Jeremiah 6:7 · Bible study
Jeremiah 6:7 Commentary: Study: The Fountain of Wickedness
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the metaphor of Jerusalem as a well producing wickedness. Discover the debate on the Hebrew verb and what sickness and wounds before God mean.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jerusalem’s wickedness flows as continuously and naturally as water from a well, and God sees every result.
- Key words: “Well” (בְּאֵר), “produces” (H6979, possibly “keeps cool” or “gushes”), “violence” (חָמָס), “sickness” (חֳלִי), “wounds” (מַכָּה).
- Main debate: Whether the verb means stored/preserved evil or naturally gushing evil, and whether “sickness and wounds” refers to victims’ suffering or divine punishment.
- Theological theme: The depth of human sin and the omniscience of God.
- Best use: Preaching on habitual sin, social justice, and God’s witness to suffering.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
As a well gushes its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her; sickness and wounds are ever before Me.
WEB World English Bible 2000
As a well produces its waters, so she produces her wickedness. Violence and destruction is heard in her. Sickness and wounds are continually before me.
KJV King James Version 1769
As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
As a well casteth forth its waters, so she casteth forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
As the digging of a well, is for its waters, So she hath digged for her wickedness, Violence and spoil is heard in her, Before My face continually are sickness and smiting.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
As a well poureth forth her waters, so she poureth forth her wickedness: violence and destruction are heard in her; before me continually are grief and wounds.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
As a cistern maketh its water cold, so hath she made her wickedness cold: violence and spoil shall be heard in her, infirmity and stripes are continually before me.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Como la fuente nunca cesa de manar sus aguas, así nunca cesa de manar su malicia; injusticia y robo se oye en ella; continuamente en mi presencia, enfermedad y herida.
Tal como a fonte jorra suas águas, assim também ela constantemente jorra sua malícia; violência e destruição se ouve nela; continuamente há enfermidade e feridas perante mim.
Comme un puits fait jaillir ses eaux,
Denn gleichwie ein Born sein Wasser quillt, also quillt auch ihre Bosheit. Ihr Frevel und Gewalt schreit über sie, und ihr Morden und Schlagen treiben sie täglich vor mir.
Gelijk een bornput zijn water opgeeft, alzo geeft zij haar boosheid op; geweld en verstoring wordt in haar gehoord, weedom en plaging is steeds voor Mijn aangezicht.
Come un pozzo fa scaturire le sue acque, così ella fa scaturire la sua malvagità; in lei non si sente parlar che di violenza e di rovina; dinanzi a me stanno continuamente sofferenze e piaghe.
Jako źródło wylewa wody swe, tak ono wylewa złość swoję; ucisk i spustoszenie słychać w niem przed obliczem mojem ustawicznie, boleść i bicie.
Как источник извергает из себя воду, так он источает из себя зло: в нем слышно насилие и грабительство, пред лицем Моим всегда обиды и раны.
井 怎樣湧出 水來，這城也照樣 湧出 惡來；在其間 常聽見 有強暴 毀滅的事，病患 損傷 也常 在 我面前。
As the spring keeps its waters cold, so she keeps her evil in her: the sound of cruel and violent behaviour is in her; before me at all times are disease and wounds.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 6:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the well metaphor illustrates the relentless, natural flow of Jerusalem's evil. Calvin says sin 'streams forth like waters from a fountain,' never ceasing. Gill and Matthew Henry echo the sense of constant commission. The second line, 'violence and destruction is heard in her,' points to the public, audible nature of social sins; as Gill notes, the cries of the oppressed reach God. On the final line, 'sickness and wounds are continually before me,' two readings appear. Gill offers either God's awareness of the suffering caused by oppression, or his readiness to bring judgment (citing the Targum). Both affirm that nothing is hidden from the divine sight. The core consensus: Jerusalem's sin is abundant, continuous, and fully seen by God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Innate sin (spring): Reading the verb as 'gushes' (supported by Calvin and most English versions) suggests sin is natural and spontaneous from a corrupt heart.
- Stored sin (cistern): Reading the verb as 'keeps cool' (supported by the LXX and some Hebrew manuscripts) suggests sin is accumulated and deliberately released.
- Sickness as oppression vs judgment: Gill offers two interpretations: the wounds of the oppressed (God sees their suffering) or the plagues God will bring (judgment). The Targum favors the latter.
What is clear: The verse clearly states that Jerusalem's wickedness is continuous and abundant, and that God is fully aware of the violence and its results.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the Hebrew verb הֵקֵרָה | The verb refers to the action of a well producing something, indicating the continuous nature of Jerusalem's sin. | Some scholars, following the Masoretic vocalization, read it as 'casts forth' or 'gushes' (Calvin, Keil & Delitzsch). Others, supported by the LXX and some margin readings, understand it as 'keeps cool' or 'preserves fresh,' suggesting sin is stored up and then released (Barnes, Cambridge Bible). The first sees sin as an innate spring, the second as accumulated corruption. |
| Source of the wickedness | The well metaphor shows that the evil originates from within Jerusalem itself. | Does the image imply sin is 'natural' (like a spring) or 'stored' (like a cistern)? The former suggests a corrupt nature; the latter suggests deliberate cultivation of evil. Christian traditions emphasizing original sin may lean toward the first, while those focusing on cumulative societal sin may lean toward the second. |
| Meaning of 'sickness and wounds' | These terms describe the consequences of the city's violence, either the suffering of the oppressed or the judgment God will bring. | Gill presents two interpretations: the wounds of those oppressed (cries heard by God) or the plagues God is about to inflict. The Targum favors the latter, reading the phrase as a threat of divine punishment. |
| God's role in the verse | God is a witness to the violence and suffering, and he is not indifferent. | Is God an observer who will avenge, or is he already initiating judgment? The phrase 'continually before me' can imply either his awareness or his active intention to act. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah 6 sits in a series of judgment oracles against Jerusalem. The enemy approaches from the north, and the prophet urgently calls the people of Benjamin to flee (v.1). Siege preparations are described in v.6: trees cut down, a mound raised. In that context, v.7 explains why the city deserves punishment: 'she is wholly oppression' (v.6), and now the metaphor of a well illustrates how oppression flows from within. In ancient Israel, wells and cisterns were vital for survival in a dry climate. A reliable well was a community treasure. But here the image is inverted: instead of life-giving water, Jerusalem produces wickedness. The Hebrew term for 'well' (בְּאֵר) can mean either a dug well or a natural spring, a detail over which commentators disagree. The surrounding chapters (Jeremiah 5, 6) are filled with charges of corruption, lies, and refusal to hear God's word (6:10). The latter half of the verse, 'violence and destruction is heard,' echoes common prophetic language that social sins are not hidden; they cry out. The phrase 'continually before me' places God as a courtroom witness who sees every wound and hears every cry. This sets the stage for the call to repent in v.8: 'Be instructed, Jerusalem.'
Textual Notes
The Hebrew verb הֵקֵרָה (H6979) occurs only here and in two other passages (2 Kings 19:24; Isaiah 37:25) where it means 'to dig.' The traditional reading, reflected in the KJV and most English versions, renders it as 'casts forth' or 'gushes.' However, the LXX and the margin of some Hebrew manuscripts support a different derivation, from a root meaning 'to keep cool' or 'preserve fresh.' The Cambridge Bible notes this textual nuance and prefers the 'keep fresh' reading, while Calvin and others argue against it. The consulted sources note no other significant textual variants.
Reception History
In the history of interpretation, this verse has been used to illustrate the depth of human sin. Reformed commentators like Calvin emphasized the natural flow of sin from a corrupt heart, connecting it to the doctrine of total depravity. The Targum reading, which interprets the final line as a threat of judgment, has also been influential. In the early church, the verse was often cited in calls to repentance, with the well image serving as a warning that sin, if unaddressed, will continue to flow. The phrase 'sickness and wounds' has been applied both to spiritual sickness and to social injustice. Across traditions, the verse underscores that God sees sin and suffering and calls for change.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The source that never stops. Like a well that constantly produces water, Jerusalem’s wickedness is not occasional but habitual. It comes from a corrupt heart (compare Proverbs 4:23, where the heart is the wellspring of life, here it produces evil).
- The sound that reaches God. ‘Violence and destruction is heard.’ The Hebrew verb (Niphal) suggests the noise is unmistakable. God hears the cry of the oppressed.
- The sight that moves God. ‘Sickness and wounds are continually before me.’ God sees the results of sin, both the pain victims endure and the judgment to come.
Five-point outline
- A city like a well. Jerusalem was built on a hill; its water came from deep cisterns. The prophet uses that familiar image to expose the hidden corruption within.
- The perversion of a gift. Wells give life; here they give evil. Sin takes what God made good and turns it into a source of harm.
- Public sin, public consequences. Violence is heard. The sins are not private; they affect the whole community.
- Divine witness. God is not distant. He sees the sickness and wounds, whether from oppression or from the coming judgment. This warns that sin is never hidden.
- Call to change. Verse 8 directly follows: 'Be instructed, Jerusalem.' The metaphor serves not to condemn but to invite repentance.
Illustration hooks
- A neighborhood water fountain that, when turned on, runs brown and polluted. The problem is not the pipe but the source.
- Walking through a city street where arguments and sirens are constant. The noise becomes background, but God does not grow numb to it.
- A doctor who treats the same kinds of injuries, broken bones, cuts, day after day, all from the same cause of street violence.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God sees all this suffering, why does he wait to act?
- Is my own heart producing evil like a well without me noticing?
- How can I break the pattern of sin that feels as natural as water flowing?
Leading a Discussion
This verse confronts us with the deep, continuous nature of sin, both in an ancient city and in our own lives. But it also reveals that God sees the harm sin causes. As you discuss, hold the tension between honest confession and the hope of change God offers in the next verse.
Discussion questions
- What caught your attention in the image of a well producing water? Why do you think Jeremiah chose this picture?
- Read Jeremiah 6:6, 8 together. How does the surrounding context shape your understanding of v.7?
- The Hebrew verb behind “produces” is rare and debated. Some think it means “gushes” (like a spring), others “keeps cool” (like a cistern). How does each reading change the meaning of sin?
- What kinds of “violence and destruction” were happening in Jerusalem? Where do you see similar patterns in society today?
- What does it mean that “sickness and wounds are continually before God”? How does this speak to the suffering you see or experience?
- Verse 8 says, “Be instructed, Jerusalem.” What would it look like for someone to “be instructed” in light of this verse?
- How can this passage move us from awareness of sin to action in our own community?
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)
| Psalms 55:9 | Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city. |
| Psalms 55:11 | Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets. |
| Proverbs 4:23 | Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life. |
| Isaiah 57:20 | But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can’t rest and its waters cast up mire and mud. |
| Jeremiah 20:8 | For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, “Violence and destruction!” because Yahweh’s word has been made a reproach to me, and a derision, all day. |
| Ezekiel 7:11 | Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness. None of them will remain, nor of their multitude, nor of their wealth. There will be nothing of value among them. |
| Ezekiel 7:23 | “‘Make chains, for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence. |
| Ezekiel 22:3 | You shall say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A city that sheds blood within herself, that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to defile her! |
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 compares the people's constant sinning to a fountain that never stops pouring out water. Their iniquity is not occasional but unceasing, flowing as naturally and continuously as a spring. They do nothing but sin.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes a translation preference: the Hebrew word is better rendered "cistern cooleth" than "fountain casteth out." He then distinguishes two kinds of suffering that stand continually before God: disease born of poverty and want, and wounding from acts of violence.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin contrasts a fountain that continually streams water with Jerusalem's unceasing violence and oppression. His point is that these evils do not stop or lead to repentance but burst forth constantly, showing the city overflowing with wickedness.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible notes that the Hebrew text offers two possible readings: well and fountain. The commentator prefers the well reading, where sin is an alien thing stored in the heart, not innate like a spring. The Septuagint supports this view, and the metaphor suggests wickedness is introduced from outside, not naturally present.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note pictures the city’s malice flowing as constantly as water from a spring—it pours out without pause. Cruelty and plunder are always heard within her, and God hears the accompanying sounds of sorrow and violent blows.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill uses the fountain metaphor to show that Jerusalem's wickedness flows as abundantly and ceaselessly from a corrupt heart as water gushes from a spring. He notes that God hears the cries of the oppressed, and either grieves with them or is ready to bring wounds of punishment upon the oppressors.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the word translated "fountain" here actually means a well that has been dug, not a natural spring. The phrase "casteth out" carries the sense of causing water to flow, with the image of digging as the cause. The source of this flow is identified as Jehovah himself.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that the invading army acts under God's direct command as the Lord of hosts. The shepherds with their flocks represent foreign princes and their peoples, not nomadic raiders. The vivid details of the assault show both the enemy's eagerness and the divine judgment behind it.
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 notes the startling contrast between Jerusalem's false sense of security and the sudden devastation about to overtake them. While the people felt safe and saw no threat, the prophet warns that a foreign army from the north will bring terror and total ruin.