Jeremiah 16:4

Authorized King James Version

They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

Word-by-Word Analysis

מְמוֹתֵ֨י

H4463

deaths

a mortal disease; concretely, a corpse

תַחֲלֻאִ֜ים

H8463

of grievous

a malady

יָמֻ֗תוּ

H4191

They shall die

to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

לֹ֤א

H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

יִסָּֽפְדוּ֙

H5594

they shall not be lamented

properly, to tear the hair and beat the breasts (as middle easterners do in grief); generally to lament; by implication, to wail

וְלֹ֣א

H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

יִקָּבֵ֔רוּ

H6912

neither shall they be buried

to inter

לְדֹ֛מֶן

H1828

but they shall be as dung

manure

עַל

H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

#10

פְּנֵ֥י

H6440

upon the face

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

#11

הָאֲדָמָ֖ה

H127

of the earth

soil (from its general redness)

#12

יִֽהְי֑וּ

H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

#13

וּבַחֶ֤רֶב

H2719

by the sword

drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement

#14

וּבָֽרָעָב֙

H7458

and by famine

hunger (more or less extensive)

#15

יִכְל֔וּ

H3615

and they shall be consumed

to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume)

#16

וְהָיְתָ֤ה

H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

#17

נִבְלָתָם֙

H5038

and their carcases

a flabby thing, i.e., a carcase or carrion (human or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol

#18

לְמַאֲכָ֔ל

H3978

shall be meat

an eatable (including provender, flesh and fruit)

#19

לְע֥וֹף

H5775

for the fowls

a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively

#20

הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם

H8064

of heaven

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r

#21

וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥ת

H929

and for the beasts

properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)

#22

הָאָֽרֶץ׃

H776

of the earth

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

What practical applications emerge from understanding salvation as presented in this verse, particularly in light of addressing questions of religious pluralism and the exclusivity of Christ?
How does this verse's literary context within Jeremiah chapter 16 illuminate its theological significance, and what does this teach us about biblical interpretation?
In what ways does understanding divine revelation in its original context challenge or deepen contemporary Christian thinking about salvation?

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