Jeremiah 14:17 Meaning: God's Tears Over a Broken People
“You shall say this word to them: “‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.
Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.
And thou shalt say this word unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.
And thou hast said unto them this word: Tears come down mine eyes night and day, And they do not cease, For, with a great breach, Broken hath been the virgin daughter of my people, A very grievous stroke.
And thou shalt say this word unto them: Let mine eyes run down with tears, night and day, and not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God command Jeremiah to weep unceasingly for His people? This verse reveals God's heart of grief even in judgment.
Context
Jeremiah had been pleading with God to spare Judah. The land was parched by drought, false prophets promised peace, and the people refused to turn back. God told Jeremiah not to pray for them anymore; judgment was coming. Then God gave him a different word to speak. Not a threat, not a law, but a command to weep. The prophet was to announce his own tears, night and day, without stopping, as a public message. The weeping would say what words could not: that God’s heart was broken over what His people had brought on themselves.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb behind “run down” is yarad, meaning to descend or go down. It pictures tears flowing from their source, dropping from the eyes without stopping. This is not a single tear but a steady stream, like water finding its way downhill. The word for “cease” is damah, which carries the sense of being cut off or coming to silence. God tells the prophet there will be no cutting off the tears, they will keep coming.
The phrase “virgin daughter of my people” combines two tender words: betulah (virgin) and bat (daughter). In the ancient world, a virgin was guarded and cherished, kept from harm. Calling Israel by this name reminds everyone of the care God once gave them. Now that protection is shattered. The word “broken” is nishberah, from shabar, to be shattered, wrecked, crushed. It is the same verb used for a potter’s vessel dashed to pieces. What was whole is now shards, and God weeps over every piece.
How Christians Read This Verse
John Calvin saw God commanding the lament to shame a people too hard-hearted to weep for themselves. The tears were a living sermon meant to wake them up. Matthew Henry read it as the prophet’s own intercessory grief, a model of how to plead for a stubborn nation. Barnes noted that the term “virgin” testifies to God’s previous care; she had been kept safe like a daughter in a guarded home. Each tradition hears something different in the command, but all agree on one thing: God is not distant from the pain His judgment brings. The tears are real, and they are His.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this as Jeremiah venting his own despair. The words sound like personal heartbreak, so it is easy to assume the prophet is speaking off his own feelings. In fact, God commands him to say this word to the people. The tears are not just Jeremiah’s; they are a divine message. God Himself instructs the prophet to announce the weeping. The lament is part of the prophecy, not a break from it.
Living This Out
This week, you might encounter a situation where someone you love is reaping what they have sown, a friend facing the consequences of a bad choice, a family member stuck in a pattern that is hurting them. Your first instinct may be to explain the lesson or to distance yourself. This verse asks something harder: let yourself feel what God feels. Grieve with them, not at them. Your tears may say more than any advice ever could. They show that judgment and mercy are not opposites; they meet in a heart that refuses to stop loving.
Main takeaway: God’s judgment never comes without grief; His eyes are wet even as His hand disciplines.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God told Jeremiah to cry for His people because they were hurt. Even when we do wrong, God still loves us and feels sad with us.
For ages 9, 12
In this verse, God shows that He is not cold or distant when He disciplines His people. He weeps over the very wounds they bring on themselves. It is like a parent who must correct a child but feels heartbroken doing it. God’s judgment is wrapped in grief, not anger alone.
Questions People Ask
Why does God command Jeremiah to weep?
God wanted the people to see His own grief over their sin and coming judgment. The tears were a public message: God does not punish coldly. He feels the pain of breaking what He loves.
What does 'virgin daughter of my people' mean?
It is a tender name for Israel. A virgin was protected and cherished. The image shows God’s careful love for His people, now shattered.
Does God still feel this way about suffering today?
Christians believe God’s heart is unchanged. He grieves over sin and its consequences. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. God is not indifferent to our pain.
What is 'the great breach'?
It refers to the destruction coming through war and famine. The Hebrew word shever means a breaking or shattering. The nation was about to be crushed.
Why did God refuse Jeremiah's prayer earlier in the chapter?
Because the people had persistently refused to repent, even listening to false prophets. God’s refusal was a consequence of their hardened hearts, not a limit on His mercy.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study