The Meaning of Jeremiah 14:21 Explained

Jeremiah 14:21

KJV: Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.

YLT: Do not despise, for Thy name's sake, Dishonour not the throne of Thine honour, Remember, break not Thy covenant with us.

Darby: For thy name's sake, do not spurn us, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.

ASV: Do not abhor us , for thy name's sake; do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Do not abhor  [us], for thy name's  sake, do not disgrace  the throne  of thy glory:  remember,  break  not thy covenant  with us. 

What does Jeremiah 14:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jeremiah begged God for the sake of His reputation and honor not to abandon His people, not to break His covenant with them. He probably meant that God should not forsake the people with whom He had made a covenant at Mount Sinai. Of course, God never breaks His covenants even though people do.
"The nations knew him to be Judah"s God, and any withdrawal of his help now would not be to his credit. Moreover, the destruction of Jerusalem would involve the destruction of the temple, his glorious throne (cf. Jeremiah 3:17; Jeremiah 17:12).... If he allowed calamity to touch his people or Jerusalem and its temple, this would cast a reflection on his power. Besides, he had a covenant (berith) with the people which must surely have involved him in the most profound of obligations to deliver them from their enemies." [1]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 14

1  The grievous famine,
7  causes Jeremiah to pray
10  The Lord will not be entreated for the people
13  false prophets are no excuse for them
17  Jeremiah is moved to complain for them

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 14:21 mean?

Not do abhor [us] for sake of Your name do disgrace the throne of Your glory Remember do break Your covenant with us
אַל־ תִּנְאַץ֙ לְמַ֣עַן שִׁמְךָ֔ תְּנַבֵּ֖ל כִּסֵּ֣א כְבוֹדֶ֑ךָ זְכֹ֕ר תָּפֵ֥ר בְּרִֽיתְךָ֖ אִתָּֽנוּ

תִּנְאַץ֙  do  abhor  [us] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָאַץ  
Sense: to spurn, contemn, despise, abhor.
לְמַ֣עַן  for  sake 
Parse: Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
שִׁמְךָ֔  of  Your  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
תְּנַבֵּ֖ל  do  disgrace 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָבֵל 
Sense: to be senseless, be foolish.
כִּסֵּ֣א  the  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
כְבוֹדֶ֑ךָ  of  Your  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.
זְכֹ֕ר  Remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
תָּפֵ֥ר  do  break 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַר 
Sense: to break, frustrate.
בְּרִֽיתְךָ֖  Your  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
אִתָּֽנוּ  with  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.