Jeremiah 21:5

5 And I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand, and with strong arm, and in {anger}, and in fury, and in great wrath.

Jeremiah 21:5 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 21:5

And myself will fight against you
So far from being entreated to do for them according to his wondrous works in times past, as their friend; that he will set himself against them as their enemy; and sad it is to have God for an enemy: if God be for a people, none can be against them to do them any hurt; but if he is against them, it signifies nothing who is for them: this must be much more terrible to them than the whole Chaldean army, and the king of Babylon at the head of them: with an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm;
such as he had used formerly in delivering Israel out of Egypt, but now in delivering them into the hands of their enemies; and out of the reach of such a hand there is no getting; and under the weight of such an arm there is no supporting; see ( Exodus 6:6 ) ( 13:9 ) ; even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath;
because of their sins and iniquities. This heap of words is used to show the greatness of his indignation: this was not the chastisement of a father, but the rebuke of an enemy; not a correction in love, but in hot displeasure; a punishment inflicted in vindictive wrath by a righteous Judge, appearing in a warlike manner.

Jeremiah 21:5 In-Context

3 Then Jeremiah said to them, "Thus you shall say to Zedekiah:

4 'Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: "Look, I [am] about to turn back the weapons of war that [are] in your hands, [with] which you [are] fighting against them, the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are laying siege to you from outside the wall, and I will gather them into the center of this city.

5 And I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand, and with strong arm, and in {anger}, and in fury, and in great wrath.

6 And I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both humankind and animal; by a great plague they will die.

7 And {afterward}," {declares} Yahweh, "I will give Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and those who remain in this city from the plague, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their lives, and he will strike them with [the] {edge} of [the] sword. He will not take pity on them, and he will not have compassion, nor will he show compassion." '

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "nose"