Jeremiah 14:17
““You shall say this word to them: “‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.”
What does Jeremiah 14:17 mean?
Jeremiah is describing the unbearable sorrow he feels as God's messenger watching his nation crumble. He's saying his tears won't stop flowing, day and night, because the people he loves are suffering terribly, like a young woman shattered by a devastating injury that won't heal. This isn't dramatic language meant to convince people to feel sorry for him, but rather an honest expression of grief that matches the real devastation happening around him. The image matters: Jeremiah uses the picture of a "virgin daughter" to emphasize how vulnerable and innocent his people should be, yet how violently they've been broken. His unending tears are meant to wake people up to what's actually happening, to match their tragedy with appropriate mourning instead of denial or numbness. It's a call for the community to grieve what they've lost and to understand the gravity of turning away from God.