Jeremiah 42:18
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
Original Language Analysis
כִּי֩
H3588
כִּי֩
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
1 of 31
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
כֹ֨ה
H3541
כֹ֨ה
Strong's:
H3541
Word #:
2 of 31
properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
יְהוָ֣ה
the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֣ה
the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
4 of 31
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
צְבָאוֹת֮
of hosts
H6635
צְבָאוֹת֮
of hosts
Strong's:
H6635
Word #:
5 of 31
a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (speci
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
the God
H430
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
the God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
6 of 31
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒
of Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒
of Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
7 of 31
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
כַּאֲשֶׁר֩
H834
כַּאֲשֶׁר֩
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
8 of 31
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
תִּתַּ֤ךְ
be poured forth
H5413
תִּתַּ֤ךְ
be poured forth
Strong's:
H5413
Word #:
9 of 31
to flow forth (literally or figuratively); by implication, to liquify
אַפִּ֜י
As mine anger
H639
אַפִּ֜י
As mine anger
Strong's:
H639
Word #:
10 of 31
properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire
חֲמָתִי֙
and my fury
H2534
חֲמָתִי֙
and my fury
Strong's:
H2534
Word #:
11 of 31
heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever)
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
12 of 31
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
יֹֽשְׁבֵי֙
upon the inhabitants
H3427
יֹֽשְׁבֵי֙
upon the inhabitants
Strong's:
H3427
Word #:
13 of 31
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם
of Jerusalem
H3389
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם
of Jerusalem
Strong's:
H3389
Word #:
14 of 31
jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine
כֵּ֣ן
H3651
כֵּ֣ן
Strong's:
H3651
Word #:
15 of 31
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner
תִּתַּ֤ךְ
be poured forth
H5413
תִּתַּ֤ךְ
be poured forth
Strong's:
H5413
Word #:
16 of 31
to flow forth (literally or figuratively); by implication, to liquify
חֲמָתִי֙
and my fury
H2534
חֲמָתִי֙
and my fury
Strong's:
H2534
Word #:
17 of 31
heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever)
עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם
H5921
עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
18 of 31
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
בְּבֹאֲכֶ֖ם
upon you when ye shall enter
H935
בְּבֹאֲכֶ֖ם
upon you when ye shall enter
Strong's:
H935
Word #:
19 of 31
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
וִהְיִיתֶ֞ם
H1961
וִהְיִיתֶ֞ם
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
21 of 31
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
וּלְשַׁמָּה֙
and an astonishment
H8047
וּלְשַׁמָּה֙
and an astonishment
Strong's:
H8047
Word #:
23 of 31
ruin; by implication, consternation
וְלֹֽא
H3808
וְלֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
26 of 31
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
תִרְא֣וּ
and ye shall see
H7200
תִרְא֣וּ
and ye shall see
Strong's:
H7200
Word #:
27 of 31
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
ע֔וֹד
H5750
ע֔וֹד
Strong's:
H5750
Word #:
28 of 31
properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
29 of 31
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
Cross References
Jeremiah 7:20Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.Jeremiah 29:18And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:Jeremiah 18:16To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.Isaiah 65:15And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:Jeremiah 22:27But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return.Jeremiah 44:12And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.Jeremiah 24:9And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
Historical Context
Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BC was devastating: the temple burned, walls demolished, population killed or deported, the city left desolate (2 Kings 25:8-21; Lamentations). This was fresh trauma for the remnant, who either witnessed it or heard detailed reports. Jeremiah's warning that Egypt would bring identical judgment proved prophetic. Nebuchadnezzar's later invasion of Egypt (568 BC) fulfilled this literally. The Jewish community in Egypt declined into syncretism (Jeremiah 44:15-19 describes their worship of the Queen of Heaven), provoking continued judgment. By the Persian period, Egypt's Jewish communities had adopted pagan practices, as evidenced by the Elephantine papyri showing a mixed cult. The remnant became proverbial examples of judgment—exactly as prophesied. Their name became associated with rebellion and divine wrath.
Questions for Reflection
- How should witnessing God's judgment on others shape our response to His word rather than hardening our hearts?
- What does it mean to become 'an execration, astonishment, curse, and reproach,' and how does this fulfill covenant warnings?
- Why do we sometimes observe God's judgment yet choose the same path that led to that judgment?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem—The phrase poured forth (natakh, נָתַךְ) means to pour out like liquid, often used of molten metal (Ezekiel 22:22) or God's wrath (Psalm 69:24, Jeremiah 7:20). God's aph (אַף, anger, lit. 'nostril/nose') and hemah (חֵמָה, fury/wrath, from a root meaning 'heat') were not arbitrary emotions but covenantal responses to persistent rebellion. Jerusalem's destruction (586 BC) was recent, visible evidence of divine judgment—the city lay in ruins, thousands were dead or exiled.
So shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt—The comparison is explicit: identical apostasy brings identical judgment. The remnant witnessed Jerusalem's fate yet chose the same path of disobedience. This demonstrates the principle that observing God's judgment on others should produce repentance, not rebellion (Romans 2:4-5).
The consequences are comprehensive: ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach—four terms describing covenant curses (Deuteronomy 28:37). Alah (אָלָה, execration) means an oath or curse invoked upon oneself; shammah (שַׁמָּה, astonishment) indicates horrified wonder; qelalah (קְלָלָה, curse) is the opposite of blessing; herpah (חֶרְפָּה, reproach) means disgrace or taunt. Together, they picture complete disgrace—a cautionary example cited by others.