The Meaning of Jeremiah 46:28 Explained

Jeremiah 46:28

KJV: Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

YLT: Thou, thou dost not fear, My servant Jacob, An affirmation of Jehovah -- for with thee I am, For I make an end of all the nations Whither I have driven thee, And of thee I do not make an end, And I have reproved thee in judgment, And do not entirely acquit thee!'

Darby: Fear thou not, my servant Jacob, saith Jehovah: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee, but I will not make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee with judgment, and I will not hold thee altogether guiltless.

ASV: Fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah; for I am with thee: for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee; but I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Fear  thou not, O Jacob  my servant,  saith  the LORD:  for I [am] with thee; for I will make  a full end  of all the nations  whither I have driven  thee: but I will not make  a full end  of thee, but correct  thee in measure;  yet will I not leave thee wholly  unpunished. 

What does Jeremiah 46:28 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord"s servant Jacob should not fear because Yahweh would be with His people. He would punish the nations where He had sent them. He would not completely annihilate the Israelites, though, but would punish them severely. Israel would have a bright future as a nation.
"It is important to note that nowhere in these oracles is there the suggestion that Egypt faced disaster because of her mistreatment of Israel/Judah. There is no expression of hatred or vengeance against Egypt, although satire, irony, and the taunt are fully in evidence. Egypt is judged for pride and aggression as is typical in other oracles concerning the nations. In fact it is doubtful that these oracles were intended for Egyptian ears. Rather the purpose of the oracles was to lead the kings of Judah away from dependence on Egypt and toward the acceptance of vassalage to Babylon so that the nation might live." [1]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 46

1  Jeremiah prophesies the overthrow of Pharaoh's army at Euphrates
13  and the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar
27  He comforts Jacob in his chastisement

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 46:28 mean?

You do not fear My servant Jacob says Yahweh for with you I [am] for I will make a complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you there but of you not a complete end and I will correct you rightly for wholly not I will leave you unpunished -
אַ֠תָּה אַל־ תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י אִתְּךָ֖ אָ֑נִי כִּי֩ אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה כָלָ֜ה בְּכָֽל־ הַגּוֹיִ֣ם ׀ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדַּחְתִּ֣יךָ שָׁ֗מָּה וְאֹֽתְךָ֙ לֹא־ כָלָ֔ה וְיִסַּרְתִּ֙יךָ֙ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט וְנַקֵּ֖ה לֹ֥א אֲנַקֶּֽךָּ ס

אַל־  do  not 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תִּירָ֞א  fear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
עַבְדִּ֤י  My  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
יַֽעֲקֹב֙  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אִתְּךָ֖  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
אָ֑נִי  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה  I  will  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כָלָ֜ה  a  complete  end 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: completion, termination, full end, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation.
בְּכָֽל־  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַגּוֹיִ֣ם ׀  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁ֧ר  to  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הִדַּחְתִּ֣יךָ  I  have  driven  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: נָדַח 
Sense: to impel, thrust, drive away, banish.
וְאֹֽתְךָ֙  but  of  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
כָלָ֔ה  a  complete  end 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: completion, termination, full end, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation.
וְיִסַּרְתִּ֙יךָ֙  and  I  will  correct  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יָסַר 
Sense: to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish.
לַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט  rightly 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְנַקֵּ֖ה  for  wholly 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Infinitive absolute
Root: נָקָה  
Sense: to be empty, be clear, be pure, be free, be innocent, be desolate, be cut off.
אֲנַקֶּֽךָּ  I  will  leave  you  unpunished 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: נָקָה  
Sense: to be empty, be clear, be pure, be free, be innocent, be desolate, be cut off.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation