Jeremiah 15:5
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Jeremiah 15:5
5 For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?
Chapter Context
Jeremiah 15 is a prophetic oracle chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of mercy, grace, obedience. Written during the final years of Judah and early exile (c. 627-580 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Prophesied during Judah's final years as Babylon became the dominant power.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-21: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it reveals key aspects of God's character through divine actions and declarations. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Jeremiah and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Jeremiah 15:5
5 For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?
Analysis
This verse expresses divine disengagement: 'For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask of thy welfare?' Three rhetorical questions expect answer 'no one.' 'Pity' (chamal, חָמַל) is tender compassion; 'bemoan' (nud, נוּד) is to shake the head in sympathy; 'ask of welfare' (sha'al leshalom) is standard greeting inquiry. Jerusalem will find no sympathy, no mourning, no concerned inquiry. The isolation is complete—friends and allies abandon the judged city. Even God, who expressed such grief in 12:7-13, now announces Jerusalem's abandonment by all.
Historical Context
During Babylon's final siege, no ally came to Jerusalem's aid. Egypt, which Judah had courted against Jeremiah's warnings, briefly approached but withdrew (Jeremiah 37:5-11). The nations Jerusalem had cultivated abandoned her to destruction. International isolation compounded military catastrophe.
Reflection
- What does universal abandonment—no pity, no mourning, no inquiry—add to judgment's weight?
- How does isolation from human sympathy intensify the experience of divine judgment?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Jeremiah 21:7, Psalms 69:20, Isaiah 51:19, Nahum 3:7