Jeremiah 16:4

“They will die from deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried, but will lie like dung on the ground. They will be finished off by sword and famine, and their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and beasts of the earth.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Judah concerning children and parents born and raised in the land, pronouncing their fate before commanding the people to abstain from funeral rites.

The words — מְמוֹתֵי תַחֲלֻאִים (me.mo.Tei ta.cha.lu.'Im) literally renders "deaths of diseases," and לְדֹמֶן (le./Do.men) means "into dung," specifying the unburied condition of the dead.

The thread — The description of unburied corpses and widespread slaughter appears in Jeremiah 25:33 and Jeremiah 9:22, while the dung simile matches Psalm 83:10.

Why it lands — The text states that covenant rejection brings the total withdrawal of divine peace and compassion, leaving the dead without mourning or burial to be consumed by scavengers.

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

מְמוֹתֵ֨יme.mo.Teideaths of תַחֲלֻאִ֜יםta.cha.lu.'Imdiseases יָמֻ֗תוּya.Mu.tuthey will die לֹ֤אlo'not יִסָּֽפְדוּ֙yi.sa.fe.Duthey will be mourned וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not יִקָּבֵ֔רוּyi.ka.Ve.ruthey will be buried לְדֹ֛מֶןle./Do.men<into>/ dung עַל־'al-on פְּנֵ֥יpe.Nei[the] surface of הָאֲדָמָ֖הha./'a.da.Mahthe/ ground יִֽהְי֑וּyih.Yuthey will become וּבַחֶ֤רֶבu./va./Che.revand/ by the/ sword וּבָֽרָעָב֙u./va./ra.'Avand/ by <the>/ famine יִכְל֔וּyikh.Luthey will come to an end וְהָיְתָ֤הve./ha.ye.Tahand/ it will become נִבְלָתָם֙niv.la.Ta/mcorpse[s]/ their לְמַאֲכָ֔לle./ma.'a.Khal<into>/ food לְע֥וֹףle./'offor/ [the] bird[s] of הַשָּׁמַ֖יִםha./sha.Ma.yimthe/ heavens וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥תu./le./ve.he.Matand/ for/ [the] animal[s] of הָאָֽרֶץ׃ סha./'A.retzthe/ earth

King James Version

They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 25:33 Those slain by the LORD on that day will be spread from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, gathered, or buried. They will be like dung lying on the ground.
Psalms 83:10 who perished at Endor and became like dung on the ground.
Jeremiah 9:22 Declare that this is what the LORD says: “The corpses of men will fall like dung upon the open field, like newly cut grain behind the reaper, with no one to gather it.”
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.’
Jeremiah 22:18 Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
Jeremiah 34:20 I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who seek their lives. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.
Zephaniah 1:17 I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.
2 Kings 9:10 And on the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour Jezebel, and there will be no one to bury her.’” Then the young prophet opened the door and ran.
Psalms 79:2 They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.
Isaiah 18:6 They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey, and to the beasts of the land. The birds will feed on them in summer, and all the wild animals in winter.