Jeremiah 9:15

15 therefore the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, saith these things, Lo! I shall feed this people with wormwood, and I shall give to them (to) drink the water of gall (and I shall give them the water of gall to drink).

Jeremiah 9:15 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 9:15

Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,
&c.] He calls himself "the Lord God of hosts", of armies above and below, in heaven and in earth, in opposition to Baalim, the idols of the Gentiles; which word signifies "lords"; which, though there be many who are called so, there is but one God, and one Lord, who is God over all, and "the God of Israel"; who had chosen them, and distinguished them by the blessings of his goodness; and yet they had forsaken him, and followed after other gods; by which the eyes of his glory were provoked, and he was determined to chastise them for it: behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood;
that is, with straits or difficulties, as the Septuagint version; with bitter afflictions; such are not joyous, but grievous; which are irksome and disagreeable, as bitter things, and particularly wormwood, are to the taste. The Targum is,

``I will bring tribulation upon them, bitter as wormwood:''

and give them water of gall to drink;
meaning either of the entrails of a beast so called, or of the juice of the herb hemlock, as the word is rendered in ( Hosea 10:4 ) , as Kimchi; or of the poison of a serpent, as Jarchi; and so the Targum,

``and I will give them the cup of cursing to drink as the heads of serpents:''

signifying that their punishment would be very severe, though just.

Jeremiah 9:15 In-Context

13 And the Lord said, For they forsook my law, which I gave to them, and they heard not my voice, and they went not therein; (And the Lord said, For they deserted my Law, which I gave to them, and they did not listen to, or obey, my voice, and they did not follow it;)

14 and they went after the shrewdness of their heart, and after Baalim, which they learned of their fathers; (and they went after the depravity of their hearts, and went after the Baalim, which they learned from their fathers;)

15 therefore the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, saith these things, Lo! I shall feed this people with wormwood, and I shall give to them (to) drink the water of gall (and I shall give them the water of gall to drink).

16 And I shall scatter them among heathen men, which they and their fathers knew not; and I shall send sword after them, till they be wasted. (And I shall scatter them among the heathen, whom they and their fathers did not know; and I shall send the sword after them, until they be destroyed.)

17 The Lord of hosts, God of Israel, saith these things, Behold ye, and call ye women that wail, and come they; and send ye to those women that be wise, and haste they. (The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith these things, Behold ye, and call ye for women who wail, and come they; and send ye for those women who be wise, and hasten they here.)