This verse points to a broader reality of God’s moral governance affecting all generations in a nation.
The prophet Jeremiah declares, “For thus says the LORD concerning the sons and daughters who are born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bear them, and their fathers who beget them in this land:” (v.3). By specifying “this place” and “this land,” he directs our attention to the southern kingdom of Judah, particularly the region around Jerusalem, which stood during the 7th to 6th century BC under the rule of its final kings before the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah (who lived around 627 BC to sometime after 586 BC) delivers this message as a warning that the future of new generations is grim due to the nation’s disobedience and impending judgment—an outcome that would ultimately culminate in the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
In this verse, the LORD highlights not only the children but also the parents, emphasizing the totality of the impact of sin and consequence. Children born in this tumultuous period are included in God’s dire prophecy, hinting that the penalty of Judah’s waywardness will span across familial lines. This sobering caution ties into the larger biblical theme that rebellion against God’s sovereignty brings about suffering. Jesus later reinforces that repentance leads to true restoration, urging the New Testament audience to turn from sin for salvation (Luke 13:3).
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Jeremiah 16:3 meaning
The prophet Jeremiah declares, “For thus says the LORD concerning the sons and daughters who are born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bear them, and their fathers who beget them in this land:” (v.3). By specifying “this place” and “this land,” he directs our attention to the southern kingdom of Judah, particularly the region around Jerusalem, which stood during the 7th to 6th century BC under the rule of its final kings before the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah (who lived around 627 BC to sometime after 586 BC) delivers this message as a warning that the future of new generations is grim due to the nation’s disobedience and impending judgment—an outcome that would ultimately culminate in the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
In this verse, the LORD highlights not only the children but also the parents, emphasizing the totality of the impact of sin and consequence. Children born in this tumultuous period are included in God’s dire prophecy, hinting that the penalty of Judah’s waywardness will span across familial lines. This sobering caution ties into the larger biblical theme that rebellion against God’s sovereignty brings about suffering. Jesus later reinforces that repentance leads to true restoration, urging the New Testament audience to turn from sin for salvation (Luke 13:3).