The Meaning of Jeremiah 21:14 Explained

Jeremiah 21:14

KJV: But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

YLT: And I have laid a charge against you, According to the fruit of your doings, An affirmation of Jehovah, And I have kindled a fire in its forest, And it hath consumed -- all its suburbs!

Darby: And I will visit you according to the fruit of your doings, saith Jehovah; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is round about her.

ASV: And I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith Jehovah; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is round about her.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But I will punish  you according to the fruit  of your doings,  saith  the LORD:  and I will kindle  a fire  in the forest  thereof, and it shall devour  all things round about  it. 

What does Jeremiah 21:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Nevertheless, the Lord promised to punish the residents for their evil deeds (cf. Jeremiah 21:5). He would kindle a fire in its forest, perhaps a reference to the House of the Forest of Lebanon, one of the palace complex buildings ( 1 Kings 7:2). The fire would spread to other buildings in Jerusalem.
"Not only will the Divine Warrior fight against them, but also their Dwelling Place will destroy their dwelling places!" [1]
"All her surroundings, how much more than the city itself!" [2]
The subject of the next oracle Isaiah , again, a Davidic king of Judah, but which one is unknown.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 21:1-14 - The Folly Of Idolatry
Jeremiah 10:1-10
We are here introduced into an idol-factory. Contrasted with the manufactured idols is the majesty of our God. There is none like Him. His name is great in might; He is the King of the nations, the true and living God, and the everlasting King! Christian, fear not or be dismayed when enemies plot against you. It is a vain device that they frame. To hide in God is a sure defence from all that man can do for our hurt. O thou true and living Savior, in thy wounds harried and faithful souls become strong and brave again.
Jeremiah 10:19-25
The prophet now bids the people prepare for their captivity. Their city would be as when a shepherd removed his slight and insubstantial tent, leaving no trace. But Jeremiah's soul is lacerated and torn with the message he must needs announce. Are we called to be shepherds? Let us see to it that we seek the Lord; so only shall our flocks not be scattered, Jeremiah 10:21. Are we in perplexity as to our path in life? It is not for us to direct ourselves, but to look up for God's sure guidance, which will be given to the soul that waits for it, Jeremiah 10:23. Are we being corrected? Let us be patient; it is only when we endure without complaining that our trial works out the highest good, and God will not give us more than we can bear, Jeremiah 10:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 21

1  Zedikiah sends to Jeremiah to enquire the event of Nebuchadnezzar's war
3  Jeremiah foretells a hard siege and miserable captivity
8  He counsels the people to fall to the Chaldeans;
11  and upbraids the King's house

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 21:14 mean?

but I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings says Yahweh and I will kindle a fire in its forest and it shall devour all [things] around it -
וּפָקַדְתִּ֧י עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם כִּפְרִ֥י מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֑ה וְהִצַּ֤תִּי אֵשׁ֙ בְּיַעְרָ֔הּ וְאָכְלָ֖ה כָּל־ סְבִיבֶֽיהָ ס

וּפָקַדְתִּ֧י  but  I  will  punish 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
כִּפְרִ֥י  according  to  the  fruit 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם  of  your  doings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מַעֲלִיל 
Sense: deed, practice.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְהִצַּ֤תִּי  and  I  will  kindle 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָצַת  
Sense: to kindle, burn, set on fire.
אֵשׁ֙  a  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
בְּיַעְרָ֔הּ  in  its  forest 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יַעַר 
Sense: forest, wood, thicket, wooded height.
וְאָכְלָ֖ה  and  it  shall  devour 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
כָּל־  all  [things] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
סְבִיבֶֽיהָ  around  it 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation