Jeremiah 38:22behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Your familiar friends have set you on, and have prevailed over you: now that your feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back.
The setting
Jerusalem, 587 BC. God reveals through Jeremiah the exact humiliation awaiting: the royal women will mock Zedekiah publicly, blaming his advisors for his downfall. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: heartbroken at having to deliver such devastating news about betrayal
The original word
šālôm (שָׁלוֹם) — trusted friends, literally 'men of your peace' who betrayed that peace
Why it matters
Ancient Near Eastern royal women often served as diplomatic messengers and political commentators
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 38:22
The women speaking are fellow royalty - this is elite-level public shaming, not common gossip
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just about general friendship betrayal, but it's specifically about political advisors who will abandon a leader when consequences come.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 38:22
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 38:22 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 38:22 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to God. 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 judgment, exile, humiliation. Notable phrases: women who are left; brought forth to the king of Babylon. 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 38:22 mean to you, today?
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