Jeremiah 18:16 · Bible study
Jeremiah 18:16 Commentary: Perpetual Hissing
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the debate over the meaning of 'perpetual hissing' and head-shaking in Jeremiah 18:16.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The land's desolation is a visible judgment for covenant unfaithfulness, causing onlookers to react with horror or contempt.
- Key words: shammah (waste/astonishment), sherikoth (hissing/whistling), nud (shake head).
- Main debate: Whether hissing and head-shaking express scorn (Gill, JFB) or pity (Barnes).
- Theological theme: God's judgment is just and serves as a warning to all nations; sin has visible consequences.
- Best use: A sobering call to repentance and reminder that turning from God leads to devastation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.
WEB World English Bible 2000
to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.
KJV King James Version 1769
To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
To make their land become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with his head.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
to make their land an astonishment, a perpetual hissing: every one that passeth by shall be astonished, and shake his head.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
That their land might be given up to desolation, and to a perpetual hissing: every one that shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and wag his head.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Para poner su tierra en desolación, y en silbos perpetuos; todo aquel que pasare por ella se maravillará, y meneará su cabeza.
Para tornar sua terra em desolação, e em assovios perpétuos; todo aquele que passar por ela se espantará e balançará sua cabeça.
Ils ont fait de leur pays, un objet de désolation, d’ éternelle moquerie;
auf daß ihr Land zur Wüste werde, ihnen zur ewigen Schande, daß, wer vorübergeht, sich verwundere und den Kopf schüttle.
Om hun land te stellen tot een ontzetting, tot eeuwige aanfluitingen; al wie daar voorbijgaat, zal zich ontzetten, en met zijn hoofd schudden.
e per far così del loro paese una desolazione, un oggetto di perpetuo scherno; talché tutti quelli che vi passano rimangono stupiti e scuotono il capo.
Tak, abym podał ziemię ich na spustoszenie, na świstanie wieczne, aby każdy, ktoby szedł przez nią, zdumiał się, i kiwał głową swoją.
чтобы сделать землю свою ужасом, всегдашним посмеянием, так что каждый, проходящий по ней, изумится и покачает головою своею.
以致 他們的地 令人驚駭，常常 嗤笑；凡 經過 這地 的必驚駭 搖 頭。
Making their land a thing of wonder, causing sounds of surprise for ever; everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder, shaking his head.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 18:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree on the basic scenario: Judah's land will become a desolation (shammah), a perpetual object of hissing (sherikoth), and every passerby will be astonished and shake their head. This judgment is the direct outcome of the people's stubborn refusal to repent (Jeremiah 18:12). The imagery draws on covenant curses (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28) and echoes the fate of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 9:8).
Interpreters diverge on the emotional tone of the hissing and head-shaking. Adam Clarke defines the hissing as "an expression of contempt." The Geneva Bible calls it "a perpetual derision." Jamieson-Fausset-Brown read it as mockery, linking the head-wagging to the mocking of Christ in Matthew 27:39. But Barnes argues that among Jews head-shaking signaled pity, not scorn, and that the hissing reflects a shudder of horror. Calvin hedges, noting that such gestures can signify amazement, contempt, or abhorrence.
This nuance does not affect the core message: the land that once reflected God's blessing will become a monument of judgment, prompting every witness to stop and consider the cost of covenant unfaithfulness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Expression of Contempt or Derision: Based on usage in 1 Kings 9:8, Lamentations 2:15, Matthew 27:39 (head wagging in mockery). Supported by Gill, JFB, Clarke.
- Expression of Horror and Pity: Barnes argues that shaking the head among Jews signified pity; the land's desolation evokes shock and lament rather than scorn.
What is clear: The land's desolation is a direct consequence of Judah's persistent sin and rejection of God's call to repentance, serving as a visible warning to all who witness it.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of "hissing" and head-shaking | Both gestures signal a strong reaction to the land's desolation. | Some read them as contempt and derision (Gill, JFB, Clarke); others as pity and dismay (Barnes); Calvin includes both as possibilities. |
| Duration of "perpetual" judgment | The Hebrew word <em>olam</em> indicates a long, indefinite duration. | Calvin understands it as 'to the end of the world'; Gill says 'a long time, but not absolutely perpetual' in application to Israel's dispersion. |
| Connection to the potter's parable | The potter's freedom illustrates God's sovereignty to bring judgment. | Some see a direct link between the vessel's marring and Israel's stubbornness; others focus on the conditional nature of the prophecy. |
| Purpose of the land's desolation | It is a consequence of sin and serves as a warning. | Some view it as exclusively punitive (Gill); others as also serving as a deterrent to others (Lange: 'an object of everlasting derision'). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The historical setting of Jeremiah 18 is the late seventh century BC, during the reign of Jehoiakim (609, 598 BC). Babylon is rising as the dominant power, and Judah faces an existential threat. The chapter's opening parable of the potter (Jeremiah 18:1, 10) establishes God's sovereign freedom to reshape nations as a potter shapes clay, a warning that blessing is conditional on repentance. In verses 11, 12, God explicitly calls Judah to turn from evil, but the people answer, 'It is in vain! We will follow our own plans.' It is this deliberate hardening that triggers the judgment described in verse 16.
The phrase 'make their land an astonishment' (shammah) evokes the covenant curses of Leviticus 26:33 and Deuteronomy 29:23, where the land itself suffers for the people's sins. 'A perpetual hissing' (sherikoth olam) appears in 1 Kings 9:8, where the temple, once the pride of Israel, becomes an object of scorn. The Hebrew word olam here points to continuous, indefinite duration, not necessarily eternal in a philosophical sense, but a long-lasting condition that extends beyond the immediate generation. As Calvin notes, this judgment would not be 'for a few years but to the end of the world.'
The response of the passersby, astonishment and head-shaking, reflects the shock of seeing a once-favored land ruined. In the ancient Near East, such gestures could convey either scorn or lament. The ambiguity may be intentional: the ruin invites both pity at the tragedy and horror at the divine justice behind it. For a culture that valued honor and shame, the transformation of Canaan from a land flowing with milk and honey into a desolation was the ultimate humiliation, a visible sermon to every traveler that sin brings degradation.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentary sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts.
Reception History
This verse has been read across traditions as a vivid depiction of covenant curse. Jewish commentators often see it as a description of the Babylonian exile and subsequent dispersions. In Christian tradition, it has been used to warn against the dangers of persistent sin and the reality of divine judgment. The parallel with 1 Kings 9:8 made it a common text in discussions of the temple's fate. During the Reformation, Calvin emphasized God's sovereignty in bringing the judgment to pass. In modern application, the verse is sometimes cited in contexts of national repentance or lament over the decline of once-Christian societies.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's Call, Human Refusal. In verses 11, 12, God extends repentance, but the people reject it. The verb 'frame' (Hebrew yotser) connects back to the potter: God is shaping judgment as the potter shaped the vessel. The root of the tragedy is not divine harshness but human stubbornness.
- The Land Reflects the People's Heart. Verse 16 describes the land as desolate and hissing-worthy. In Scripture, the land often mirrors the spiritual state of its inhabitants. Where there is rebellion, the ground becomes a waste.
- A Warning to All Who Pass By. The astonishment and head-shaking of onlookers serve as a public testimony. Judgment is not hidden; it is displayed so that others may fear and learn. The same chapter ends with plots against Jeremiah (v.18), showing how sin breeds further sin.
Five-point outline
- Unheard of Apostasy (v.13, 15). Israel's sin is unnatural, even other nations have not seen such betrayal. The snow of Lebanon and cool waters are steady, but God's people have forgotten their Creator for idols.
- Divine Dispossession (v.16a). The land is made a 'waste' (shammah). Every blessing of the covenant is reversed. The ground that was to be a gift becomes a curse.
- Perpetual Humiliation (v.16b). 'Perpetual hissing', language of utter shame. The Hebrew sherikoth evokes a sharp, sibilant sound of derision or horror.
- Public Spectacle (v.16c). Every passerby is astonished and shakes his head. The fate of Judah becomes an object lesson for all nations, fulfilling the threat of Deuteronomy 28:37.
- Reversal of God's Favor (v.17). God shows them 'the back, not the face', the opposite of the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:25). The east wind scatters them, a symbol of violent judgment.
Illustration hooks
- A ghost town in the American West, a once-thriving community abandoned after a mine collapse or drought. Travelers today see the ruins and wonder at what went wrong.
- War-torn cities like Aleppo or Sarajevo, where buildings show bullet holes and empty windows. Visitors stand in silence, shaking their heads at the devastation.
- The archaeological site of ancient Lachish, with its siege ramp and layers of ash, still visible after 2,600 years, a silent witness to the Babylonian invasion Jeremiah proclaimed.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God's judgment mean He stops loving His people?
- Is the 'hissing' still happening today in any form?
- How do we reconcile God's patience in this chapter with the sudden pronouncement of desolation?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 18 shows us a God who both warns and waits. But there comes a point where persistent rejection leads to irreversible consequences. This passage invites us to examine our own response to God's call, and to consider how seriously we take the blessings and warnings of the covenant.
Discussion questions
- In verses 5, 10, God says He can change His mind about blessing or judgment. How does this shape our understanding of His character?
- What does the people's answer in verse 12, 'It is in vain!', reveal about their spiritual condition?
- Why does the passage compare Israel's sin to something 'horrible' and 'unheard of' among the nations (v.13)? What is so shocking about it?
- What pictures of judgment does verse 16 paint? Why is it significant that both the land and the people are affected?
- How do you interpret the hissing and head-shaking of passersby, as contempt, pity, or something else? Does it matter?
- How does the temple's fate in 1 Kings 9:8 connect to this verse? What does it suggest about the relationship between worship and national identity?
- What safeguards can we put in place, individually and as a church, to avoid the stubbornness that leads to spiritual desolation?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 26:33 | I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you. Your land will be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. |
| Leviticus 26:34 | Then the land will enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate and you are in your enemies’ land. Even then the land will rest and enjoy its Sabbaths. |
| Leviticus 26:43 | The land also will be left by them, and will enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; and they will accept the punishment of their iniquity because they rejected my ordinances, and their soul abhorred my statutes. |
| Deuteronomy 28:59 | then Yahweh will make your plagues and the plagues of your offspring fearful, even great plagues, and of long duration, and severe sicknesses, and of long duration. |
| Deuteronomy 29:23 | that all of its land is sulfur, salt, and burning, that it is not sown, doesn’t produce, nor does any grass grow in it, like the overthrow of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which Yahweh overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath. |
| I Kings 9:8 | Though this house is so high, yet everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss; and they will say, ‘Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?’ |
| II Chronicles 7:20 | then I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. |
| II Chronicles 7:21 | This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?’ |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke explains that the Hebrew word translated "hissing" refers to a shrieking, hissing sound that expresses contempt, not a neutral noise. His point is that the term carries a distinctly scornful meaning, signifying derision from others.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the hissing describes people drawing in their breath sharply, as when shuddering, not jeering. Wagging the head was also a sign of pity among the Jews, not scorn. The desolation of Israel's land leaves onlookers stunned and dismayed.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights the double meaning of the same Hebrew word for "age": the Jews rejected the eternal truths of God, and now their land will suffer an eternal desolation. This punishment will not be temporary but will last to the end of the world, causing every passerby to shake their head in horror.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress that the desolation God brings is not merely destruction but a permanent, visible disgrace. Every person who passes by will be stunned and will shake his head in mockery, making the land a lasting object of scorn and horror for all to see.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the desolation of the land was not the intention of the people or their leaders, but the inevitable outcome of their idolatry and sin. The hissing and head-wagging by passersby are acts of derision and exultation over the judgment. He applies this to the Jewish people, whose land has remained desolate since the Roman destruction until the fullness of the Gentiles is gathered.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that Scripture describes the people’s destructive outcome as their own deliberate act, even though they never intended it. The point is that their course of action made ruin certain, so the result is ascribed to their purpose. He also notes that “astonished” likely means “an object of wonder,” matching the desolation.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the snow of Lebanon and its trickling streams never fail, a fact of nature that underscores how unnatural Israel's rebellion is. The people have forgotten God, while even the most remote natural sources remain constant. This contrast highlights their willful obstinacy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees God's judgment against Judah as deliberate and purposeful, like a potter shaping a vessel to a specific end. Their sin has earned ruin, and God is actively working toward that ruin, so they cannot miss both the justice and the design in what is coming.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley distinguishes between intention and outcome: the people did not aim for desolation, yet their chosen courses of action made that ruin certain. Their purpose was different, but the inevitable result was what they would actually bring upon themselves.