King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 10:19 Mean?

Jeremiah 10:19 in the King James Version says “Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 10 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.”

Jeremiah 10:19 · KJV

Context

17

Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress. inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress

18

For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.

19

Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.

20

My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

21

For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

Read Jeremiah 10 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
This verse voices lament: 'Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous.' The Hebrew oi-li (אוֹי־לִי, woe to me) is a cry of anguish; makka (מַכָּה, wound, blow) indicates injury. The speaker may be Jeremiah, personified Jerusalem, or the community. 'But I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.' The Hebrew choli (חֹלִי, sickness, grief) and nasa (נָשָׂא, bear, carry) express resigned acceptance of suffering. Unlike earlier complaints, this voice acknowledges the necessity of enduring judgment—recognition that the wound is deserved and must be borne.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

This lament may represent exilic community's growing acceptance of their situation—moving from denial and protest to recognition that judgment must be endured. The theology of Lamentations similarly combines anguished protest with acknowledged justice. Jeremiah's counsel to exiles (chapter 29) encouraged acceptance and constructive living during the seventy-year sentence.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the acknowledgment 'I must bear it' represent growth from denial to acceptance of divine discipline?
  2. What role does accepting deserved consequences play in the restoration process?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 12 words
א֥וֹי1 of 12

“Woe”

H188

lamentation; also interjectionally oh!

לִי֙2 of 12
H0
עַל3 of 12
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

שִׁבְרִ֔י4 of 12

“is me for my hurt”

H7667

a fracture, figuratively, ruin; specifically, a solution (of a dream)

נַחְלָ֖ה5 of 12

“is grievous”

H2470

properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to stroke (in flattering), entreat

מַכָּתִ֑י6 of 12

“my wound”

H4347

a blow (in 2 chronicles 2:10, of the flail); by implication, a wound; figuratively, carnage, also pestilence

וַאֲנִ֣י7 of 12
H589

i

אָמַ֔רְתִּי8 of 12

“but I said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אַ֛ךְ9 of 12

“Truly”

H389

a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) only

זֶ֥ה10 of 12
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

חֳלִ֖י11 of 12

“this is a grief”

H2483

malady, anxiety, calamity

וְאֶשָּׂאֶֽנּוּ׃12 of 12

“and I must bear”

H5375

to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 10:19 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 10:19 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Micah 7:9Lamentations 3:39-40Lamentations 3:18-21Jeremiah 14:17Jeremiah 4:31Jeremiah 8:21

Test Your Knowledge

Jeremiah 10 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterJeremiah Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Jeremiah 10 with CommentaryAll Jeremiah ChaptersComplete Jeremiah QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes