Jeremiah 10:18For thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~588 BC. God speaks through Jeremiah as siege engines approach the walls. The word 'sling' evokes David's victory, now reversed in modern-day Israel/Palestine...
The emotion here: grief-stricken but committed to justice
The original word
qala (קָלַע) — to sling, hurl with force like a stone from a sling
Why it matters
Babylonians used deportation as warfare strategy, scattering conquered peoples to prevent rebellion
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 10:18
God uses David's weapon word (sling) but now He's slinging His own people away from their land
Common misconceptionPeople think God enjoys punishing people. The phrase 'that they may feel it' shows His heart - discipline is meant to wake people up, not destroy them.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 10:18
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 10:18 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 10:18 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Yahweh. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, exile. Notable phrases: sling out the inhabitants; distress them. This verse contains a promise of God. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 10:18 mean to you, today?
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