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Jeremiah 2:15

2:14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled? spoiled: Heb. become a spoil?
The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. yelled: Heb. gave out their voice

KJV

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The young lions have roared at him, and yelled. They have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.

The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

The young lions roared on him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

2:16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head. have: or, feed on thy crown

What does Jeremiah 2:15 mean?

Jeremiah 2:15 is a verse in the book of Jeremiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include כְּפִיר (kᵉphîyr), שָׁאַג (shâʼag), נָתַן (nâthan). It connects to 9 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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The
young
lionsכְּפִירkᵉphîyr/kef-eer'/H3715a village (as covered in by walls); also a young lion (perhaps as covered with a mane)
roaredשָׁאַגshâʼag/shaw-ag'/H7580to rumble or moan
upon
him,
and
yelled,נָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
and
they
madeשִׁיתshîyth/sheeth/H7896to place (in a very wide application)
his
landאֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/H776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
waste:שַׁמָּהshammâh/sham-maw'/H8047ruin; by implication, consternation
his
citiesעִירʻîyr/eer/H5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
are
burnedיָצַתyâtsath/yaw-tsath'/H3341to burn or set on fire; figuratively, to desolate
without
inhabitant.יָשַׁבyâshab/yaw-shab'/H3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
yelled:
Heb.
gave
out
their
voice

Commentary on Jeremiah 2:15

HENRY_FULL · Jeremiah 2:15
has in his thoughts, and can keep no counsel,—who, whatever is started in discourse, quickly shoots his bolt,—who, when he is provoked, will say any thing that comes uppermost, whoever is reflected upon by it,—who, when he is to speak of any business, will say all he thinks, and yet never thinks he says enough, whether choice or refuse, corn or chaff, pertinent or impertinent, you shall have it all. 2. It is a piece of wisdom to be upon the reserve: A wise man will not utter all his mind at once, but will take time for a second thought, or reserve the present thought for a fitter time, when it will be more pertinent and likely to answer his intention; he will not deliver himself in a continued speech, or starched discourse, but with pauses, that he may hear what is to be objected and answer it. Non minus interdum oratorium est tacere quam dicere — True oratory requires an occasional pause. Plin. Ep. 7 .6. 12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. Note, 1. It is a great sin in any, especially in rulers, to hearken to lies; for thereby they not only give a wrong judgment themselves of persons and things, according to the lies they give credit to, but they encour

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 22:25

If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

Exodus 22:26

If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

Nehemiah 5:5

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

Psalms 13:3

Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Jeremiah 22:2

And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:

Matthew 5:45

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 9:9

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

1 Corinthians 6:10

Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 2:1

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Jeremiah 2:15.

Amos 3:4

Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? cry: Heb. give forth his voice

Isaiah 5:29

Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.

Jeremiah 25:11

And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

Jeremiah 25:38

He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger. desolate: Heb. a desolation

Jeremiah 25:9

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

Jeremiah 46:19

O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant. furnish: Heb. make thee instruments of captivity

Jeremiah 48:9

Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.

Jeremiah 50:3

For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.

Frequently asked questions

What does Jeremiah 2:15 say?

Jeremiah 2:15 (King James Version) reads: "The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. yelled: Heb. gave out their voice"

Is Jeremiah 2:15 in the Old or New Testament?

Jeremiah 2:15 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Jeremiah.

Reflect

As you read Jeremiah 2:15, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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