Jeremiah 5:18

“Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not make a full end of you.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The LORD speaks through Jeremiah to Israel during a prophetic declaration of impending national judgment. He addresses them in the immediate aftermath of detailed warnings about total devastation and future exile.

The words — The Hebrew לֹא (lo') means "not," and אֶעֱשֶׂה ('e.'e.Seh) translates literally to "I will make." Together they form the negative declaration that God will not complete the destruction He has promised.

The thread — This theme of restrained judgment appears in Jeremiah 4:27 and Jeremiah 5:10, where God commands partial destruction but explicitly forbids total annihilation. Paul later echoes this principle in Romans 11:1 to show that God’s covenant faithfulness prevents Him from completely rejecting Israel.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that divine judgment is measured and purposeful rather than absolute. It requires the reader to accept that punishment serves correction and preservation, not mere eradication.

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

וְגַ֛םve./Gamand/ also בַּיָּמִ֥יםba/i.ya.Mimin the/ days הָהֵ֖מָּהha./He.mah<the>/ those נְאֻם־ne.'um-[the] utterance of יְהֹוָ֑הYah.wehYahweh לֹֽא־lo'-not אֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה'e.'e.SehI will make אִתְּכֶ֖ם'i.te./Khemwith/ you כָּלָֽה׃ka.Lahcomplete destruction

King James Version

Nevertheless in those days, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 4:27 For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.
Jeremiah 5:10 Go up through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not finish them off. Strip off her branches, for they do not belong to the LORD.
Romans 11:1 I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
Ezekiel 9:8 While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord GOD, when You pour out Your wrath on Jerusalem, will You destroy the entire remnant of Israel?”
Ezekiel 11:13 Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Oh, Lord GOD, will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?”