Jeremiah 15:2

If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Jeremiah at a moment of final judgment, declaring that even great intercessors cannot alter His decision regarding this people.

The words — וְ/הָיָ֛ה (ve./ha.Yah) translates as "and it will be," marking the certainty of the decree. אָ֣נָה ('A.nah) means "where?" underscoring the people's search for an escape that will be denied.

The thread — This structure of fixed outcomes appears in Jeremiah 43:11 and Zechariah 11:9, where similar phrases describe unavoidable divine judgment.

Why it lands — The text states that specific judgments will follow specific people without exception, requiring readers to accept accountability rather than seek false alternatives.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהָיָ֛הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be כִּֽי־ki-that יֹאמְר֥וּyo.me.Ruthey will say אֵלֶ֖יךָ'e.Lei./khato/ you אָ֣נָה'A.nahwhere?נֵצֵ֑אne.Tze'will we go out וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ve./'a.mar.Taand/ you will say אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם'a.lei./Hemto/ them כֹּֽה־koh-thus אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe says יְהוָ֗הYah.wehYahweh אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sher[those] who לַמָּ֤וֶתla./Ma.vet[are] for <the>/ death לַמָּ֙וֶת֙la./Ma.vetto <the>/ death וַאֲשֶׁ֤רva./'a.Sherand/ [those] who לַחֶ֙רֶב֙la./Che.rev[are] for the/ sword לַחֶ֔רֶבla./Che.revto the/ sword וַאֲשֶׁ֤רva./'a.Sherand/ [those] who לָֽרָעָב֙la./ra.'Av[are] for the/ famine לָֽרָעָ֔בla./ra.'Avto the/ famine וַאֲשֶׁ֥רva./'a.Sherand/ [those] who לַשְּׁבִ֖יla./she.Vi[are] for <the>/ captivity לַשֶּֽׁבִי׃la./She.vito <the>/ captivity

King James Version

And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 43:11 He will come and strike down the land of Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword.
Zechariah 11:9 Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish; and let those who remain devour one another’s flesh.”
Ezekiel 5:2 When the days of the siege have ended, you are to burn up a third of the hair inside the city; you are also to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind. For I will unleash a sword behind them.
Revelation 6:3 And when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”
Revelation 13:10 “If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
Isaiah 24:18 Whoever flees the sound of panic will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs from the pit will be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Jeremiah 14:12 Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
Ezekiel 5:12 A third of your people will die by plague or be consumed by famine within you, a third will fall by the sword outside your walls, and a third I will scatter to every wind and unleash a sword behind them.
Jeremiah 24:9 I will make them a horror and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace and an object of scorn, ridicule, and cursing wherever I have banished them.
Daniel 9:12 You have carried out the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under all of heaven, nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.