And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.

JEREMIAH 9:11KJV
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Jeremiah 9:11 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 9:11 mean?

Jeremiah 9:11 says that God will turn Jerusalem into ruins, making it a place so empty and destroyed that only wild creatures live there, and the cities of Judah will be left completely deserted. This verse is a warning of total devastation as a consequence for the people's unfaithfulness.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah, describing the severe judgment that is coming because they have turned away from Him. The language paints a vivid picture of destruction: Jerusalem, once a bustling city, will become nothing but piles of rubble and a haunt for wild animals, and the surrounding towns will be emptied of all people.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 9:11

  • "heaps" (תֵּלִים, telim): This word means mounds or piles of ruins, emphasizing that Jerusalem will be reduced to rubble rather than just damaged.
  • "den" (מְעוֹנָה, me'onah): This word refers to a dwelling place, often for animals. Here, it highlights that Jerusalem will be so abandoned that only wild creatures will live there.
  • "dragons" (תַּנִּין, tannin): This word often refers to large, fearsome creatures like jackals or serpents, not the mythical dragons. It adds to the sense of desolation and wildness.
  • "desolate" (שְׁמָמָה, shemamah): This word means utterly deserted or laid waste, stressing the total emptiness that will come upon the cities of Judah.

Why Jeremiah 9:11 matters

  • Jeremiah 9:11 clears up that the destruction is not just partial or symbolic; the language points to a real, physical devastation where cities are left uninhabited.
  • The verse emphasizes the seriousness of the people's actions and the depth of the coming judgment, connecting to Jeremiah’s larger message of warning and call to repentance.
  • Understanding the original words helps the reader see that the prophecy is not just about loss, but about a complete reversal of Jerusalem’s status—from a center of life to a place fit only for wild animals.

Where else these words appear

“den” Hebrew H4583 · used in 19 verses

  • Deuteronomy 26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
  • Psalms 26:8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
  • Jeremiah 25:30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

“dragons” Hebrew H8577 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
  • Psalms 74:13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
  • Jeremiah 10:22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

“heaps” 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:

“desolate” Hebrew H8077 · used in 54 verses

  • Exodus 23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
  • Jeremiah 49:2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.
  • Ezekiel 35:3 And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.