Jeremiah 14:16The people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them--them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness on them.
The setting
Jerusalem, 587 BC. Bodies lie unburied in streets during Babylonian siege. Families who trusted false prophets now starve together. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: heartbroken over innocent families destroyed by trusting wrong leaders
The original word
shalak (שָׁלַךְ) — cast out like garbage, not just 'placed outside' but thrown away
Why it matters
During the siege, Jerusalem's population dropped from 75,000 to fewer than 10,000
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 14:16
The phrase 'none to bury them' was the ultimate horror in ancient culture - worse than death itself
Common misconceptionPeople think followers are innocent victims, but Jeremiah shows they chose comfortable lies over difficult truth and bear responsibility.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 14:16
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 14:16 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 14:16 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 grieving, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include death, abandonment, consequences. Notable phrases: cast out in the streets; none to bury them. This verse contains a promise of God. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 14:16 mean to you, today?
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