Jeremiah 50:17Israel is a hunted sheep; the lions have driven him away: first, the king of Assyria devoured him; and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones.
The setting
Babylon, ~587 BC. Jerusalem has fallen. Jeremiah prophesies to exiles scattered across the empire...
The emotion here: heartbroken watching his people suffer repeatedly
The original word
nāḏaḥ (נָדַח) — violently scattered, driven away like prey
Why it matters
Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom in 722 BC, Babylon the southern in 587 BC
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 50:17
This describes TWO separate conquests 135 years apart — a pattern of predators
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just about ancient Israel, but it's God's pattern throughout history — He always sees when His people are hunted by predators.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 50:17
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 50:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 50:17 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 30% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include Israel suffering, oppression, vulnerability. Notable phrases: Israel is a hunted sheep; lions have driven him. 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 50:17 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.