Jeremiah 9:17

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come:

Jeremiah 9:17 (KJV)

Context

Jeremiah prophesied to the nation of Judah during a time of great apostasy and impending judgment. The people had turned away from God to idolatry, and the surrounding passage describes the desolation of the land and the scattering of the people because they had forsaken God’s law.

Meaning

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts” indicates that the words that follow are a direct message from God. “Consider ye” calls for the attention and reflection of the people, urging them to seriously consider the impending judgment and the gravity of their situation.

In the ancient Near East, it was customary to hire professional mourners to lament at funerals or during times of great tragedy. The phrase “cunning women” refers to skilled and wise women, those professionally adept at composing and performing funeral laments. God instructs the people to call for these mourning women, emphasizing the magnitude of the calamity that would befall them.

The command to summon mourners is not a mere cultural observation but a divine directive that underscores the certainty and severity of the coming destruction. It reveals the depth of the tragedy: the people are so hardened that they must be commanded to mourn, and even then, the mourning is to be performed by hired professionals rather than arising spontaneously from a repentant heart.

Biblical connections

This verse demonstrates God’s sovereignty in judgment—He not only predicts the calamity but also orchestrates the appropriate response of grief. The New Testament reveals that Christ bore the full weight of God’s judgment on the cross, offering a way of escape for all who believe.

Application

This verse highlights God’s desire for His people to recognize the severity of their sin and the impending judgment that awaits them. God wants them to mourn and express sorrow over their rebellion and turn back to Him in repentance. The call for mourning women and cunning women reflects the gravity of the situation and the need for genuine repentance.

As believers today, Jeremiah 9:17 reminds us of the seriousness of sin and the importance of genuine repentance. It calls us to reflect on our own lives and consider whether we are living in alignment with God’s will. If we find areas of disobedience or rebellion, we should mourn over our sins, seek God’s forgiveness, and turn back to Him in genuine repentance. Genuine lament over sin is a necessary step toward restoration, and it must arise from a sincere heart rather than mere ritual or hired expressions of sorrow.

Reflection

Consider the state of your own heart. Are there areas where you have grown numb to sin or where your sorrow is only outward? Let this verse prompt you to genuine, heartfelt repentance, trusting that God’s judgment is real but His mercy is offered through Christ.