Jeremiah 6:24

24 We have heard reports about them. And our hands can't help us. We are suffering greatly. It's like the pain of a woman having a baby.

Jeremiah 6:24 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 6:24

We have heard the fame thereof
Meaning not the prophet's report then, but the rumour of the enemy's coming from another quarter, at the time he was actually coming. These are the words of the people, upon such a rumour spread; or the words of the prophet, joining himself with them, describing their case, when it would be strongly reported, and they had reason to believe it, that the enemy was just coming, and very near: our hands wax feeble;
have no strength in them, shake and tremble like men that have a palsy, through fear and dread: anguish hath taken hold of us;
tribulation or affliction; or rather anguish of spirit, on hearing the news of the near approach of the enemy: and pain, as of a woman in travail;
which comes suddenly, and is very sharp; and this denotes that their destruction would come suddenly upon them, before they were aware, and be very severe.

Jeremiah 6:24 In-Context

22 The LORD says to Jerusalem, "Look! An army is coming from the land of the north. I am stirring up a great nation. Its army is coming from a land that is very far away.

23 Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears. They are mean. They do not show any mercy at all. They come riding in on their horses. They sound like the roaring ocean. They are lined up for battle. They are marching out to attack you, city of Zion."

24 We have heard reports about them. And our hands can't help us. We are suffering greatly. It's like the pain of a woman having a baby.

25 Don't go out to the fields. Don't walk on the roads. Our enemies have swords. And there is terror on every side.

26 Put on black clothes, my people. Roll among the ashes. Cry with bitter sobbing just as you would cry for an only child. The one who is going to destroy us will come suddenly.