Jeremiah 9:22

22 Declare what the LORD says: Dead bodies will lie like dung on the fields, like bundles of grain after the harvest, with no one to pick them up.

Jeremiah 9:22 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 9:22

Speak, thus saith the Lord
These are the words of the Lord to Jeremiah, to go on with his prophecy in his name; so the Targum,

``prophesy, thus saith the Lord:''
even the carcasses of men shall fall as dung upon the open field;
or, "upon the face of the field" F6; this shows the reason why the women are called to mourning, because the men would fall by the sword in the open field, and there lie and rot, and become dung upon it. The Targum is,
``as dung spread upon the face of the field;''
which denotes the great number that should fall, which would cover the face of the field; the condition they should be in; and the contempt and neglect they should be had in: and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them;
as a handful of corn that is forgot, and left by the harvestman; or as ears of corn which are dropped by the reaper, or binder, and are usually gleaned or gathered up by the poor that follow; but in the case referred to, or supposed, are not gathered; so it would be with these people; they should be left upon the ground, like a handful forgot, or like ears of corn dropped, and not gathered up, and there they should lie, and none should bury them.
FOOTNOTES:

F6 (hdvh ynp le) "super faciebus agri", Montanus, Schmidt; "in facie agri", Cocceius; "in superficie agri", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Jeremiah 9:22 In-Context

20 Women, hear the LORD's word. Listen closely to the word from his mouth: teach your daughters to mourn; teach each other to grieve.
21 Death has climbed through our windows; it has entered our fortresses to eliminate children from the streets, the youth from the squares.
22 Declare what the LORD says: Dead bodies will lie like dung on the fields, like bundles of grain after the harvest, with no one to pick them up.
23 The LORD proclaims: the learned should not boast of their knowledge, nor warriors boast of their might, nor the rich boast of their wealth.
24 No, those who boast should boast in this: that they understand and know me. I am the LORD who acts with kindness, justice, and righteousness in the world, and I delight in these things, declares the LORD.
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