The Meaning of Jeremiah 23:19 Explained

Jeremiah 23:19

KJV: Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

YLT: Lo, a whirlwind of Jehovah -- Fury hath gone out, even a piercing whirlwind, On the head of the wicked it stayeth.

Darby: Behold, a tempest of Jehovah, fury is gone forth, yea, a whirling storm: it shall whirl down upon the head of the wicked.

ASV: Behold, the tempest of Jehovah, even his wrath, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, a whirlwind  of the LORD  is gone forth  in fury,  even a grievous  whirlwind:  it shall fall grievously  upon the head  of the wicked. 

What does Jeremiah 23:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Jeremiah 23:1-40 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 23

1  He prophesies a restoration of the scattered flock
5  Christ shall rule and save them
9  Against false prophets;
33  and mockers of the true prophets

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 23:19 mean?

Behold a whirlwind of Yahweh in fury has gone forth and a whirlwind violent on the head of the wicked it will fall violently
הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ סַעֲרַ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה חֵמָה֙ יָֽצְאָ֔ה וְסַ֖עַר מִתְחוֹלֵ֑ל עַ֛ל רֹ֥אשׁ רְשָׁעִ֖ים יָחֽוּל

הִנֵּ֣ה ׀  Behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
סַעֲרַ֣ת  a  whirlwind 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: סַעַר 
Sense: tempest, storm, whirlwind.
יְהוָ֗ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
חֵמָה֙  in  fury 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֵמָא 
Sense: heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles.
יָֽצְאָ֔ה  has  gone  forth 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
וְסַ֖עַר  and  a  whirlwind 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סַעַר 
Sense: tempest, storm, whirlwind.
מִתְחוֹלֵ֑ל  violent 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חוּל 
Sense: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained.
רֹ֥אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
רְשָׁעִ֖ים  of  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
יָחֽוּל  it  will  fall  violently 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חוּל 
Sense: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained.