Jeremiah 23:39

39 I will certainly pick them up and throw them far away from me, both them and the city that I gave to them and their ancestors.

Jeremiah 23:39 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:39

Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you
That is, so behave towards them, as though they were entirely out of his sight and mind; show no affection to them; take no care of them; bestow no favours upon them; and no more have them under his protection. In the word here used, and rendered "forget", and the word before used for a "burden", there is an elegant play on words F23, which another language will not easily express; no doubt there is an allusion to that word in this; and I will forsake you;
neither vouchsafe them his gracious presence, nor his powerful protecting presence, but give them up to the enemy: and the city that I gave you and your fathers;
the city of Jerusalem, which he had given to them to dwell in, and their fathers before them; but now they having sinned against him, and provoked him; therefore, notwithstanding this grant of the place to them, and which is mentioned that they might not depend upon it, and buoy up themselves with hopes that they should be in safety on that account; as he had forsaken them, he would forsake that, and the temple in it, and give it up into the hand of the Chaldeans: [and cast you] out of my presence;
as useless and loathsome. The Targum is,

``I will remove you far away, and the city which I save you and your fathers from my word.''
it signifies their going into captivity.
FOOTNOTES:

F23 (avn ytyvn) "forgetting I will forget", and (avm) "a burden".

Jeremiah 23:39 In-Context

37 Jeremiah, ask the prophets, "What answer did the Lord give you? What did the Lord say?'
38 And if they disobey my command and use the words "the Lord's burden,' then tell them tha
39 I will certainly pick them up and throw them far away from me, both them and the city that I gave to them and their ancestors.
40 I will bring on them everlasting shame and disgrace that will never be forgotten."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. [The Hebrew verb for] pick up [comes from the same root as the Hebrew word for] message [and] burden.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.