Jeremiah 30:15
in Jeremiah 30Why do you cry out over your wound? Your pain has no cure! Because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins I have done these things to you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Why criest thou for thy hurt? thy pain is incurable: for the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.
KJV
Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.
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This verse in Jeremiah 30
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Translate it: Why criest thou because of thy breaking? Because thy pain is grievous? Because of the multitude of thine iniquity, Because thy sins are strong, I have done these things unto thee.
This site's exposition
For this is what the LORD
on Jeremiah 30:12-17
The diagnosis is stated plainly, “Your injury is incurable; your wound is grievous.” Verse 14 names the cause, “your great iniquity and your numerous sins.” Verse 17 answers the wound with the LORD's promise, “I will restore your health and heal your wounds,” reversing the word spoken against her.
This site's exposition
Why do you cry out over your wound?
The question meets a complaint that the punishment is too harsh. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, citing Calvin, say the cry comes too late, for the season of repentance had passed. The verse repeats the cause from verse 14 word for word: great iniquity and numerous sins.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 12 onwards) For thus says the Lord, your fracture is incurable, your wound is grievous. There is no one to judge your judgment for binding, there is no usefulness in your healing. All your lovers have forgotten you, they will not seek you. For the enemy has struck you with a cruel (or strong) punishment because of the multitude of your iniquities, your sins have become severe (or multiplied). Why do you cry out about your contrition?
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
All their calamities came from his hands; whoever were the instruments, he was the principal agent. And this made their case very sad that God, even their own God, spoke concerning them, to pull down and to destroy. This was intended by him as a fatherly chastisement, and no other (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Thy sorrow is incurable because thy sins, instead of being repented of and forsaken, were increased. Note, Incurable griefs are owing to incurable lusts. Now in this deplorable condition they are looked upon with disdain (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
), and therefore, instead of repining, thou shouldest be repenting. Wherefore should a man complain for the punishment of his sins? The issue will be good at last, and therefore rejoice in hope. " Promises of Mercy.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
Why criest thou for thine affliction?....
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Though God correct them, and justly, for their sins, their manifold transgressions and mighty sins, yet he will return in mercy to them, and even their sin shall not prevent their deliverance when God's time shall come.
Are our sorrows multiplied at any time and do they increase? We must acknowledge that it is because our sins have been multiplied and they have increased.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Why criest thou--as if God's severity was excessive. Thou hast no reason to complain, for thine affliction is just. Thy cry is too late, for the time of repentance and mercy is past [CALVIN].
Thy sorrow is incurable - אנוש anush, desperate. See Jer 30:12.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
cruel chastisement chastisements of cruelty. The chastisement is cruel.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַה־ | mah- | why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| תִּזְעַק֙ | tizak | do you cry out | H2199 → | 73 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שִׁבְרֵ֔ךְ | shivrekh | fracture your | H7667 → | 45 times |
| אָנ֖וּשׁ | ʾanush | [is] incurable | H605 → | 9 times |
| מַכְאֹבֵ֑ךְ | makhovekh | pain your | H4341 → | 16 times |
| עַ֣ל׀ | ʾal | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֹ֣ב | ro | [the] greatness of | H7230 → | 149 times |
| עֲוֹנֵ֗ךְ | ʾavonekh | iniquity your | H5771 → | 233 times |
| עָֽצְמוּ֙ | ʾatzemu | they are numerous | H6105 → | 20 times |
| חַטֹּאתַ֔יִךְ | chatotayikh | sins your | H2403 → | 295 times |
| עָשִׂ֥יתִי | ʾasiti | I have done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֵ֖לֶּה | ʾeleh | these [things] | H428 → | 746 times |
| לָֽךְ׃ | lakh | to <the> you |
מַה־why?
mah-H4100 →752 times
תִּזְעַק֙do you cry out
tizakH2199 →73 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שִׁבְרֵ֔ךְfracture your
shivrekhH7667 →45 times
אָנ֖וּשׁ[is] incurable
ʾanushH605 →9 times
מַכְאֹבֵ֑ךְpain your
makhovekhH4341 →16 times
עַ֣ל׀on
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
רֹ֣ב[the] greatness of
roH7230 →149 times
עֲוֹנֵ֗ךְiniquity your
ʾavonekhH5771 →233 times
עָֽצְמוּ֙they are numerous
ʾatzemuH6105 →20 times
חַטֹּאתַ֔יִךְsins your
chatotayikhH2403 →295 times
עָשִׂ֥יתִיI have done
ʾasitiH6213 →2628 times
אֵ֖לֶּהthese [things]
ʾelehH428 →746 times
לָֽךְ׃to <the> you
lakh
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 30:14All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer seek you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your great iniquity and your numerous…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 5:6
Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be…
- Job 30:21
You have ruthlessly turned on me; You oppose me with Your strong hand.
- Lamentations 1:2
She weeps aloud in the night, with tears upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
- Jeremiah 22:20
Go up to Lebanon and cry out; raise your voice in Bashan; cry out from Abarim, for all your lovers have been crushed.
- Jeremiah 22:22
The wind will drive away all your shepherds, and your lovers will go into captivity. Then you will be ashamed and humiliated because of all your wickedness.
- Jeremiah 5:6
Through
Jeremiah 30:12For this is what the LORD says: “Your injury is incurable; your wound is grievous.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 15:18
Why is my pain unending, and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become like a mirage to me—water that is not there.
- 2 Chronicles 36:16
But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
- Jeremiah 14:17
You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow,…
- Jeremiah 15:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.