King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 22:8 Mean?

Jeremiah 22:8 in the King James Version says “And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done th...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 22 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?”

Jeremiah 22:8 · KJV

Context

6

For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited .

7

And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.

8

And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?

9

Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.

10

Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.

Read Jeremiah 22 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And many nations shall pass by this city—the Hebrew goyim rabbim (גּוֹיִם רַבִּים, 'many nations') indicates that Jerusalem's desolation will become an international spectacle. Where nations once came to admire Solomon's wisdom and temple splendor (1 Kings 10:24), they will now pass by ruins with astonishment. The verb avru (עָבְרוּ, 'pass by') suggests travelers on main routes observing the wreckage. And they shall say every man to his neighbour (ve'amru ish el-re'ehu, וְאָמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ)—the dialogue formula shows this will provoke theological discussion even among pagans.

Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city? (al-meh asah YHWH kakah la'ir hagedolah hazot, עַל־מֶה עָשָׂה יְהוָה כָּכָה לָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת)—they specifically attribute Jerusalem's fall to YHWH, not to Marduk or Babylonian might. Even pagans recognize that Jerusalem's God judged His own city. The term this great city is ironic: its greatness made the desolation more shocking. This echoes Deuteronomy 29:24-25, where Moses prophesied that future generations would ask this exact question. The pattern appears with Sodom (Genesis 19:24-25) and later with Babylon itself (Revelation 18:9-10). Ruins become testimony to divine judgment.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This prophecy received dramatic fulfillment. Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, leaving it in ruins that shocked the ancient world. Lamentations 2:15 records travelers' reactions: 'All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?' Jerusalem, once admired for temple splendor and Davidic glory, became an object lesson in divine judgment. The theological question—'Why did YHWH do this?'—presumes that Israel's God, not Babylonian deities, controlled the outcome. This is crucial: even pagans recognized the fall as covenant judgment, not military superiority. Later, Nehemiah 2:13-17 describes ruins still visible 142 years after destruction. Jesus prophesied similar desolation for the second temple (Matthew 24:1-2), fulfilled in AD 70. The pattern teaches that covenant unfaithfulness brings visible, undeniable judgment that testifies to God's reality even among unbelievers.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does the international recognition of God's judgment ('Wherefore hath the LORD done thus') teach about how divine discipline testifies to God's reality even among pagans?
  2. How does the contrast between Jerusalem as 'great city' and ruined spectacle illustrate the reversal that comes from squandering covenant privilege?
  3. What does this verse reveal about God's willingness to use His people's visible failure as testimony to His justice and the seriousness of covenant obligations?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 18 words
וְעָֽבְרוּ֙1 of 18

“shall pass”

H5674

to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in

גּוֹיִ֣ם2 of 18

“nations”

H1471

a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts

רַבִּ֔ים3 of 18

“And many”

H7227

abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)

עַ֖ל4 of 18
H5921

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

לָעִ֥יר5 of 18

“by this city”

H5892

a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)

הַזֹּ֑את6 of 18
H2063

this (often used adverb)

וְאָֽמְרוּ֙7 of 18

“and they shall say”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אִ֣ישׁ8 of 18

“every man”

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

אֶל9 of 18
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

רֵעֵ֔הוּ10 of 18

“to his neighbour”

H7453

an associate (more or less close)

עַל11 of 18
H5921

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

מֶ֨ה12 of 18
H4100

properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and

עָשָׂ֤ה13 of 18

“done”

H6213

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

יְהוָה֙14 of 18

“Wherefore hath the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

כָּ֔כָה15 of 18
H3602

just so, referring to the previous or following context

לָעִ֥יר16 of 18

“by this city”

H5892

a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)

הַגְּדוֹלָ֖ה17 of 18

“thus unto this great”

H1419

great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent

הַזֹּֽאת׃18 of 18
H2063

this (often used adverb)

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 22:8 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 22:8 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Kings 9:8-92 Chronicles 7:20-22Deuteronomy 29:23-26Lamentations 2:15-17Jeremiah 16:10Daniel 9:7

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