Its message is that those who turn from God’s ways will become a spectacle of judgment and a cautionary sign for all other nations.
Jeremiah, who lived and prophesied around the late seventh to early sixth century BC, records the LORD’s warning to the kingdom of Judah, centered in Jerusalem. Here, he declares: “And many nations will pass by this city; and they will say to one another, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this great city?’” (Jeremiah 22:8). The city in question is Jerusalem, located in the southern kingdom of Judah. It served as Judah’s capital, situated on a high plateau in the region’s mountainous central highlands. By referring to “many nations,” the verse anticipates foreign onlookers traveling through the land and marveling at the devastation that would befall Jerusalem because of Judah’s covenant unfaithfulness.
In this passage, “Why has the LORD done thus to this great city?” (Jeremiah 22:8) shows that the ruin of Jerusalem’s walls and the scattering of its inhabitants will shock surrounding peoples. Jeremiah’s ministry called on the Judeans to repent and heed God’s warnings, lest their cherished city be left in ruins. This prophetic statement confirms that the judgment extended well beyond Israel’s own borders: even distant observers would be left to wonder how such a famed city could suffer so severely under divine discipline. The question itself underscores that God, as sovereign, holds His people accountable, and displays His holiness to the wider world through both blessing and judgment.
This verse portrays Jerusalem’s downfall as instructive not just for Judah, but for all who witness the consequences of disobedience to the LORD.
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Jeremiah 22:8 meaning
Jeremiah, who lived and prophesied around the late seventh to early sixth century BC, records the LORD’s warning to the kingdom of Judah, centered in Jerusalem. Here, he declares: “And many nations will pass by this city; and they will say to one another, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this great city?’” (Jeremiah 22:8). The city in question is Jerusalem, located in the southern kingdom of Judah. It served as Judah’s capital, situated on a high plateau in the region’s mountainous central highlands. By referring to “many nations,” the verse anticipates foreign onlookers traveling through the land and marveling at the devastation that would befall Jerusalem because of Judah’s covenant unfaithfulness.
In this passage, “Why has the LORD done thus to this great city?” (Jeremiah 22:8) shows that the ruin of Jerusalem’s walls and the scattering of its inhabitants will shock surrounding peoples. Jeremiah’s ministry called on the Judeans to repent and heed God’s warnings, lest their cherished city be left in ruins. This prophetic statement confirms that the judgment extended well beyond Israel’s own borders: even distant observers would be left to wonder how such a famed city could suffer so severely under divine discipline. The question itself underscores that God, as sovereign, holds His people accountable, and displays His holiness to the wider world through both blessing and judgment.
This verse portrays Jerusalem’s downfall as instructive not just for Judah, but for all who witness the consequences of disobedience to the LORD.