Jeremiah 23:19

19 Lo! the whirlwind of the Lord's indignation shall go out, and tempest breaking [out] shall come on the head of wicked men

Jeremiah 23:19 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:19

Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury
Or, "behold, a whirlwind of the Lord, of the fury is gone forth" F2; which latter clause explains the former; and, hews, that by "the whirlwind of the Lord" is meant his "fury" or "wrath"; which, like a whirlwind, would come suddenly, and at an unawares, and be very boisterous and powerful, and carry all before it; and which was gone forth from the Lord in the decree and commission; and would quickly break out and appear in the Chaldean army that would invade Judea and besiege Jerusalem, compared to a full and fanning wind, and its chariots to a whirlwind, ( Jeremiah 4:11-13 ) ; from whence it would appear, that these men, the false prophets, were not in the counsel of God; had seen no vision from him, nor had marked his word: since they prophesied of peace and prosperity, when a blustering storm was coming: even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of
the wicked;
or "rest" F3 thereon; even on the head of the wicked prophets, and all such wicked persons as give heed unto them; on them it would fall with its full weight, and give excessive pain, and there continue to their utter ruin. Kimchi says this refers to the days of the Messiah, when all the wicked shall be consumed. It may refer to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, at least include it; which was a grievous whirlwind indeed.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (hauy hmh hwhy treo hnh) "ecce turbo Domini exandescentia", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius; "en procella Jehovae! ira exivit", Schmidt.
F3 (lwxy) "manebit", Montanus, Cocceius; "permanebit", Junius & Tremellius; "residebit", Targ. "requiescet", Syr.

Jeremiah 23:19 In-Context

17 They say to them that blaspheme me, The Lord spake, Peace shall be to you; and they said to each man that goeth in the shrewdness of his heart, Evil shall not come [up]on you. (They say to those who blaspheme me, The Lord spoke, Peace shall be to you; and they said to each person who goeth in the depravity of his own heart, Evil shall not come upon you.)
18 For why who is present in the counsel of the Lord (For who hath stood in the council of the Lord), and saw, and heard his word? who beheld, and heard the word of him?
19 Lo! the whirlwind of the Lord's indignation shall go out, and tempest breaking [out] shall come on the head of wicked men
20 The strong vengeance of the Lord shall not turn again, till that he do, and till that he [ful]fill the thought of his heart. In the last days ye shall understand the counsel of him.
21 I sent not the prophets, and they ran; I spake not to them, and they prophesied
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.