Jeremiah 30:14
in Jeremiah 30All 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 sins.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not: for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased.
KJV
All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.
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This verse in Jeremiah 30
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For the multitude ... - Or, Because of the multitude of thine iniquity, Because thy sins are strong. Judah’s lovers are the nations which once sought her alliance (see Jer 22:20; Jer 27:3).
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
All your lovers have forgotten you
Judah's lovers are the nations that once sought her as an ally, as Barnes explains, pointing to 22:20 and 27:3. Those allies have now walked away. The Lord Himself struck the blow, and the reason given is Judah's great iniquity.
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
), 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
All thy lovers have forgotten thee,....
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.
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.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Job complains that God had become cruel to him and multiplied his wounds. When troubles are great and long we have need carefully to watch over our own hearts, that we entertain not such hard thoughts as these of God and his providence. His are the chastisements of a merciful one, not of a cruel one, whatever they may appear.
Observe, Thy lovers have forgotten thee, for I have wounded thee. When God is against a people who will be for them? Who can be for them so as to do them any kindness?
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
God condescends to employ language adapted to human conceptions. He is incapable of "enmity" or "cruelty"; it was their grievous sin which righteously demanded a grievous punishment, as though He were an "enemy" (Jer 5:6;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
cruel chastisement chastisements of cruelty. The chastisement is cruel.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
to be healed cure. No one thinks that you will have salvation.
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
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מְאַהֲבַ֣יִךְ | meahavayikh | lovers your | H157 → | 211 times |
| שְׁכֵח֔וּךְ | shekhechukh | they have forgotten you | H7911 → | 102 times |
| אוֹתָ֖ךְ | ʾotakh | <obj.> you | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִדְרֹ֑שׁוּ | yidroshu | they care for | H1875 → | 164 times |
| כִּי֩ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מַכַּ֨ת | makat | [the] blow of | H4347 → | 48 times |
| אוֹיֵ֤ב | ʾoyev | an enemy | H341 → | 282 times |
| הִכִּיתִיךְ֙ | hikitikh | I have struck down you | H5221 → | 499 times |
| מוּסַ֣ר | musar | [the] correction of | H4148 → | 50 times |
| אַכְזָרִ֔י | ʾakhzari | a cruel [one] | H394 → | 8 times |
| עַ֚ל | ʾal | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֹ֣ב | ro | [the] greatness of | H7230 → | 149 times |
| עֲוֹנֵ֔ךְ | ʾavonekh | iniquity your | H5771 → | 233 times |
| עָצְמ֖וּ | ʾatzemu | they are numerous | H6105 → | 20 times |
| חַטֹּאתָֽיִךְ׃ | chatotayikh | sins your | H2403 → | 295 times |
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מְאַהֲבַ֣יִךְlovers your
meahavayikhH157 →211 times
שְׁכֵח֔וּךְthey have forgotten you
shekhechukhH7911 →102 times
אוֹתָ֖ךְ<obj.> you
ʾotakhH853 →10935 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִדְרֹ֑שׁוּthey care for
yidroshuH1875 →164 times
כִּי֩for
kiH3588 →4482 times
מַכַּ֨ת[the] blow of
makatH4347 →48 times
אוֹיֵ֤בan enemy
ʾoyevH341 →282 times
הִכִּיתִיךְ֙I have struck down you
hikitikhH5221 →499 times
מוּסַ֣ר[the] correction of
musarH4148 →50 times
אַכְזָרִ֔יa cruel [one]
ʾakhzariH394 →8 times
עַ֚לon
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
רֹ֣ב[the] greatness of
roH7230 →149 times
עֲוֹנֵ֔ךְiniquity your
ʾavonekhH5771 →233 times
עָצְמ֖וּthey are numerous
ʾatzemuH6105 →20 times
חַטֹּאתָֽיִךְ׃sins your
chatotayikhH2403 →295 times
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 2:36How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 31:22
How long will you wander, O faithless daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing in the land—a woman will shelter a man.”
- Hosea 5:13
When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.
- Jeremiah 31:22
Through
Lamentations 1:2She 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.
it leads to
- Psalms 6:6
I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
- Psalms 6:6
Through
Jeremiah 5:6Therefore 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…
it leads to
- Habakkuk 1:8
Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.
- Jeremiah 4:7
A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and…
- Ezekiel 22:27
Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
- Habakkuk 1:8
Through
Job 30:21You have ruthlessly turned on me; You oppose me with Your strong hand.
it leads to
- Job 10:14–17
If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.
- Job 16:9–14
His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.
- Job 10:14–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Jeremiah
This page draws on 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.