Original Meaning
JEREMIAH 15:10–18 contain a lament/complaint on the part of the prophet with reference to divine judgment in verses 12–14, while verses 19–21 are a reply from God. In literary context this material follows upon the oracles presented in 14:1–15:9, where the people offered two corporate confessions/petitions (14:7–9, 19–22) and Jeremiah responded with a lament on behalf of God (14:17–18). One way to interpret the bitter lament/complaint in 15:10–18, therefore, is to see it as a culminating reaction to the people’s failures, the impact of the drought, and the pressure on Jeremiah from prophets who were offering oracles of peace to a desperate nation—all of which are depicted in 14:1–15:9.
This section is actually structured around a give-and-take conversation between prophet and God, which unfolds as follows:
A. 15:10: Jeremiah laments the day of his birth and the curses of people that are now directed at him.
B. 15:11: God replies that he will deliver Jeremiah for a good purpose.
C. 15:12–14: God pronounces judgment on the people.
D. 15:15–18: Jeremiah expresses his frustrations to God.
E. 15:19–21: God replies to Jeremiah.
There are difficult textual and syntactical issues involved in the translation of this section, particularly with verse 12, a verse that has a significant role in the way the lament/complaint is interpreted.1 Parts A and B, and then parts D and E, show the pattern of prophetic lament/complaint followed by divine reply. The middle portion (15:12–14), however, both interrupts the pattern and appears addressed to Judah. Perhaps the best option is to interpret verses 12–14 as a word from the Lord pronouncing judgment on Judah.
15:10. In this verse Jeremiah laments his birth (cf. also 20:14–18, as well as the first lament of Job in Job 3:1–26).2 This provides another, somewhat broader context in which to hear the language of personal woe. Jeremiah is similar to Job. His contemporaries curse him, and the pain of his ostracism has made even God seem deceitful and unreliable to him.
In lamenting the day of his birth, Jeremiah offers an evaluation of his life and prophetic ministry. He feels as if there is no purpose for him to continue to live. The parallel with the lament of Job suggests that we are dealing with a recognized literary motif. It is tantamount to the conclusion of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes that it would be better not to have been born (Eccl. 4:1–3). Such language should be taken seriously as an indication of despair, though not literally as the announcement of suicide. Jeremiah describes the “curses” that have come to him, even though he has neither lent nor borrowed. The troubles that come from either activity are legendary. Again, Jeremiah employs a traditional motif to make his point (cf. Job 6:22; Ps. 15:5).
15:11. God replies that he will deliver Jeremiah for a “good purpose” and will bring his enemies to a place where they will need to plead with him. This last comment perhaps leads to the further pronouncement of judgment on Judah in verses 12–14.
15:12–14. As noted above, the text of verse 12 and the interpretation of these three verses is difficult. The best overall option is to see all three verses as a judgment speech on Judah. They repeat material found in 17:3–4, where the context is clearly judgment on the people.
15:15–18. Jeremiah turns once again to the Lord. As part of his lament/complaint he notes that his enemies are also God’s enemies. Jeremiah suffers his reproach because he represents God’s word to the people. In verse 16 he describes his encountering of God’s word with the surprising claim that he “ate” them and they became his joy. This may refer to his willing acceptance of God’s previous revelation to him (cf. 1:9). Possibly verse 16 refers to a literal “finding” of a text, for the verb that the NIV translates as “came” literally means to be found.3 Whether this means that Jeremiah was instructed by a document like the book of the covenant discovered during Josiah’s reign or another preserved text (Hosea?) cannot be known. The emphasis falls on the prophet’s joy at that time as opposed to the despair and rejection he now encounters.
Jeremiah confesses that it is God’s hand that he feels on him, that God is the source of the indignation he experiences. As his emotions boil over, the prophet asks God why his (Jeremiah’s) pain is unending and why he (God) has become like failing water.
15:19–21. God’s reply is not to deal with the particulars of Jeremiah’s anger but to remind him that the path of the faithful and obedient prophet is still open to him. One should not conclude that Jeremiah has failed or that God has failed the prophet, but rather that God has called him to prophesy in this historical hour of judgment. Jeremiah has received the reward typical for a prophet who announces judgment (i.e., persecution; cf. Matt. 5:10–11).
Verse 19 has two plays on the verb “turn/return” (šub).4 If Jeremiah will “repent” (i.e., change his tune and direction), then God will “restore” him. These are the NIV renderings of šub in both cases. Moreover, using the same verb, God states that the people should “turn” to Jeremiah, but that Jeremiah should not “turn” to them. Verses 20–21 are reminiscent of Jeremiah’s initial “call” in 1:18–19. He still has the same task ahead of him and the same assurance that God is with him.
Bridging Contexts
JEREMIAH’S LAMENTATION IN 15:10, 15–18 has many echoes in Scripture, including several places elsewhere in Jeremiah. Being rejected by one’s contemporaries is deeply painful, and the human toll it takes is evident in the prophet’s candid language. The joining of this lament with the announcement of judgment in 15:1–9 shows the link between the people’s rejection of God (15:6) and their rejection of God’s prophet (15:16–17). These rejections are two sides of the same coin.
Jeremiah’s plea for judgment on his accusers and tormentors is a prayer for justice. If God intends to judge his people for their failures, then Jeremiah prays for a just verdict on those who slander God through attacking his prophet. Jeremiah’s reproach results from his role as one called by God’s name and one who delights in God’s Word (cf. Ezek. 3:3). Suffering comes to one who stands for God’s Word in evil times.
God does not reply directly to the prayer for judgment on the oppressors; instead, he reminds Jeremiah that his restoration from humiliating circumstances is simply to return to his role as mouthpiece for the Lord.5 There is no warrant in the prophet’s lament to carry out personal retribution. The jarring language of the lament is the humanness of the prophet stretched almost to the breaking point. It is a reminder that ministry is not about success or happiness but about faithfulness. Even in his despair Jeremiah’s lament is evidence that he still “fought the good fight” (1 Tim. 6:12).
Contemporary Significance
ACCOUNTABILITY. Instruction for God’s people today comes in various ways from these somber verses. It is necessary, first of all, to face the scriptural claim that God holds his covenant people (and ultimately all people) accountable for their actions. This is as true in the case of individuals as it is in corporate terms. Jeremiah 15:1–9 contained words of judgment in historical terms (e.g., the sword, captivity) for corporate failure. This is the context in which to read the lament of 15:10–21. They should be a lesson for any subsequent generation of God’s people. A secular historian might explain Judah’s demise in terms of ancient Near Eastern power politics and tragic miscalculations; the eyes of faith discern divine chastisement and discipline in the tragic events of the Babylonian assault and the Exile.
Should believers today ask about trends in the life of the church today that bode ill for the future? Are there signs even now that God has given (will soon give?) individuals or communities over to the folly of their actions? Does this include the maligning of persons who carry out their discipleship in controversial ways?
The references to Moses and Samuel in 15:1–9 served as a reminder of the great privilege of intercessory prayer, even if their prayers would not have helped the people of Jeremiah’s day. Mention of these two great prophets is of no value were it not for the claim that they had, in fact, led God’s people through tumultuous times and that they were valiant in prayer on behalf of the people. We should listen to Jeremiah’s own prayers about himself in light of their witness. In a time of despair the prophet is inclined to think his life is a total failure, and he sees little evidence that God is with him supportively. Yet God hears all his frustration and replies.
The prophet’s pain. Ministry can be painful and costly. Jeremiah’s lament shows one of God’s chosen vessels suffering because of his service to God. His life is an Old Testament form of Jesus’ call to discipleship: Take up your cross and follow me. Even when stretched seemingly to the breaking point, God reminds Jeremiah of his call to prophetic ministry. For the prophet there is no alternative but to turn (return) once again to the Lord, who called him and promised him protection.
Jeremiah’s lament is an understandably human response to mistreatment. Likely it was therapeutic for him to cry out. God does not answer directly his plea for vengeance, at least on Jeremiah’s own scale of justice (15:15), any more than God will answer our own pleas for judgment according to our scale of judgment. Judgment must be left to him (Rom. 12:17–21). Jeremiah can at least understand that much; that is why he prays for God to vanquish the oppressors.
Christians can see in Jeremiah a prophetic mediator whose office points forward to a suffering Savior, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame (Heb. 12:2). Christ’s prayers included intercession even for the oppressor, although he too experienced the mysterious absence of God as he poured out his life on the cross. Jeremiah’s own prayer for vindication and judgment on the oppressor is part of his plea to God that he not violate his promise of protection to him. It takes seriously God’s prerogative to deal sovereignly with evil; yet his prayer can be reframed in light of Jesus’ own example of intercessory prayer.
Perhaps one of the ways to grasp the significance of Jeremiah’s lament(s) for modern appropriation in North America is to take seriously the tone. His laments are not like a majestic hymn of praise from the Psalter or the enthusiastic praise music so popular in segments of the church today. They have more of a point of contact with the “blues music” spawned in the African American culture. The blues have been an important contributor to both traditional soul music and vibrant gospel singing in African American churches. With the blues comes an articulate voice for the range of human experience, particularly the down times. A classic blues composition is “The Thrill Is Gone,” by the legendary B. B. King. For over thirty years that song has been a catalyst for those who have sought a voice to express their despair or grief. The tone of the song is a mournful one, and the words lament a relationship gone wrong.
Singing the blues or hearing them sung is similar to pouring out one’s heart in prayer to God. That is why there is such a strong connection between blues and gospel music. King himself has stated that he wants to record a gospel album before he retires because he is convinced that the blues lead one to gospel. The same can be said for a lament like Jeremiah’s. He faces his doubts and tormentors, gives voice to unease and anger, and gives all of it to God.
Adult Sunday school classes usually discuss the Lord’s Prayer as a standard model for Christian prayer. One of its petitions is that God will deliver the disciple from evil. There are times in which following the claims of the gospel and practicing one’s faith will lead directly into encounters with evil. One of the marvelous gifts of Jeremiah’s book is the humanness of his prayers when wearied and depressed by the struggle with rejection and persecution. Zeal for the path of discipleship (in the case of Jeremiah, zeal to carry out his prophetic commission) is no guarantee of smooth sailing in life. God will hear the prayers of his disciples—unlike those prayers from the dark hour of Judah’s judgment—just as God heard Jeremiah’s cries.