Jeremiah 18:21 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 18:21 mean?

Jeremiah 18:21 is a prayer in which Jeremiah asks God to bring severe judgment on his enemies, including famine, violence, and the loss of family members. Jeremiah calls for their children to suffer hunger, their men to die by the sword, and their wives to become widows and bereaved mothers.

Jeremiah is speaking to God after facing threats and hostility from his own people, who have rejected his warnings and plotted against him. This verse is part of a larger section where Jeremiah pours out his distress and asks God to respond to those who seek to harm him. The language is intense and reflects Jeremiah’s deep pain and sense of injustice.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 18:21

• The word for "famine" (רָעָב, ra'av, H7458) highlights the severity of suffering Jeremiah is calling down, not just general hardship but a life-threatening lack of food.
• "Pour out" (נָסַךְ, nasakh, H5064) is a vivid verb often used for pouring out a liquid, here used to describe bloodshed, emphasizing the violence Jeremiah is invoking.
• "Sword" (חֶרֶב, cherev, H2719) appears twice, underlining that Jeremiah is specifically asking for death in battle or by violence, not just natural causes.
• "Bereaved" (שַׁכּוּל, shakul, H7909) and "widows" (אַלְמָנָה, almanah, H490) focus on the devastating social and emotional consequences for the families left behind.

Why Jeremiah 18:21 matters

• Jeremiah 18:21 shows the depth of Jeremiah’s anguish and the seriousness of the opposition he faced, correcting the idea that prophets always responded with calm or forgiveness.
• This verse connects to the larger passage where Jeremiah’s relationship with his community has broken down, helping readers understand the emotional cost of his prophetic calling.
• The strong language and specific requests for judgment highlight how personal and desperate Jeremiah’s prayers became when he felt betrayed and endangered.