Jeremiah 2:15 · Bible study
Jeremiah 2:15 Commentary: The Young Lions of Judgment and the Lament of a Devastated Land
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Who are the 'young lions' in Jeremiah 2:15?
Research Summary
- Meaning: God uses foreign nations ('young lions') to judge Israel for covenant unfaithfulness, leaving the land desolate and cities uninhabited.
- Key words (Hebrew): sha'ag (roar, war cry), natan qolam (raised their voices, declaration of attack), shammah (waste/horror). Verb tense mix: future for 'roar', past for 'laid waste', prophetic certainty.
- Main debate: Whether 'young lions' refers specifically to Assyria/Babylon (majority) or is a broader symbolic reference to multiple enemy nations. The tense shift (future vs. past) is also discussed.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God over the nations; the direct link between sin and suffering described as covenant consequence; God's continued plea before full judgment.
- Best use: Teaching on God's justice and mercy, connecting covenant warnings to present-day discipleship, and helping believers see that turning from God leads to being 'devoured' by the very things we trust instead of Him.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The young lions have roared at him; they have growled with a loud voice. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The young lions have roared at him and raised their voices. They have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.
KJV King James Version 1769
The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled; and they have made his land waste: his cities are burned up, without inhabitant.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Against him roar do young lions, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burnt without inhabitant.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The young lions roared against him, they gave forth their voice, and they made his land desolate: his cities are burned, without inhabitant.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The lions have roared upon him, and have made a noise, they have made his land a wilderness: his cities are burnt down, and there is none to dwell in them.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Los cachorros de los leones bramaron sobre él, dieron su voz; y pusieron su tierra en soledad|strong="H7896, H8047"; quemadas están sus ciudades, sin morador.
Os filhotes de leão bramaram sobre ele, deram sua voz; e tornaram sua terra uma assolação; suas cidades estão queimadas, sem morador;
Contre lui les lionceaux rugissent, poussent leurs cris,
Denn Löwen brüllen über ihn und schreien und verwüsten sein Land, und seine Städte werden verbrannt, daß niemand darin wohnt.
De jonge leeuwen hebben over hem gebruld, zij hebben hun stem verheven; en zij hebben zijn land gezet in verwoesting; zijn steden zijn verbrand, dat er niemand in woont.
I leoncelli ruggono contro di lui, e fanno udire la loro voce, e riducono il suo paese in una desolazione; le sue città sono arse, e non vi son più abitanti.
Ryczą nań lwięta, i wydawają głos swój, a obracają ziemię jego w pustynię; miasta jego spalone są, tak, że niemasz i jednego obywatela.
Зарыкали на него молодые львы, подали голос свой и сделали землю его пустынею; города его сожжены, без жителей.
少壯獅子 向他 咆哮，大聲吼叫，使 他的地 荒涼；城邑 也都焚燒，無人 居住。
The young lions have made an outcry against him with a loud voice: they have made his land waste; his towns are burned up, with no one living in them.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 2:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the 'young lions' in this verse represent foreign nations, principally Assyria and Babylon, raised up by God to execute judgment on His people. Clarke identifies them as the Assyrians, who sacked the northern kingdom of Israel. Gill specifies the kings of Assyria, Babylon, and especially Nebuchadnezzar, noting that the Hebrew is pointed toward the Babylonian captivity. Barnes observes that the image of lions roaring against Israel connects to the multiplication of wild beasts after the land was desolated (2 Kings 17:25), but that the prophet's language also points directly to Assyrian and Babylonian invasions. Calvin emphasizes the doubled blow: not only do enemies attack, but the people are treated like prey for beasts, a degradation that matches their spiritual fall.
Scholars also note the grammatical tension in the verse. The first verb 'roared' is future (yish'agu), while the remaining verbs are past tense. Gill explains this as prophetic certainty: events so sure that they are described as already accomplished. Keil and Delitzsch see the mix as a way of making the judgment vivid and imminent. The young lions' 'roaring' is more than a casual metaphor, it signals the noise of war, the shout of the conquering army. The land is laid waste (שַׁמָּה, shamah, a word carrying both physical desolation and horror), and the cities are burned (נִצְּתוּ, nitstetu, a Niphal form meaning 'are overthrown' or 'burned up'). The final phrase 'without inhabitant' (מִבְּלִי יוֹשֵׁב, mibbeli yoshev) ends any hope of recovery apart from God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal enemy nations (Assyria/Babylon): Context of Jeremiah 2:14–19, comparison with Jeremiah 4:7, 2 Kings 24:1–2, and Targum/Jewish commentators.
- Symbolic/devouring forces (general judgment): Calvin's application to 'beasts of the field' as a metaphor for being given over to degradation and exposure.
- Poetic/typological reading (future judgment): The mix of future and past tense suggests the verse functions as a type of all covenant judgment—finally at the exile, but rehearsed earlier.
What is clear: The verse describes divine judgment through an invading force that devastates the land and leaves cities uninhabited, directly linked to Israel's own unfaithfulness.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the young lions | All agree the lions represent enemy nations used by God for judgment. | Some (Clarke, Barnes) emphasize Assyria specifically; others (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) also include Babylon and the Chaldeans; Calvin allows a broader 'beasts of the field' metaphor representing contempt. |
| The tense shift: future 'roar' vs past 'laid waste' | The shift signals certainty: the event is as good as done. | Gill interprets it as prophetic perfect (describing future as past). Keil and Delitzsch see it as standard prophetic style for vividness. Some modern translations smooth the tense to past throughout. |
| Meaning of 'burned' (נִצְּתוּ) | It denotes destruction, often by fire. | Calvin renders it 'grown over with grass' (from a root meaning to be desolate/overgrown). Others take it as 'burned' or 'razed to the ground'. The Kethiv/Qere variant affects this reading. |
| The state of the land: literal or hyperbole | The verse describes a real judgment that affected the land's habitability. | Barnes notes that even the multiplication of wild beasts rendered human life unsafe (2 Kings 17:25), suggesting the land was not absolutely empty but thoroughly unsafe. Others read 'without inhabitant' as poetic hyperbole. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah 2 sits at the beginning of the prophet's ministry, likely delivered during the reign of King Josiah (640, 609 BC) and later revised after the fall of Jerusalem. The northern kingdom of Israel had already been destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC, and the southern kingdom of Judah was caught between the fading Assyrian empire and the rising power of Babylon. Jeremiah calls out a people who have turned from Yahweh to worship foreign gods, trusting in political alliances with Egypt and Assyria instead of their covenant Lord.
The immediate context (Jeremiah 2:14, 19) poses a question: why should Israel, who was never meant to be a servant or a slave, now be plundered and treated like one? The answer: their own sin has brought this ruin. The 'young lions' are the invading armies used by God to accomplish His judgment. In the ANE, lions were symbols of royal power and ferocity (cf. Proverbs 30:30). To say that the young lions have roared and raised their voices is to describe the war cry of Assyrian and Babylonian forces as they overrun the land.
The destruction described, 'his land waste, his cities burned up, without inhabitant', echoes earlier covenant warnings (Leviticus 26:31, 33) and the language of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:7; 6:11). It is not merely poetic. Archaeological evidence from the conquests of Tiglath-Pileser III and Nebuchadnezzar confirms village burn layers and population deportations in the late eighth and early sixth centuries BC. The images of waste and fire align with the reality of war. Yet Jeremiah's point is theological: the devastation is not random history. It is the direct outcome of abandoning 'the spring of living waters' (v.13) for broken cisterns that cannot hold water. The roar of the lion is the sound of covenant curse in action.
Literary note: The verse functions as a hinge in the first major discourse (Jeremiah 2:14, 19). The prophet moves from accusing Israel of exchanging their Glory for worthless idols (vv.11, 13) to describing the concrete consequences: the very nations they tried to impress are the ones who devour them.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one significant variant: the verb for 'are burned' (נִצְּתָה, nitsetah) in the Masoretic Text is written as singular feminine but read (Qere) as plural masculine (נִצְּתוּ, nitsetu) in many manuscripts and early editions. Calvin explicitly cites this variation, noting twenty manuscripts support the plural reading. The KJV, ASV, and YLT follow the plural. The variant subtlety affects whether the subject 'cities' (plural) is directly matched by the verb form; the plural reading aligns naturally with the plural subject. Calvin mentions an alternative rendering 'grown over with grass' (from the root נצה, to have grass grow up), which would produce 'his cities are overgrown, without inhabitant'. This reading is supported by some medieval Jewish commentators (e.g., Kimchi's father, cited by Gill) and connects to the desolation imagery. No other significant textual variants appear in the standard apparatus for this verse.
Reception History
Early Jewish readers (Targum, Rashi, Kimchi) interpreted the young lions as the kings of the nations, often named as Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian sovereigns. The Septuagint rendering ('like young lions') smoothed the metaphor into simile. Christian exegetes in the medieval period (e.g., Jerome) read the verse as both historical judgment on Israel and a type of the desolation brought by sin in the soul.
During the Reformation, Calvin and Luther used the verse to illustrate the seriousness of forsaking God, Calvin called it 'more degrading' to be torn by beasts than killed by human hands. The verse has been used in homiletical contexts to describe the ruin caused by covenantal unfaithfulness. In modern liturgy, the phrase 'land laid waste, cities burned without inhabitant' appears occasionally in penitential prayers, echoing the lament tradition of Jeremiah. The broader chapter has been a source for hymns on 'returning to the Lord', though verse 15 itself is not commonly set to music.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The identity of the young lions. The 'young lions' are the foreign powers (Assyria, Babylon) God uses to judge His people. They are not random beasts but divinely appointed instruments. Preachers should emphasize that God is sovereign over even the nations that do not acknowledge Him.
- The force of the metaphor. Lions roar before they strike. The 'roaring' is the war cry of the enemy, frightening, bold, and humiliating. Israel, once protected by the Shepherd-King, is now treated as prey. This is the shame of covenant unfaithfulness.
- The finality of the language. 'Burned up, without inhabitant.' The description leaves no room for self-rescue. The land is desolate, the cities ruinous. The only hope is repentance, which the following verses begin to offer.
Five-point outline
- Israel's status: meant to be free, not enslaved (v.14)
- Israel's treatment: attacked by 'young lions', enemy nations (v.15a)
- Israel's condition: land laid waste, cities burned, depopulated (v.15b)
- Israel's allies: Egypt and Assyria only add to the wound (v.16)
- Israel's responsibility: 'Haven't you brought this on yourself?' (v.17)
Illustration hooks
- Family inheritance ruined by outside forces. A person inherits a farm from godly parents. Through neglect, poor choices, and bad partnerships, it slips into the hands of developers who strip it bare. The external forces are real, but the root cause is the owner's disregard for the legacy.
- A person trusting unhealthy relationships for safety. Someone repeatedly bails themselves out with toxic friends or predatory lenders. Each time they think they've found water, but the cistern cracks. The 'lion' is not the debtor, it is the pattern of misplacing trust.
- A city that dismantled its own defenses. Historically, some cities (e.g., medieval fortresses that removed their gates for 'progress') left themselves exposed. The beautiful new pathways led straight to ruin. Israel's 'progress' toward idols was the same.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God still use nations and events to discipline His people today?
- If we face hardship, how do we know if it's the 'roar of the lion' we deserve or just the brokenness of a fallen world?
- What does it look like to trust in broken cisterns, modern idols, that leave us as prey?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 2:15 is a painful verse. It shows the consequences of abandoning God. But the chapter does not leave us there. Use this passage to help small groups see that God is honest about where sin leads, yet He continues to plead with His people to return. Begin by reading Jeremiah 2:9, 19 aloud, then focus on verse 15.
Discussion questions
- What picture does verse 15 paint of Israel's situation? How does the 'young lions' metaphor make the judgment feel personal and immediate?
- How does the description of land being 'laid waste' and cities 'burned up, without inhabitant' connect to the covenant curses found in Deuteronomy 28:15, 68?
- Who or what are the 'young lions' in your life? Are there places where misplaced trust has left you exposed to harm?
- Why does Jeremiah emphasize that Israel was not born a slave (v.14)? What does that say about God's original design for His people?
- Read Jeremiah 2:13 alongside verse 15. How does abandoning the 'spring of living waters' lead directly to being ravaged by 'young lions'?
- This verse uses past-tense language to describe future events. What does that tell us about the certainty of God's warnings?
- In what ways can a community today 'hear the roar' of God's warnings without needing to experience total devastation first?
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)
| Judges 14:5 | Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion roared at him. |
| Job 4:10 | The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken. |
| Psalms 57:4 | My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. |
| Isaiah 1:7 | Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your presence and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. |
| Isaiah 5:9 | In my ears, Yahweh of Armies says: “Surely many houses will be desolate, even great and beautiful, unoccupied. |
| Isaiah 5:29 | Their roaring will be like a lioness. They will roar like young lions. Yes, they shall roar, and seize their prey and carry it off, and there will be no one to deliver. |
| Isaiah 6:11 | Then I said, “Lord, how long?” He answered, “Until cities are waste without inhabitant, houses without man, the land becomes utterly waste, |
| Isaiah 24:1 | Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants. |
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
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the roaring young lions as a metaphor for the Assyrian army that conquered and devastated the northern kingdom. Their savagery in battle is likened to lions springing upon and tearing apart their prey.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads "upon him" as meaning "against him," highlighting that Israel fled from its master only to face danger from wild beasts in the wilderness. He connects this to the land becoming waste and unsafe, as described in 2 Kings 17:25, and notes that Assyrian invasions brought Judah to a similar state.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees a double meaning in the lion imagery: it expresses both the cruelty of Israel's enemies and the contempt shown to them. Being devoured by wild beasts is more degrading than death in battle, suggesting God allowed them to be treated as mere prey. He then notes the prophecy moves from this figure to the plain fact of the land's desolation.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator suggests that verses 13-17 in this passage may have been accidentally moved from their original context. The phrase about being led by the way likely entered the text through a scribal error, as it repeats wording from the following verse.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes identify the lions as the Assyrian and Babylonian empires who savagely attacked Israel. Their roaring and yelling picture the ruthless destruction that left the land wasted and the cities burned with no one left living there.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets the young lions as specific pagan kings, particularly Nebuchadnezzar. Their roaring and yelling represent the noise of invading armies and battle. He notes the past-tense description of destruction is a prophetic certainty, foretelling the Babylonian captivity when cities would be burned and left uninhabited.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies the "lions" as the Babylonian princes who brought destruction in two waves: first in Jehoiakim's fourth year, then three years later when the king rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. The image conveys how these rulers, like predators, struck repeatedly.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch point out that the questions in this passage assume something false about Israel: they were never slaves by birth or circumstance, having been redeemed from Egypt and made God's people. Their present suffering at the hands of enemy nations is therefore not a slave's fate but the direct consequence of their own forsaking of the Lord.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues forcefully that the kindness and love remembered in this passage belong to Israel, not God. He points out that the Hebrew construction implies Israel performed a service worthy of being credited to them, and the phrase "wentest after me" describes obedient following. This brief period of Israel's reciprocal love, though fleeting, established an everlasting covenant with enduring significance.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley breaks down each phrase of the verse as God's personal reminder of the covenant relationship. The love points to when God entered covenant at the giving of the law, and the wilderness recalls God's careful protection through a barren, hostile land.