Jeremiah 17:18 (GNV)

Passage

Let them bee confounded, that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be afraide, but let not me be afraide: bring vpon them the day of aduersitie, and destroy them with double destruction.

Nearby Context

Jeremiah 17:16 But I haue not thrust in my selfe for a pastour after thee, neither haue I desired the day of miserie, thou knowest: that which came out of my lips, was right before thee.

Jeremiah 17:17 Be not terrible vnto mee: thou art mine hope in the day of aduersitie.

Jeremiah 17:18 Let them bee confounded, that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be afraide, but let not me be afraide: bring vpon them the day of aduersitie, and destroy them with double destruction.

Jeremiah 17:19 Thus hath the Lord said vnto me, Goe and stande in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the Kings of Iudah come in, and by the which they goe out, and in all ye gates of Ierusalem,

Jeremiah 17:20 And say vnto them, Heare the word of the Lord, ye Kings of Iudah, and al Iudah, and all the inhabitants of Ierusale, that enter in by these gates.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "confounded", "persecute", "afraide", "bring", "vpon", and "aduersitie". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "confounded" and "persecute", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Be not terrible vnto mee thou art..." into verse 19's "Thus hath the Lord said vnto me...", so "confounded" and "persecute" belong inside that flow. In Jeremiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "confounded" and "persecute" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.