Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

JEREMIAH 5:22KJV
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Jeremiah 5:22 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 5:22 mean?

Jeremiah 5:22 describes God asking why the people do not fear or respect Him, pointing out that He is the one who set the sand as a boundary for the sea, keeping its powerful waves in check by His unchanging command. The verse uses the image of the sea’s limits to show God’s authority and power, which should inspire awe and reverence.

In this verse, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking God’s words to the people of Judah, who have become stubborn and rebellious. God reminds them that He alone controls the forces of nature, like the sea, by His own decree. The verse is meant to highlight how unreasonable it is for people to ignore or disrespect the God who holds such power over creation.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 5:22

  • "Fear" (יָרֵא, yare): This word means to have awe or deep respect, not just to be afraid. God is asking why the people do not have proper reverence for Him, given His power.
  • "Perpetual" (עוֹלָם, olam): This word often means everlasting or unending. The boundary God set for the sea is described as a lasting decree, emphasizing God’s ongoing control.
  • "Waves" (גַּל, gal): This word refers to the rolling or surging of the sea. The verse points out that even though the waves are strong and restless, they cannot cross the boundary God has set.

Why Jeremiah 5:22 matters

  • Jeremiah 5:22 clears up the idea that God’s authority is only spiritual or distant; it shows that His power is seen in the everyday world, even in the boundaries of nature.
  • The verse emphasizes how the people’s lack of respect for God is unreasonable, since even the chaotic sea obeys His command.
  • This verse ties into the wider message of Jeremiah 5, where God is confronting the people’s stubbornness and calling them back to recognize His rightful place as Creator and Lord.

Where else these words appear

“toss” Hebrew H1607 · used in 7 verses

  • 2 Samuel 22:8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.
  • Psalms 18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
  • Jeremiah 46:7 Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?

“sand” Hebrew H2344 · used in 23 verses

  • Genesis 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
  • 1 Samuel 13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
  • Psalms 139:18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

“waves” Hebrew H1530 · used in 32 verses

  • Genesis 31:46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
  • Job 38:11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
  • Isaiah 48:18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

“roar” Hebrew H1993 · used in 32 verses

  • 1 Kings 1:41 And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
  • Psalms 77:3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
  • Isaiah 51:15 But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.