The Bible Says
Jeremiah 9:17-22 Meaning

In Jeremiah 9:17, the prophet Jeremiah relays God’s instruction for specific individuals, known for leading communal laments, to gather and mourn: Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider and call for the mourning women, that they may come; And send for the wailing women, that they may come" (v. 17). These professional mourners were often wise in expressing grief and could spur the entire community to repentance. Jeremiah’s prophecy took place around 627 BC to the years following Jerusalem’s fall in 586 BC, and this call for wailing women demonstrates the severity of Judah’s situation. Their involvement highlights how the tragedy was meant to be visibly mourned, drawing attention to just how grave their sins and future consequences had become.

Jeremiah 9:17 also underscores that the lament was not individual but corporate. By summoning these wailing women, God commanded a united demonstration of sorrow and reflection. The historical context shows that Jeremiah ministered during a time when the kingdom of Judah was beset by idolatry and foreign threats. The collective tears of lament became a symbol of humble acknowledgement of sin, reminiscent of the deeper sorrow that God’s people would ultimately be called to in recognizing their need for redemption, foreshadowing how genuine grief can lead to true repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).

 The next verse intensifies the urgency of sorrow: "Let them make haste and take up a wailing for us, That our eyes may shed tears And our eyelids flow with water (v. 18). Here, Jeremiah describes an almost immediate need for tears, revealing the spiritual condition of the nation, which had become so desperate that prompt mourning was essential. Geographically, these lamentations would have spread throughout Judah’s towns and villages, and particularly within Jerusalem, also called Zion. Zion was the heart of Judah’s religious life, and the sound of weeping there would have alerted everyone to the looming crisis.

In Jeremiah’s day, outward signs of grief were not merely emotional outbursts; they were communal displays that carried spiritual significance. The tears mentioned convey the depth of Judah’s brokenness under God’s judgment, showing that any attempt to ignore or minimize their wrongdoing would fail. This same posture of humble sorrow stands as a timeless principle for God’s people: acknowledging wrongdoing and turning to the LORD, a concept realized fully in the arrival and teachings of Jesus, who likewise urged repentance and contrition of heart.

 reveals that the lament is already resounding from the city of Jerusalem, here referred to as Zion: "For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion, How are we ruined! We are put to great shame, For we have left the land, Because they have cast down our dwellings" (v. 19). Zion, located on a prominent hill in Jerusalem, served as the central place of worship and symbolized God’s presence among His people. Yet, these lamenters cry out in devastation, recognizing their shame at having departed from God’s ways and allowed their nation to face ruin.

The phrase, "we have left the land" (v. 19), conveys more than a territorial departure; it indicates a spiritual distancing from the covenant God. The downfall of their dwellings signifies that they are no longer under the protective hand of the LORD. This demise serves as a powerful reminder that, without obedience and faith, even the most cherished city and beloved dwellings can crumble. It further foreshadows the exile that would come upon the people if they did not turn back to their God.

In saying, "Now hear the word of the LORD, O you women, And let your ear receive the word of His mouth; Teach your daughters wailing, And everyone her neighbor a dirge" (v. 20), Jeremiah 9:20 continues the emphasis on the women’s role in the lament. In ancient Israel, the instruction to teach daughters and neighbors how to mourn made mourning a shared practice, preserving the message of repentance across generations. This call exhibits the gravity of the coming judgment and the necessity for all to be prepared in confronting the nation’s downfall.

Jeremiah 9:20 also highlights obedience to God’s word. By saying, "hear the word of the LORD" (v. 20), Jeremiah points to the command that runs deeper than cultural tradition. Mourning here was not just about lamenting a loss; it was about responding to the voice of God with humility and awe. As these women passed on the art of mourning, they were also passing on the warning of judgment-a stark invitation to all listeners to heed the voice of God before it was too late.

In the next verse, death pervades every corner of the city-from the common dwellings to the royal palaces: "For death has come up through our windows; It has entered our palaces To cut off the children from the streets, The young men from the town squares" (v. 21). This vivid image indicates that no reliance on social class or protective structures can stand against the coming death; it surges past walls and gates like a relentless flood.

The consequence of disregarding God’s commands, therefore, involves a severe cost. Children and young men, representing the future of the nation, are not spared. Jeremiah 9:21 serves as a warning that disobedience affects not just the present generation but also robs future generations of hope and prosperity. Such tragedy underscores the urgent need for genuine national repentance, both then and now.

Jeremiah 9:22 concludes this section with one of the most somber images of judgment: "Speak, 'Thus says the LORD, "The corpses of men will fall Like dung on the open field, And like the sheaf after the reaper, But no one will gather them"'" (v. 22). Scattered bodies left unburied convey the complete and tragic devastation that would befall the land, emphasizing the dishonor such a fate would bring. Open fields, once farmland, become places of lifeless remnants, symbolizing not just physical death but the loss of everything that once flourished.

This stark depiction underscores the seriousness with which the LORD treats sin and covenant violation. Leaving corpses on the ground, like grain that no one bothers to collect, highlights how divine judgment can bring a society to its knees. Even so, this grim image also holds a cautionary undertone, inspiring those who hear it to turn to God before they face a judgment from which no immediate recovery can be found. The foreshadowing of complete desolation points to the deeper truth seen throughout Scripture: the payment of sin is death, but God's merciful gift is redemption and life for those who repent (Romans 6:23).