Jeremiah 9:17 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 9:17 mean?

Jeremiah 9:17 records God instructing the people to think carefully and summon professional mourning women, as well as skilled women, to come. The verse calls for a deliberate gathering of those who are experienced in public mourning rituals.

In this passage, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah. The situation is one of national crisis and deep sorrow, as Jerusalem faces disaster because of the people's unfaithfulness. The mention of "mourning women" and "cunning women" refers to women who were skilled in leading public expressions of grief, often hired to help a community mourn together. This sets the stage for the verses that follow, where public lament becomes a sign of the nation's coming judgment.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 9:17

• "Consider" (בִּינוּ, binu) means to pay close attention or understand deeply. Here, it emphasizes that the people should not act casually but thoughtfully respond to the situation.
• "Mourning women" (מְקוֹנֵנוֹת, meqonenot) refers to women trained in lamentation. Their role was to lead and intensify communal mourning, making the grief public and shared.
• "Cunning" (חֲכָמוֹת, chakamot) literally means "wise" or "skilled." In this context, it points to women who are especially skilled or experienced in the art of mourning, not just anyone who is sad.
• "Hosts" (צְבָאוֹת, tsevaot) is a title for God meaning "armies" or "forces," highlighting God's authority and power as the one giving this command.

Why Jeremiah 9:17 matters

• Jeremiah 9:17 shows that the coming disaster is so severe that ordinary mourning is not enough; it requires the help of professionals, underlining the depth of the coming sorrow.
• The verse connects to the wider passage by preparing the reader for the public and communal nature of the grief that will follow, making the judgment not just personal but shared by the whole community.
• Understanding the cultural role of mourning women helps modern readers see how grief was expressed in ancient Israel and why God would use this image to communicate the seriousness of the situation.