The Meaning of Jeremiah 10:18 Explained

Jeremiah 10:18

KJV: For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.

YLT: For thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land at this time, And have been an adversary to them, So that they are found out.

Darby: For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will this time sling out the inhabitants of the land, and will distress them, that they may be found.

ASV: For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it .

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For thus saith  the LORD,  Behold, I will sling  out the inhabitants  of the land  at this once,  and will distress  them, that they may find  [it so]. 

What does Jeremiah 10:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord had announced that He was going to send Jerusalem"s citizens away soon, as a shepherd throws a stone out of his sling. This would be a very distressing experience for them, but it would bring them to their senses.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 10

1  The unequal comparison of God and idols
17  The prophet exhorts to flee from the calamity to come
19  He laments the spoil of the tabernacle by foolish pastors
23  He makes an humble supplication

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 10:18 mean?

For thus says Yahweh behold I will throw out - the inhabitants of the land at time this and will distress them that they may find [it so] -
כִּֽי־ כֹה֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנְנִ֥י קוֹלֵ֛עַ אֶת־ יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֑את וַהֲצֵר֥וֹתִי לָהֶ֖ם לְמַ֥עַן יִמְצָֽאוּ ס

כֹה֙  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
הִנְנִ֥י  behold 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
קוֹלֵ֛עַ  I  will  throw  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָלַע 
Sense: to sling, hurl forth.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הָאָ֖רֶץ  of  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בַּפַּ֣עַם  at  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
הַזֹּ֑את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
וַהֲצֵר֥וֹתִי  and  will  distress 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: צָרַר 
Sense: to bind, be narrow, be in distress, make narrow, cause distress, besiege, be straitened, be bound.
לְמַ֥עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יִמְצָֽאוּ  they  may  find  [it  so] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation