Jeremiah 19:8 Meaning and Explanation
“And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jerusalem will become desolate and so devastating that passersby will react with horror and contempt.
The Context of Jeremiah 19:8
Desolation and public disgrace will overtake the city.
What Does Jeremiah 19:8 Mean?
The city will be reduced to desolation—emptied, destroyed, left in ruins. Those who pass by the devastation will respond with expressions of scorn and shock (hissing), their reaction conveying both astonishment and disdain. The city, once proud and fortified, becomes a cautionary spectacle of ruin.
The plagues mentioned encompass all the judgments already described: military defeat, death, hunger, and destruction. The accumulation of divine judgment is so visible and complete that it becomes a universal symbol of divine displeasure—every traveler will read the city's fate and understand it as a result of God's judgment.
Jeremiah 19:8 in the Original Language
hissing (שְׁרֵקָה shereqah) — a sound of contempt, derision, or horror at witnessing calamity
Frequently Asked Questions About Jeremiah 19:8
What does Jeremiah 19:8 mean?
Jerusalem will become desolate and so devastating that passersby will react with horror and contempt.
What is the context of Jeremiah 19:8?
Desolation and public disgrace will overtake the city.