The Meaning of Jeremiah 15:18 Explained

Jeremiah 15:18

KJV: Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?

YLT: Why hath my pain been perpetual? And my wound incurable? It hath refused to be healed, Thou art surely to me as a failing stream, Waters not stedfast.

Darby: Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable? It refuseth to be healed. Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a treacherous spring, as waters that fail?

ASV: Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou indeed be unto me as a deceitful brook , as waters that fail?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Why is my pain  perpetual,  and my wound  incurable,  [which] refuseth  to be healed?  wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar,  [and as] waters  [that] fail? 

What does Jeremiah 15:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet asked God why his broken heart refused to heal (cf. Jeremiah 6:14). The Lord promised refreshment to His people, even Himself ( Jeremiah 2:13), but this had not been Jeremiah"s personal experience. God seemed like an unreliable wadi (stream bed) to Jeremiah. It promised water but was completely dry for most of the year (cf. Job 6:15-20).
"The prophet Jeremiah found himself in a situation of conflict, conflict with his people and conflict with his God. He was at conflict with his people because of the message of judgment he proclaimed to them. He was at conflict with his God because he considered it unjust that he should suffer as a result of proclaiming God"s message. He consequently complained to the Lord about his situation." [1]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 15

1  The utter rejection and manifold judgments of the people
10  Jeremiah, complaining of their spite, receives a promise for himself;
12  and a threatening for them
15  He prays;
19  and receives a gracious promise

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 15:18 mean?

Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable [Which] refuses to be healed surely will You be to me like a lie [As] waters not [that] fail -
לָ֣מָּה הָיָ֤ה כְאֵבִי֙ נֶ֔צַח וּמַכָּתִ֖י אֲנוּשָׁ֑ה֙ מֵֽאֲנָה֙ ؟ הֵֽרָפֵ֔א הָי֨וֹ תִֽהְיֶ֥ה לִי֙ כְּמ֣וֹ אַכְזָ֔ב מַ֖יִם לֹ֥א ؟ נֶאֱמָֽנוּ ס

לָ֣מָּה  Why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
כְאֵבִי֙  my  pain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: כְּאֵב  
Sense: pain (mental and physical), sorrow.
נֶ֔צַח  perpetual 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵצַח  
Sense: eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness.
וּמַכָּתִ֖י  and  my  wound 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מַכָּה  
Sense: blow, wound, slaughter.
אֲנוּשָׁ֑ה֙  incurable 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: אָנוּשׁ 
Sense: to be weak, sick, frail.
מֵֽאֲנָה֙  [Which]  refuses 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָאַן  
Sense: (Piel) to refuse.
؟ הֵֽרָפֵ֔א  to  be  healed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָפָא  
Sense: to heal, make healthful.
הָי֨וֹ  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
תִֽהְיֶ֥ה  will  You  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִי֙  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
כְּמ֣וֹ  like 
Parse: Preposition
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
אַכְזָ֔ב  a  lie 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַכְזָב  
Sense: deceitful, treacherous, deception, lie, deceptive, disappointing.
מַ֖יִם  [As]  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
؟ נֶאֱמָֽנוּ  [that]  fail 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation