· Translation: KJV

Jeremiah 17:18Let them be disappointed who persecute me, but let not me be disappointed; let them be dismayed, but don't let me be dismayed; bring on them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

The setting

Jerusalem, ~605 BC. Jeremiah, exhausted from years of persecution, asks God to vindicate him by bringing judgment on his persecutors...

The emotion here: exhausted and angry, wanting God to act decisively against his enemies

The original word

mishneh (מִשְׁנֶה) — double, second portion; implies complete and thorough destruction

Why it matters

This prayer was answered when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the very people persecuting Jeremiah

Read with care

What most readers miss in Jeremiah 17:18

Jeremiah asks for DOUBLE destruction — not just punishment, but complete vindication

Common misconceptionChristians think this prayer is wrong, but it's actually biblical justice — asking God to vindicate the innocent and punish the guilty according to His righteousness.

Bible Genome reading

Jeremiah 17:18 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerJeremiah
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotionanxious
Literary typeprayer
MarkPrayer

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability30%
Memorability40%
Crisis relevance80%
Standalone40%
Themes:persecutionvindicationprophetic suffering

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Jeremiah 17

Jeremiah 17:18 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 anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prayer genre of biblical literature. Key themes include persecution, vindication, prophetic suffering. Notable phrases: let them be disappointed; day of disaster. This verse is a prayer.

Your reflection

What does Jeremiah 17:18 mean to you, today?

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