah. A first wave of exiles, including members of the royal family and skilled workers, are taken to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, further deportations occur from Judah to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylon crushes a final Judean revolt, destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, and deports most of the remaining population to Babylon.
This passage speaks of a 'poisonous root' producing 'wormwood,' symbolizing the bitter consequences of turning away from God's covenant, mirroring Jeremiah's warning of bitter food and poisonous water.
Lamentations 3:15This verse describes God filling the people with 'bitterness' and making them drink 'wormwood,' echoing the imagery in Jeremiah of suffering and calamitous experiences as a result of sin.
Proverbs 17:11While not directly about punishment, this proverb contrasts seeking evil with seeking what is right, highlighting the theme of intentional pursuit of destructive paths that can lead to severe consequences, akin to the 'bitter food' and 'poisonous water' described.
Jeremiah 8:14This earlier verse in Jeremiah already warned of 'poisonous water' and 'gall' for the people to drink, showing a consistent theme of severe divine judgment and its bitter effects for disobedience.
clarkeJeremiah 9:15: "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink."
I will feed them - with wormwood - They shall have the deepest sorrow and heaviest affliction. They shall have poison instead of meat and drink.
calvinJeremiah 9:13-15: "And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;"
- Propterea sic dicit Jehova exercituum, Deus Israel, Ecce ego cibans (cibabo) populum hunc ameritudine, et potabo aquis veneni (vel, venenatis; alii vertunt, aquis fellis; nam r's utrumque significat.)
Jeremiah now confirms what I have stated, and more fully explains it, -- that though no teacher or a disciple was found in the land, yet the…
The verse highlights God's direct involvement in bringing about this judgment, not merely as a passive observer, but actively "feeding" them bitter food and "giving" them poisonous water. This emphasizes that their suffering is not random misfortune, but a divinely administered consequence for forsaking His law, a profound and unsettling reality for a people who considered themselves chosen.
God declares He will punish Israel for forsaking His law and refusing to walk in His ways. This judgment will be severe, symbolized by being fed bitter herbs and poisonous drink, representing the intense sorrow and calamity of exile. The people, who previously mingled with and learned from foreign nations, will now be scattered among peoples they don't know, experiencing profound alienation and hardship.
God declares He will punish Israel for forsaking His law and refusing to walk in His ways. This judgment will be severe, symbolized by being fed bitter herbs and poisonous drink, representing the intense sorrow and calamity of exile. The people, who previously mingled with and learned from foreign nations, will now be scattered among peoples they don't know, experiencing profound alienation and hardship.
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The Authority of God's Word
Even when people are ignorant, indifferent, or actively reject God's truth, God's Word still stands. He is speaking His judgment, and His reasons are clear to those who would listen. The prophetic message isn't dependent on human wisdom or acknowledgment. God's declaration of judgment, and its cause (disobedience), carries divine authority, whether the people recognize it or not.
c. 550 BC
Rise of the Persian Empire
Cyrus the Great founds the Persian Empire, which will eventually conquer Babylon and allow the Jewish exiles to return.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, leading to a shift in imperial power and a decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to Judah.
"Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink." — The verse highlights God's direct involvement in bringing about this judgment, not merely as a passive observer, but actively "feeding" them bitter food and "giving" them poisonous water. This emphas…
