Jeremiah 14:17

Jeremiah's Request

17 You are to speak this word to them: Let my eyes overflow with tears; day and night may [they] not stop,^[a] for the virgin daughter of my people has been destroyed by a great disaster,^[b] an extremely severe wound.^[c]

Jeremiah 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 14:17

Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them
Instead of praying for the people, the prophet has a doleful lamentation put into his mouth, to pronounce in their hearing, in order to assure them of the calamities that were coming upon them, and to affect them with them. Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not
cease:
or "be silent" ^F16; signifying that there would be quickly just reason and occasion for incessant grief and sorrow in them; and if they were so hardened as not to be affected with their case, he could not refrain shedding tears night and day in great abundance; which would have a voice in them, to call upon them to weeping and lamentation also. Some take these words to be a direction and instruction to the people; so the Septuagint,

``bring down upon your eyes tears night and day, and let them not cease;''

and the Arabic version,

``pour out of your eyes tears night and day continually;''

and the Syriac version is,

``let our eyes drop tears night and day incessantly.''

For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach,
with a very grievous blow;
cities are sometimes called virgins, which were never taken; and so Jerusalem here, it having never been taken since it was in the hands of the people of Judah; nor were its inhabitants as yet carried captive, but now would be; which, together with the famine and the sword, by which many should perish, is the great breach and grievous blow spoken of; and which is given as a reason, and was a sufficient one, for sorrow and mourning.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (hnymdt) "sileant", Schmidt; "taceant", Pegninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 14:17 In-Context

15 "Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, though I did not send them, and who say: There will never be sword or famine in this land: By sword and famine these prophets will meet their end.

16 The people they are prophesying to will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. There will be no one to bury them-they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them."

17 You are to speak this word to them: Let my eyes overflow with tears; day and night may [they] not stop, for the virgin daughter of my people has been destroyed by a great disaster, an extremely severe wound.

18 If I go out to the field, look-those slain by the sword! If I enter the city, look-those ill from famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.

19 Have You completely rejected Judah? Do You detest Zion? Why do You strike us with no hope of healing for us? We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good; for a time of healing, but there was only terror.

Footnotes

• [a]. Jr 9:1,10; 13:17
• [b]. Jr 4:6; 6:1
• [c]. Jr 10:19; 30:12