Jeremiah 49:12
in Jeremiah 49For this is what the LORD says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, can you possibly remain unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for you must drink it too.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, they to whom it pertained not to drink of the cup shall assuredly drink; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink.
KJV
For thus saith the Lord; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.
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This verse in Jeremiah 49
Commentary
4 notes on this verseArt thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? - A similar form of speech appears, Jer 25:29. Others, less wicked than thou, have been punished and canst thou expect to escape? Thou shalt not escape.
This site's exposition
If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it
on Jeremiah 49:12-18
The cup of wrath from 25:15-29 comes to Edom: if those who do not deserve the cup must drink it, Edom will not go unpunished. Verses 14 to 16 run close to Obadiah 1-4. Verse 18 says of Edom, “no man will abide there,” words used of Babylon in 50:40.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For thus saith the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It might have been expected that they would be spared. He regards not the merits of the Jews, for they were as bad or worse than others: but the grace and adoption of God; it is just and natural ("judgment") that God should pardon His sons sooner than aliens [CALVIN].
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
those who do not deserve to drink For they were not brothers to Israel, and if they harmed them, they do not deserve the death sentence like you.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
that Bozrah shall become desolation, reproach, waste, and a curse Bozrah was one of the cities of Moab, but because it raised up a king for Edom, as the matter is stated, “And Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah” (Gen.:33), it will suffer with them.
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. 5 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
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כֹ֣ה׀ | khoh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֣ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הִ֠נֵּה | hineh | there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [those] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֵ֨ין | ʾein | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| מִשְׁפָּטָ֜ם | mishpatam | sentence their | H4941 → | 422 times |
| לִשְׁתּ֤וֹת | lishtot | [was] to drink | H8354 → | 217 times |
| הַכּוֹס֙ | hakos | the cup | H3563 → | 34 times |
| שָׁת֣וֹ | shato | completely <to drink> | H8354 → | 217 times |
| יִשְׁתּ֔וּ | yishtu | they will drink [it] | H8354 → | 217 times |
| וְאַתָּ֣ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| ה֔וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| נָקֹ֖ה | nakoh | completely <exempt from punishment> | H5352 → | 44 times |
| תִּנָּקֶ֑ה | tinakeh | will you be exempt from punishment? | H5352 → | 44 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִנָּקֶ֔ה | tinakeh | you will be exempt from punishment | H5352 → | 44 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שָׁתֹ֖ה | shatoh | certainly <drink> | H8354 → | 217 times |
| תִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃ | tishteh | you will drink [it] | H8354 → | 217 times |
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
כֹ֣ה׀thus
khohH3541 →577 times
אָמַ֣רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הִ֠נֵּהthere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
אֲשֶׁר־[those] who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אֵ֨יןnot
ʾeinH369 →789 times
מִשְׁפָּטָ֜םsentence their
mishpatamH4941 →422 times
לִשְׁתּ֤וֹת[was] to drink
lishtotH8354 →217 times
הַכּוֹס֙the cup
hakosH3563 →34 times
שָׁת֣וֹcompletely <to drink>
shatoH8354 →217 times
יִשְׁתּ֔וּthey will drink [it]
yishtuH8354 →217 times
וְאַתָּ֣הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
ה֔וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
נָקֹ֖הcompletely <exempt from punishment>
nakohH5352 →44 times
תִּנָּקֶ֑הwill you be exempt from punishment?
tinakehH5352 →44 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִנָּקֶ֔הyou will be exempt from punishment
tinakehH5352 →44 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
שָׁתֹ֖הcertainly <drink>
shatohH8354 →217 times
תִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃you will drink [it]
tishtehH8354 →217 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
Proverbs 17:5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
it leads to
- Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
- Job 31:29
If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
- Obadiah 1:11–13
On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were just like one of them.
- 1 John 3:17
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
- Proverbs 14:31
Through
Jeremiah 30:11For I am with you to save you, declares the LORD. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have scattered you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:19
They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
- Jeremiah 10:24
Correct me, O LORD, but only with justice—not in Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.
- Jeremiah 4:27
For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.
- Jeremiah 1:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).