Jeremiah 14:3Their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.
The setting
Judean countryside, ~600 BC. Wealthy families send servants to collect water from cisterns that have run dry. Modern-day West Bank, Palestine.
The emotion here: witnessing helpless desperation of his people
The original word
bôsh (בּוֹשׁ) — ashamed, disappointed, humiliated when expectations fail
Why it matters
Covering the head was a sign of shame and mourning in ancient Near Eastern culture
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 14:3
The 'little ones' are servants, not children - showing even the wealthy are desperate
Common misconceptionMany assume 'little ones' means children, but it refers to young servants sent by nobles to fetch water.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 14:3
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 14:3 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 14:3 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jeremiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include water scarcity, social breakdown, desperation. Notable phrases: nobles send little ones; vessels empty; disappointed.
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 14:3 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "grieving"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.