King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 49:11 Mean?

“Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.”

Context

If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough. till: Heb. their sufficiency

But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not.

Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.

For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.

For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(11) **Leave thy fatherless children . . .**—Were the words uttered in the stern irony of one who veils *& *threat in the form of a promise, as some have thought, or was there even in the case of Edom a mingling of pity for the helpless? The latter view seems truer to the prophet’s character (Jeremiah 48:36). If the sentence was passed which left the wives of Edom widows, and their children orphans, yet God had not forgotten that He was the God of the widow and the fatherless.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

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 49:11 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.