And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

JEREMIAH 20:16KJV
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Jeremiah 20:16 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 20:16 mean?

Jeremiah 20:16 is a curse spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, wishing that the man who announced his birth would suffer the same fate as cities destroyed by the LORD, hearing only cries of distress and alarm instead of peace. Jeremiah is expressing deep anguish, longing that the bringer of his birth news would experience relentless disaster and terror.

Jeremiah is speaking out of personal pain and despair, feeling overwhelmed by the suffering he faces as a prophet. The verse uses strong imagery from Israel’s history—cities overthrown by the LORD (H3068)—to communicate the severity of the curse. Jeremiah wishes that this man would hear constant cries (H2201) and shouts (H8643), symbolizing a life filled with turmoil from morning (H1242) to noontide (H6256, H6672), with no relief.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 20:16

  • LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH, H3068): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing that the destruction Jeremiah refers to is not random but comes directly from God’s judgment.
  • Overthrew (הָפַךְ, hāphakh, H2015): This word often describes the complete and sudden destruction of cities like Sodom and Gomorrah, highlighting the total ruin Jeremiah wishes upon the man.
  • Cry (זְעָקָה, ze‘aqāh, H2201) and Shouting (תְּרוּעָה, teru‘āh, H8643): These words point to the sounds of distress and alarm during attack or disaster, showing Jeremiah’s wish for unending fear and chaos for this person.
  • Morning (בֹּקֶר, boqer, H1242) and Noontide (צָהֳרַיִם, tsohorayim, H6672): Mentioning both times of day stresses that the suffering would be constant, with no break from trouble.

Why Jeremiah 20:16 matters

  • Jeremiah’s words show the depth of his emotional and spiritual struggle, making his pain relatable and real rather than distant or abstract.
  • The verse connects Jeremiah’s personal suffering to the larger story of God’s judgment in Israel’s history, using familiar images to intensify his lament.
  • Understanding the original Hebrew words clarifies that Jeremiah is not just wishing harm, but invoking the most complete form of disaster known to his hearers, showing how desperate and isolated he feels.