Jeremiah 6:8

Authorized King James Version

Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
הִוָּסְרִי֙
Be thou instructed
to chastise, literally (with blows) or figuratively (with words); hence, to instruct
#2
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם
O Jerusalem
jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine
#3
פֶּן
properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest
#4
תֵּקַ֥ע
depart
properly, to sever oneself, i.e., (by implication) to be dislocated; figuratively, to abandon; causatively, to impale (and thus allow to drop to piece
#5
נַפְשִׁ֖י
lest my soul
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
#6
מִמֵּ֑ךְ
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
#7
פֶּן
properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest
#8
אֲשִׂימֵ֣ךְ
from thee lest I make
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
#9
שְׁמָמָ֔ה
thee desolate
devastation; figuratively, astonishment
#10
אֶ֖רֶץ
a land
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
#11
ל֥וֹא
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
#12
נוֹשָֽׁבָה׃
not inhabited
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

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

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood divine revelation. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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