Jeremiah 18:16

16 Their land will be an object of horror and of lasting scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and will shake their heads.

Jeremiah 18:16 in Other Translations

16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

16 making their land a horror, a thing to be hissed at forever. Everyone who passes by it is horrified and shakes his head.

16 Therefore, their land will become desolate, a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will shake their heads in amazement.

16 Their land's going to end up a mess - a fool's memorial to be spit on. Travelers passing through will shake their heads in disbelief.

16 They have made their land a horror, a perpetual object of scorn; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and shake his head.

Jeremiah 18:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 18:16

To make their land desolate
Not that this was the intention either of those that led them out of the right way into those wrong paths, or of them that went into them; but so it was eventually; this was the issue of things; their idolatry and other sins were the cause of their land being desolate; through the ravage of the enemy, let in upon them by way of judgment; and through the destruction of men by them; so that there were few or none to cultivate and manure it: [and] a perpetual hissing;
to be hissed at perpetually by the enemy, whenever they passed by it, and observed its desolation; thereby expressing their hatred at its inhabitants; their joy at its desolation; and their satisfaction in it, which would be for ever; or, as Kimchi interprets, a long time. This is the present case of the Jews; and has been ever since their destruction by the Romans; and will be until the fulness of the Gentiles is gathered in: everyone that passeth thereby shall be astonished:
to see the desolations made, and the strange alterations in a place once so famous for fruitfulness and number of inhabitants: and wag his head;
either out of pity, or rather in a way of derision and exultation; see ( Lamentations 2:15 Lamentations 2:16 ) .

Jeremiah 18:16 In-Context

14 Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters from distant sources ever stop flowing?

15 Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths. They made them walk in byways, on roads not built up.

16 Their land will be an object of horror and of lasting scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and will shake their heads.

17 Like a wind from the east, I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them my back and not my face in the day of their disaster.”

18 They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.”

Cross References

• 1. S Deuteronomy 28:37; Jeremiah 25:9; Ezekiel 33:28-29
• 2. Jeremiah 19:8; Jeremiah 42:18
• 3. S Leviticus 26:32
• 4. S 2 Kings 19:21; S Job 16:4; Psalms 22:7; Lamentations 1:12