The Meaning of Jeremiah 6:7 Explained

Jeremiah 6:7

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 6:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The residents had an unusual ability to keep wickedness as fresh as wells kept water fresh (cf. Proverbs 4:16). Wicked violence and destruction had resulted in all kinds of sickness and wounds.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 6

1  The enemies sent against Judah,
4  encourage themselves
6  God sets them on work because of their sins
9  The prophet laments the judgments of God because of their sins
18  He proclaims God's wrath
26  He calls the people to mourn for the judgment on their sins

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 6:7 mean?

As wells up - a fountain with water so she wells up with her wickedness Violence and plundering are heard in her Before Me continually [are] grief and wounds
כְּהָקִ֥יר [בור] (בַּ֙יִר֙) מֵימֶ֔יהָ כֵּ֖ן הֵקֵ֣רָה רָעָתָ֑הּ חָמָ֣ס וָ֠שֹׁד יִשָּׁ֨מַע בָּ֧הּ עַל־ פָּנַ֛י תָּמִ֖יד חֳלִ֥י וּמַכָּֽה

כְּהָקִ֥יר  As  wells  up 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: קוּר 
Sense: (Qal) to bore, dig, dig for water.
[בור]  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
(בַּ֙יִר֙)  a  fountain 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.
מֵימֶ֔יהָ  with  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
כֵּ֖ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
הֵקֵ֣רָה  she  wells  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קוּר 
Sense: (Qal) to bore, dig, dig for water.
רָעָתָ֑הּ  with  her  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
חָמָ֣ס  Violence 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָמָס  
Sense: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice.
וָ֠שֹׁד  and  plundering 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁד  
Sense: havoc, violence, destruction, devastation, ruin.
יִשָּׁ֨מַע  are  heard 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בָּ֧הּ  in  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
עַל־  Before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פָּנַ֛י  Me 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
תָּמִ֖יד  continually 
Parse: Adverb
Root: תָּמִיד  
Sense: continuity, perpetuity, to stretch.
חֳלִ֥י  [are]  grief 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֳלִי  
Sense: sickness.
וּמַכָּֽה  and  wounds 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַכָּה  
Sense: blow, wound, slaughter.