Jeremiah 6:11 · Bible study
Jeremiah 6:11 Commentary: The Prophet's Burdened Wrath
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Jeremiah pour out God's wrath even on children? Explore the prophet's burden and the gravity of rebellion against God.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God’s wrath fills the prophet so completely that he must pronounce judgment on all people, regardless of age, because the nation has refused to repent.
- Key words: “full” (מָלֵא, Qal perfect), “pour” (שָׁפַךְ, Qal imperative), “assembly” (סוֹד, intimate circle).
- Main debate: Is the verb “Pour it out” God’s command to the prophet, or the prophet’s own declaration (“I will pour”)?
- Theological theme: The seriousness of persistent sin and the inescapability of divine judgment when warnings are discarded.
- Best use: A sobering call to examine how we respond to God’s word, especially when it confronts our comfortable assumptions of peace.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But I am full of the LORD’s wrath; I am tired of holding it back. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the young men gathered together. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old and the very old alike.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Therefore I am full of Yahweh’s wrath. I am weary with holding it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.
KJV King James Version 1769
Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Therefore I am full of the wrath of Jehovah; I am weary with holding in: pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And with the fury of Jehovah I have been filled, (I have been weary of containing,) To pour it on the suckling in the street, And on the assembly of youths together, For even husband with wife are captured, An elder with one full of days,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And I am full of the fury of Jehovah, I am weary with holding in. Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken; the aged with him [that is] full of days.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Therefore am I full of the fury of the Lord, I am weary with holding in: pour it out upon the child abroad, and upon the council of the young men together: for man and woman shall be taken, the ancient and he that is full of days.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por tanto estoy lleno de saña de Jehová, trabajado|strong="H3811, H3557" he por contenerme; derramaréla sobre los niños en la calle, y sobre la reunión de|strong="H3811, H3557" los jóvenes juntamente; porque el marido también será preso con la mujer, el viejo con el lleno de|strong="H3811, H3557" días.
Por isso estou cheio dá fúria do SENHOR, e cansado estou de retê -la ; eu a derramarei sobre os meninos pelas ruas, e sobre a reunião dos jovens juntamente; porque até o marido com a mulher serão presos, e o velho com o cheio de dias.
Je suis plein de la fureur de l’ Éternel, je ne puis la contenir.
Darum bin ich von des HERRN Drohen so voll, daß ich' s nicht lassen kann. Schütte es aus über die Kinder auf der Gasse und über die Mannschaft im Rat miteinander; denn es sollen beide, Mann und Weib, Alte und der Wohlbetagte, gefangen werden.
Daarom ben ik vol van des HEEREN grimmigheid, ik ben moede geworden van inhouden; ik zal ze uitstorten over de kinderkens op de straat, en over de vergadering der jongelingen te zamen; want zelfs de man met de vrouw zullen gevangen worden, de oude met dien, die vol is van dagen.
Ma io son pieno del furore dell’Eterno; sono stanco di contenermi. Riversalo ad un tempo sui bambini per la strada e sulle adunate dei giovani; poiché il marito e la moglie, il vecchio e l’uomo carico d’anni saranno tutti presi.
Przetoż pełenem zapalczywości Pańskiej, upracowałem się, zawściągając ją w sobie. Wylana będzie tak na maluczkiego na ulicy, jako i na zebranie młodzieńców; owszem, i mąż z żoną, a starzec ze zgrzybiałym pojmany będzie.
Поэтому я преисполнен яростью Господнею, не могу держать ее в себе; изолью ее на детей на улице и на собрание юношей; взяты будут муж с женою, пожилой с отжившим лета.
因此我被 耶和華 的忿怒 充滿，難以 含忍。我要傾 在 街中 的孩童 和 聚會 的少年人 身上， 連 夫 帶 妻，並年老的 與 日子 滿足的 都必被擒拿。
For this reason I am full of the wrath of the Lord, I am tired of keeping it in: may it be let loose on the children in the street, and on the band of the young men together: for even the husband with his wife will be taken, the old man with him who is full of days.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 6:11
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 Jeremiah speaks not from personal anger but under divine compulsion. Calvin argues the prophet was “full of the indignation of God”, a holy zeal driven by the Spirit, not human impulse. Gill and Barnes note the verb forms: “I am full” (מָלֵאתִי) and “I am weary” (נִלְאֵיתִי) describe a prophet exhausted by restraining the message. The command “Pour it out” (שְׁפֹךְ), whether read as God’s imperative to Jeremiah (Cambridge, Barnes) or as the prophet’s own resolve (KJV, “I will pour”), signals that judgment will sweep through every age: the child in the street, the youths, husbands, wives, the aged. Keil & Delitzsch emphasize that the gleaning of the remnant (v.9) and universal capture show the totality of the coming disaster. The real question is not why children suffer but why the prophet cannot remain silent: because the people’s ear is uncircumcised and they have no delight in God’s word (v.10). The wrath responds to persistent, unashamed sin.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine command view: The imperative “Pour it out” is God commanding Jeremiah to pronounce judgment on all (Cambridge, Barnes).
- Prophet’s prayer view: Gill and others read the imperative as Jeremiah’s prayer asking God to execute the judgment.
- Prophetic resolve view: The KJV and LXX read “I will pour,” presenting the prophet’s own determination to release the message (Calvin).
What is clear: God’s judgment will be comprehensive, affecting every age and relationship, because the people’s sin is universal and their repentance is absent.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Source of the wrath | The wrath originates with God, not the prophet’s personal anger. | Calvin emphasizes the Spirit’s impulse; others (e.g., Gill) see it as the prophet’s holy zeal mirroring God’s anger. |
| Extent of judgment | Judgment reaches every stage of life, children, youth, married, elderly. | Some read it as literal universal destruction; others as hyperbolic language emphasizing severity, noting that God’s remnant is preserved elsewhere (Jer 4:27). |
| Imperative vs. first-person verb | The Masoretic Text reads an imperative; the LXX reads a first-person future. | The imperative (MT) is taken by Cambridge Bible as God’s command to the prophet; the first-person (KJV) is the prophet’s own resolve. Both are attested. |
| The prophet’s weariness | Jeremiah is exhausted from restraining the message of judgment. | Some (Keil & Delitzsch) see this as emotional exhaustion; others (Gill) as the difficulty of pronouncing judgment on his own people. |
| Inclusion of children | Children are included because the whole community is implicated in sin. | Reformed traditions emphasize corporate guilt; others stress the natural consequences of societal sin affecting the innocent, while some see a foreshadowing of Christ’s bearing of full judgment. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah prophesied in the late seventh and early sixth centuries BC, as Babylon rose and Judah crumbled. The people had long rejected the prophets, trusting in false peace while practicing idolatry and injustice. In chapter 6, the siege of Jerusalem is imminent (vv.1, 8), yet the people claim “Peace, peace” (v.14). In verse 10, the prophet laments that their ear is “uncircumcised”, a metaphor for spiritual deafness. They cannot listen and consider God’s word a reproach.
Verse 11 is the explosion. The Hebrew verb forms are intense: “I am full” (מָלֵאתִי, Qal perfect) signals a completed state; “I am weary” (נִלְאֵיתִי, Niphal perfect) describes exhaustion from holding in the prophecy. The imperative “Pour it out” (שְׁפֹךְ, Qal imperative) carries abrupt urgency, as though the prophet can no longer contain the message God has pressed into him. The word for “assembly” (סוֹד) often means an intimate council or circle, suggesting young men gathered for pleasure or business. The five stages of life, child (עוֹלָל), young men (בַּחוּרִים), husband (אִישׁ), wife (אִשָּׁה), old man (זָקֵן), and “full of days” (מְלֵא יָמִים, a decrepit elder), show judgment reaching every human relationship.
This universal sweep matches Ezekiel 9:6, where the command begins at the sanctuary. No one is exempt because sin has infected everyone. The prophet’s burden is not cruelty; it is the weight of a holy God compelled to act when warnings are scorned.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text reads the imperative שְׁפֹךְ (“Pour it out”). Some versions (KJV, ASV) render it as “I will pour,” taking the form as a first-person cohortative. The Septuagint (ἐκχεῶ) also has the first-person future. Cambridge Bible notes that the imperative is best understood as God’s command to the prophet, though it is harsh. No other significant variant is discussed in the supplied sources.
Reception History
This verse has been read in Christian tradition as a vivid example of the prophet’s burden in proclaiming judgment. Some early church writers saw it as illustrating the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance. In the Reformation, Calvin used it to emphasize the Spirit’s compulsion in prophetic speech. Modern readers have wrestled with the inclusion of children, leading to discussions about corporate responsibility and the character of God’s justice. The verse is often cited in sermons on the cost of disobedience and the urgency of hearing God’s word before it is too late.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Full of God, not himself. Jeremiah’s rage is not personal; it is the Spirit’s fire. He speaks because he cannot do otherwise (Jer 20:9).
- Judgment without exceptions. The list moves from the youngest to the oldest. Sin is universal, and so is the consequence.
- The reason behind the severity. The people would not listen (v.10). Persistent rejection of grace leaves only judgment.
Five-point outline
- The prophet’s internal pressure. “I am full… I am weary.” The word burns in him (Job 32:18, 19).
- The command to release. “Pour it out.” Whether an imperative from God or the prophet’s declaration, the message must come.
- Five stages, no exemption. Playing children, young men, husbands, wives, the aged. Every relationship, every stage of life is caught.
- The root: a hardened city. Verse 10: uncircumcised ears, delight in reproach. The people have made themselves unable to hear.
- Hope beyond the judgment. Even in destruction, God’s purpose is restoration (Jer 29:11). The prophet weeps while he warns.
Illustration hooks
- A firefighter ordered to stand down when a house is already engulfed, the grief of knowing more could have been saved if people had listened earlier.
- A doctor who must give a terminal diagnosis to a patient who ignored every symptom and now will die. The truth must be told, even when it hurts.
- A parent who watches their teenager refuse every boundary and then suffer the natural consequences. Love sometimes means letting the crash happen so the lesson is learned.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God really punish children for their parents’ sins?
- Why does the prophet seem so angry? Is that from God or from himself?
- Is this picture of God the same as the New Testament picture? If so, how does grace fit in?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 6:11 confronts us with the weight of divine judgment. The prophet is not venting; he is carrying a message that exhausts him. This passage asks us to consider how seriously we take God’s warnings, and how we respond when the church itself refuses to listen.
Discussion questions
- What does verse 11 tell you about Jeremiah’s emotional state? Why does he mention being “weary with holding in”?
- The command “Pour it out” reaches children, young men, husbands, wives, and the elderly. What does this list suggest about the scope of judgment?
- How does verse 10 (“their ear is uncircumcised”) help explain why the judgment is so severe?
- Read Jeremiah 20:9 and Job 32:18, 19. How do those passages deepen your understanding of the prophet’s experience here?
- Some read “Pour it out” as an imperative from God, others as the prophet’s own prayer. How does each reading shape the meaning of the verse?
- How does this passage challenge the way we think about God’s patience? What does it teach us about the consequences of persistent sin?
- Given that Jesus took the full weight of God’s wrath on the cross, how does this Old Testament passage help us appreciate the gospel more deeply?
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)
| Job 32:18 | For I am full of words. The spirit within me constrains me. |
| Job 32:19 | Behold, my breast is as wine which has no vent; like new wineskins it is ready to burst. |
| Jeremiah 7:20 | Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, on man, on animal, on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and will not be quenched.” |
| Jeremiah 9:21 | For death has come up into our windows. It has entered into our palaces to cut off the children from outside, and the young men from the streets. |
| Jeremiah 18:21 | Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widows. Let their men be killed and their young men struck by the sword in battle. |
| Jeremiah 20:9 | If I say that I will not make mention of him, or speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones. I am weary with holding it in. I can’t. |
| Ezekiel 3:14 | So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and Yahweh’s hand was strong on me. |
| Ezekiel 9:6 | Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the 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
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the prophet's personal anguish: he is filled with God's fury and burdened by a dreadful revelation. He struggled to hold back, but now must pour it out on everyone—children, youth, elderly—sparing no one.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that Jeremiah speaks with emphatic abruptness, commanding himself to release the fury he can no longer hold in. The judgment targets every stage of life, from children in the street to the elderly, marking five distinct ages that all fall under God's message.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that the prophet's harsh, vehement language does not come from personal anger but from being compelled by the Spirit of God. The indignation he expresses is divine, not human emotion. He could not restrain this impulse because the hidden influence of God's Spirit drove him to speak with such force.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that God's judgment will not strike once but repeatedly, like gleaners passing over a field again and again. The command to pour out God's fury is not Jeremiah's prayer but a direct divine order. The punishment targets all ages without distinction, even children playing in the streets.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Therefore I am full of the wrath of the Lord: I am weary with holding it: I will powre it out vpon the children in the streete, and likewise vpon the assembly of the yong men: for the husband shall euen be taken with the wife, and the aged with him that is full of daies.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill gives two possible readings of this verse. The prophet is either declaring God's coming wrath against every age and relationship, or he is praying for that wrath to be poured out. Either way, the judgment is thorough: children, young men, husbands, wives, and the elderly are all included.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the prophet's internal exhaustion with God's judgment messages, noting he grew "weary with holding in" the divine fury. A textual question arises: whether God's command to "pour it out" is imperative or future. JFB also distinguishes between growing old and being already decrepit.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress that the judgment on Jerusalem is not a total annihilation, since the gleaning metaphor leaves odd clusters untouched. The severity comes because the people refuse all warning, their ears uncircumcised, while false prophets and priests heal the nation's wound lightly by crying peace when none exists.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the passage as a tightly structured cycle where judgment, its reasons, and a call to reform form a single climax. The judgment is so immediate that the prophet urgently warns people to flee, using the image of a carefully tended meadow about to be stripped bare
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that the repeated warnings in this passage mirror the previous one, showing God's patient persistence in calling His people to repent. The people's refusal to hear or take delight in God's word leaves them without excuse, and judgment follows their stubborn unrepentance.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads the speaker as being so full of God's wrath that he must discharge it like fire. Streets where children play become sites of judgment, and every adult, male or female, falls prey to the enemy. Even the very old, those who have filled their days, are not spared.