Jeremiah 21:10For I have set my face on this city for evil, and not for good, says Yahweh: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
The setting
Jerusalem, 588 BC. The die is cast. God announces His face is set against the city. In 2 years, Nebuchadnezzar will burn Solomon's temple, destroy the walls, and exile the survivors to Babylon.
The emotion here: anguished at pronouncing doom on his beloved city
The original word
ra'ah (רָעָה) — evil, calamity, disaster - not moral evil but devastating judgment
Why it matters
The fire that destroyed Jerusalem burned so hot it cracked the massive foundation stones, some weighing 15 tons
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 21:10
God's face being 'set against' means His protective presence has been withdrawn
Common misconceptionPeople think this makes God cruel, but this was the end result of 400 years of warnings. Sometimes love requires letting consequences happen to prevent worse destruction.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 21:10
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 21:10 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 21:10 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 5% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine opposition, babylonian conquest, destruction. Notable phrases: set my face for evil; king of Babylon; burn it. 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 21:10 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 "angry"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.