Welcome to BibleStudyMinistry.com, your online Bible Study supplement source. Today we have a chapter summary on Jeremiah chapter 8. Before we get to the summary, let’s review the chapter below.
1 At that time, saith the Almighty, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Juda, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:
2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the Almighty of hosts.
4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Almighty; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?
5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Almighty.
8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Almighty is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Almighty; and what wisdom is in them?
10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Almighty.
13 I will surely consume them, saith the Almighty: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Almighty our Creator hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Almighty.
15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!
16 The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Almighty.
18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the Almighty in Siyoni-Jerusalem? Is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?
20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Jeremiah Chapter 8 Summary
In the opening of Jeremiah chapter 8, the Almighty paints a grim picture of the impending fate of the people of Jerusalem. The bones of the kings, princes, priests, prophets, and inhabitants of Juda, including those from Jerusalem, will be brought out of their graves and spread before the sun, moon, and the host of heaven—objects of their worship. These remains will not receive a proper burial but will be left as dung upon the face of the earth.
The people have reached a point where they would choose death over life due to the consequences of their evil actions. The Almighty questions why the people of Jerusalem persistently backslide and refuse to return to the right path. They cling to deceit and are unrepentant, turning away from the righteous way like horses rushing into battle.
Despite the natural world’s creatures observing their appointed times and seasons, the people of Jerusalem are ignorant of the Almighty’s judgment. They claim to possess wisdom and the law of the Almighty, but their wisdom is in vain, and the work of the scribes has been futile. Even the wise men among them are ashamed…
…and have rejected the word of the Almighty.
The people’s covetousness and falsehood extend from the least to the greatest, from the prophet to the priest. They offer superficial healing to the hurt of the daughter of the Almighty’s people, proclaiming peace when there is none.
Their shamelessness in committing abominable acts is evident, as they feel no remorse or embarrassment. As a consequence, they will fall during the time of their visitation, says the Almighty.
The Almighty concludes by declaring that He will surely consume them, leading to the withering of vines, fig trees, and fading leaves. The enrichments He has bestowed upon them will pass away, highlighting the dire consequences of their actions and disobedience.
In the latter half of Jeremiah chapter 8, the people of Juda and Jerusalem are portrayed as seeking refuge in fortified cities, as they acknowledge that the Almighty, their Creator, has silenced them and given them the bitter water of gall to drink as punishment for their sins.
Their quest for peace and well-being has been in vain…
…as they are now faced with trouble and terror. The approaching army’s presence is marked by the snorting of horses from Dan, causing the entire land to tremble at the sound of their powerful steeds. This invading force has devoured the land, including the cities and their inhabitants.
The Almighty warns that He will send serpents and cockatrices among them, creatures that cannot be charmed and will inflict painful bites. Despite seeking comfort to ease their sorrow, the hearts of the people remain faint.
The voice of lamentation can be heard among the daughter of the Almighty’s people due to the actions of those who dwell in a distant land. The prophet questions why they have provoked the Almighty’s anger with graven images and foreign idols.
As a result of their disobedience, the harvest season has passed, and summer has ended without salvation. The daughter of the Almighty’s people is depicted as wounded and in a state of astonishment.
The passage concludes with a question:
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? It reflects a sense of hopelessness as the people wonder why the health of the daughter of the Almighty’s people remains unrecovered despite the existence of potential remedies.
This is the summary of Jeremiah chapter 8; Glory to the Creator Almighty.
For more summaries and studies, click on the summaries link right here. As always, be strong and very courageous.
Minister Koko
BSM
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