Jeremiah 25:18to wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and its kings, and its princes, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day;
The setting
Jerusalem, 605 BC. Jeremiah lists the holy city first - the place where he was born, trained, and called to ministry...
The emotion here: devastating grief watching his world crumble
The original word
šammāh (שַׁמָּה) — desolation, appalling waste, shocking ruin
Why it matters
Jerusalem's walls stayed broken for 140 years after Babylon destroyed them
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 25:18
Jeremiah had to prophesy the destruction of his own hometown, his own temple, his own people
Common misconceptionPeople think this was just political commentary, but Jeremiah was watching his childhood neighborhood, his family's temple, and his people's future get destroyed.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 25:18
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 25:18 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 25:18 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 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 jerusalem judgment, covenant curses, national destruction. Notable phrases: Jerusalem and the cities of Judah; desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse.
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 25:18 mean to you, today?
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