And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

JEREMIAH 14:16KJV
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Jeremiah 14:16 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 14:16 mean?

Jeremiah 14:16 says that the people who listen to false prophets will suffer terribly in Jerusalem, dying in the streets from famine and war, with no one left to bury them or their families, because God will let their own wickedness fall back on them. This verse shows the serious consequences for both the false prophets and those who follow them.

Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah during a time of crisis, warning them that trusting in false messages instead of God’s truth will lead to disaster. The verse paints a vivid picture of the coming judgment: not only will there be physical suffering from famine (lack of food) and the sword (violence or war), but there will also be a breakdown of basic human dignity, as no one will be left to bury the dead. The final line makes it clear that this is a direct result of their own wrongdoing.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 14:16

  • The word for "people" (עָם, ʿam, H5971) refers to the general population, not just leaders or prophets, making it clear that ordinary people are included in this warning.
  • "Prophesy" (נָבָא, navaʾ, H5012) here refers to the act of delivering a message supposedly from God, but in this context, it is false prophecy that leads people astray.
  • "Pour" (שָׁפַךְ, shafakh, H8210) is a strong word for spilling or dumping out, emphasizing that the consequences of wickedness will be overwhelming and inescapable.
  • "Wickedness" (רַע, raʿ, H7451) means evil or wrongdoing, highlighting that the suffering described is not random but directly tied to the people's own actions.

Why Jeremiah 14:16 matters

  • This verse clarifies that following false prophets is not a harmless mistake; it brings real and severe consequences for individuals and families.
  • The emphasis on the lack of burial underscores the total devastation and shame that will come upon Jerusalem, which would have been especially shocking in ancient Israelite culture.
  • Jeremiah 14:16 connects to the wider passage by showing that God’s judgment is not just against the leaders or prophets, but also against the people who choose to believe lies instead of seeking the truth.

Where else these words appear

“them” Hebrew H1992 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
  • Numbers 13:3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
  • Psalms 16:3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

“famine” Hebrew H7458 · used in 88 verses

  • Genesis 12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
  • 2 Kings 25:3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.
  • Jeremiah 32:24 Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.

“prophesy” Hebrew H5012 · used in 102 verses

  • Numbers 11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
  • Jeremiah 20:6 And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.
  • Ezekiel 13:16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.

“pour” Hebrew H8210 · used in 111 verses

  • Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
  • Job 30:16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
  • Ezekiel 16:36 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;