Jeremiah 9:20

Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD. Open your ears to the word of His mouth. Teach your daughters to wail, and one another to lament.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jeremiah addresses the women of Israel, commanding them to listen to Yahweh’s message and train the next generation in public mourning. This occurs immediately after the announcement of Zion’s devastation and the abandonment of their land.

The words — The command שְמַ֤עְנָה (she.Ma'nah) literally means "hear," while וְ/תִקַּ֥ח (ve./ti.Kach) carries the sense "receive" or "take." These terms frame the verse as a direct summons to internalize divine speech before acting upon it.

The thread — This call to attentive listening and instructed mourning echoes Isaiah 32:9’s warning to complacent women and Luke 23:27’s account of women weeping for Jesus. The motif of receiving instruction from God’s mouth also appears in Job 22:22.

Why it lands — The text demands that readers acknowledge the severity of divine judgment and actively participate in communal lament rather than ignore or spiritualize it. It requires a concrete response to the reality of loss and the necessity of transmitting faithful mourning to others.

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

כִּֽי־ki-for שְׁמַ֤עְנָהshe.Ma'.nahhear נָשִׁים֙na.ShimO women דְּבַר־de.var-[the] word of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh וְתִקַּ֥חve./ti.Kachso/ it may receive אָזְנְכֶ֖ם'a.ze.ne./Khemear/ your דְּבַר־de.var-[the] word of פִּ֑יוPi/vmouth/ his וְלַמֵּ֤דְנָהve./la.Me.de.nahand/ teach בְנֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ve.no.tei./Khemdaughters/ your נֶ֔הִיNe.hia mourning song וְאִשָּׁ֥הve./'i.Shahand/ every woman רְעוּתָ֖הּre.'u.Ta/hneighbor/ her קִינָֽה׃ki.Naha lamentation

King James Version

Yet hear the word of the Lord, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.

Cross-references

Luke 23:27 A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.
Isaiah 32:9 Stand up, you complacent women; listen to me. Give ear to my word, you overconfident daughters.
Job 22:22 Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
Isaiah 3:16 The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty—walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles—
Jeremiah 9:17 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Take note, and summon the wailing women; send for the most skillful among them.
Isaiah 3:4 “I will make mere lads their leaders, and children will rule over them.”