Jeremiah 25 · Verse 38

Jeremiah 25:38

He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.
Jeremiah 25:38, King James Version

Jeremiah 25:38 in other translations

BSBHe has left His den like a lion, for their land has been made a desolation by the sword of the oppressor, and because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
WEBHe has left his covert, as the lion; for their land has become an astonishment because of the fierceness of the oppression, and because of his fierce anger.
ASVHe hath left his covert, as the lion; for their land is become an astonishment because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword, and because of his fierce anger.
YLTHe hath forsaken, as a young lion, His covert, Surely their land hath become a desolation, Because of the oppressing fierceness, And because of the fierceness of His anger!
DARBYHe hath forsaken his covert as a young lion; for their land is a desolation because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.
BBEThe lion has come out of his secret place, for the land has become a waste because of the cruel sword, and because of the heat of his wrath.
WebsterHe hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.

What does Jeremiah 25:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
38. his covert--the temple, where heretofore, like a lion, as its defender, by the mere terror of His voice He warded off the foe; but now He leaves it a prey to the Gentiles [Calvin]. fierceness of ... oppressor--rather, as the Hebrew, for "oppressor" is an adjective feminine, the word "sword" is understood, which, in Jr 46:16; 50:16, is expressed (indeed, some manuscripts and the Septuagint read "sword" instead of "fierceness" here; probably interpolated from Jr 46:16), "the oppressing sword." The Hebrew for "oppressing" means also a "dove": there may be, therefore, a covert allusion to the Chaldean standard bearing a dove on it, in honor of Semiramis, the first queen, said in popular superstition to have been nourished by doves when exposed at birth, and at death to have been transformed into a dove. Her name may come from a root referring to the cooing of a dove. That bird was held sacred to the goddess Venus. Vulgate so translates "the anger of the dove." his ... anger--If the anger of Nebuchadnezzar cannot be evaded, how much less that of God (compare Jr 25:37)!

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 38 As the lion - Leaving the banks of Jordan when overflowed, and coming with ravening fierceness to the champaign country.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 25:30-38

The Lord has just ground of controversy with every nation and every person; and he will execute judgment on all the wicked. Who can avoid trembling when God speaks in displeasure? The days are fully come; the time fixed in the Divine counsels, which will make the nations wholly desolate. The tender and delicate shall share the common calamity. Even those who used to live in peace, and did nothing to provoke, shall…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 25:30-38 →

Jeremiah 25:38 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

עָזַ֥ב'a.Zavhe has leftH5800
כַּכְּפִ֖ירka.ke.Firlike <the> young lionH3715
סֻכּ֑וֹsu.Kolair hisH5520
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
הָיְתָ֤הha.ye.Tahit has becomeH1961
אַרְצָם֙'ar.Tzamland theirH776
לְשַׁמָּ֔הle.sha.Mah<into> a wasteH8047
מִפְּנֵי֙mi.pe.Nei<from> because ofH6440
חֲר֣וֹןcha.Ron[the] anger ofH2740
הַיּוֹנָ֔הhai.yo.Nahthe oppressorH3238
וּמִפְּנֵ֖יu.mi.pe.Neiand <from> because ofH6440
חֲר֥וֹןcha.Ron[the] burning ofH2740
אַפּֽוֹ\׃\ \פ'a.Poanger hisH639

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 25:38

  • Jeremiah 4:7

    The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.

  • Hosea 13:7-8

    Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them: I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

  • Jeremiah 5:6

    Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

  • Hosea 5:14

    For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

  • Zechariah 2:3

    And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,

  • Hosea 11:10

    They shall walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.

  • Amos 8:8

    Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

  • Jeremiah 49:19

    Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

  • Jeremiah 50:44

    Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

  • Psalms 76:2

    In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
hath.
4:7; 5:6; 49:19; 50:44; Ps 76:2; Ho 5:14; 11:10; 13:7,8; Am 8:8
Zec 2:3
desolate. Heb. a desolation.
12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 25:37

    And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 25:38

    He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.

Read all of Jeremiah 25

Jeremiah 25:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Dejó cual leoncillo su guarida; pues asolada fué la tierra de ellos por la ira del opresor, y por el furor de su saña.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il a abandonné son tabernacle comme un jeune lion son fourré; car leur pays sera une désolation devant l’ardeur de l’oppresseur et devant l’ardeur de sa colère.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Gleich einem jungen Löwen hat er sein Dickicht verlassen; denn ihr Land ist zur Wüste geworden vor dem verderbenden Schwerte und vor der Glut seines Zornes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dereliquit quasi leo umbraculum suum, quia facta est terra eorum in desolationem a facie iræ columbæ, et a facie iræ furoris Domini.