What is the meaning of Jeremiah 14:17?

You are to speak this word to them

- God personally commissions Jeremiah to deliver a specific message, stressing divine initiative (Jeremiah 1:9; Exodus 4:12).

- The phrase highlights that the forthcoming lament originates with God, not Jeremiah’s private emotion.

- It sets a solemn tone: refusal to heed is ultimately rejection of God’s own voice (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

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My eyes overflow with tears

- The prophet, echoing God’s heart, is undone by Judah’s rebellion (Jeremiah 9:1; Luke 19:41).

- Tears reveal compassion, not weakness; judgment is never cold or detached (Ezekiel 18:32).

- The overflowing imagery suggests grief beyond containment—Israel’s sin has breached every boundary.

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day and night they do not cease

- Continuous weeping underscores the seriousness of impending disaster (Lamentations 2:18-19).

- Unceasing sorrow mirrors unrelenting sin and the non-stop consequences that will follow (Jeremiah 8:5-6).

- The round-the-clock lament also hints at intercession: Jeremiah stands in the gap without respite (1 Samuel 12:23).

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for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow

- “Virgin daughter” stresses Judah’s intended purity and covenant closeness (2 Colossians 11:2; Jeremiah 2:2).

- “Shattered” is abrupt and violent, pointing to Babylon’s invasion and the loss of national integrity (Jeremiah 4:6-7; 39:1-10).

- The contrast between cherished status and brutal outcome magnifies the tragedy and the justice of God’s response (Isaiah 5:1-7).

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a severely grievous wound

- The wound is beyond human healing; only divine intervention can restore (Jeremiah 30:12-17).

- It signals both physical devastation and spiritual brokenness: temple, city, and heart are all stricken (Psalm 74:3-7).

- Such language anticipates the ultimate remedy in the New Covenant where God binds up the broken (Isaiah 61:1; Hebrews 8:10-12).

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summary

Jeremiah 14:17 unveils God’s own tears over a people who refused to repent. The prophet’s ceaseless lament reflects divine compassion coupled with impending judgment. Judah, once a cherished “virgin daughter,” now faces a crushing blow and an incurable wound because of persistent sin. Even in this dire pronouncement, the depth of God’s sorrow hints at His desire to heal the very wounds that His justice must allow.