And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?
JEREMIAH 16:10KJVWhat does Jeremiah 16:10 mean?
Jeremiah 16:10 describes a moment when the people of Judah will question Jeremiah about why God has announced such severe judgment against them, asking what wrong they have done or what sin they have committed against the LORD their God. The verse shows the people's confusion or denial about the reason for the coming disaster.
In this verse, God is speaking to Jeremiah, telling him what will happen when he delivers God's message of judgment to the people. The people will respond by asking why God is bringing "all this great evil" upon them, using words for "iniquity" and "sin" that point to wrongdoing and guilt. This sets up the following verses, where God will explain their specific failures and why judgment is coming.
The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 16:10
- "shew" (נָגַד, nagad): This word means to make something known or to declare. Here, it highlights Jeremiah's role as someone who must clearly present God's message, even when it is hard to hear.
- "evil" (רָעָה, ra'ah): This word often means calamity or disaster, not just moral evil. The people are asking why God would bring such a great disaster upon them, not just why He would be angry.
- "iniquity" (עָוֹן, avon): This word refers to guilt or wrongdoing, often with a sense of twistedness or moral distortion. The people are asking what deep wrong they have done.
- "sin" (חַטָּאת, chatta't): This word means missing the mark or failing to live up to God's standard. The people are questioning what specific actions have caused offense.
Why Jeremiah 16:10 matters
- Jeremiah 16:10 shows that the people do not see or admit their own guilt, which is a key reason for their coming judgment. Their questions reveal a spiritual blindness or unwillingness to face their actions.
- The verse sets up the next part of the chapter, where God will answer their questions by listing their unfaithfulness and idolatry. This structure helps the reader follow the logic of God's message.
- Understanding the original words for "evil," "iniquity," and "sin" helps clarify that the people are asking about both the disaster itself and the moral reasons behind it, not just complaining about their circumstances.