The Meaning of Jeremiah 9:21 Explained

Jeremiah 9:21

KJV: For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.

YLT: For death hath come up into our windows, It hath come into our palaces, To cut off the suckling from without, Young men from the broad places.

Darby: For death is come up through our windows, is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from the street, the young men from the broadways.

ASV: For death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces; to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For death  is come up  into our windows,  [and] is entered  into our palaces,  to cut off  the children  from without,  [and] the young men  from the streets. 

What does Jeremiah 9:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Death had invaded the city like a plague. It had entered homes and palaces, and it was cutting off children and youths from the public places. It is possible that Jeremiah borrowed the figure of Death entering through a window, from Canaanite or Babylonian mythology, but this is impossible to prove. [1] One commentator believed Jeremiah viewed Death as a thief in the night, coming suddenly and in an unexpected way (cf. Joel 2:9). [2]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 9

1  Jeremiah laments the people for their manifold sins;
9  and for their judgment
12  Disobedience is the cause of their bitter calamity
17  He exhorts to mourn for their destruction;
23  and to trust not in themselves, but in God
25  He threatens both Jews and Gentiles

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 9:21 mean?

For has come death through our windows Has entered our palaces to kill off the sons [no longer to be] outside [And] the young men [no longer] on the streets
כִּֽי־ עָ֤לָה מָ֙וֶת֙ בְּחַלּוֹנֵ֔ינוּ בָּ֖א בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ לְהַכְרִ֤ית עוֹלָל֙ מִח֔וּץ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מֵרְחֹבֽוֹת

עָ֤לָה  has  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
מָ֙וֶת֙  death 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
בְּחַלּוֹנֵ֔ינוּ  through  our  windows 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common plural construct, first person common plural
Root: חַלֹּון 
Sense: window (piercing of the wall).
בָּ֖א  Has  entered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ  our  palaces 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אַרְמֹון  
Sense: citadel, palace, fortress.
לְהַכְרִ֤ית  to  kill  off 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
עוֹלָל֙  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולֵל 
Sense: child, boy.
מִח֔וּץ  [no  longer  to  be]  outside 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חוּץ  
Sense: outside, outward, street, the outside.
בַּחוּרִ֖ים  [And]  the  young  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: youth, young man.
מֵרְחֹבֽוֹת  [no  longer]  on  the  streets 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural
Root: רְחֹב  
Sense: broad or open place or plaza.