Jeremiah 18:18-23, Jeremiah’s Cry for Justice

He declared a holy war against the United States in 1998, leading to the bombing of two American embassies, in Tanzania and Kenya, killing 224, twelve of whom were Americans. When questioned about the number of victims he said, “We warned the whole world what would happen to the friends of America. We weren’t responsible for any victims from the minute we warned those countries.” He orchestrated the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. It took until 2011 to finally bring justice to Osama Bin Laden.

¹⁸ They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.”

¹⁹ Listen to me, Yahweh; hear what my accusers are saying! ²⁰ Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before you and spoke on their behalf to turn your wrath away from them. ²¹ So give their children over to famine; hand them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives be made childless and widows; let their men be put to death, their young men slain by the sword in battle. ²² Let a cry be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet. ²³ But you, Yahweh, know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their crimes or blot out their sins from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you; deal with them in the time of your anger. (Jeremiah 18:18-23)

It could sound as if Jeremiah’s enemies were content to speak ill of him and close their ears to his prophesyings, but Jeremiah makes clear that they actually sought to kill him. Though Jeremiah was preaching the destruction of Judah by a foreign invader, Babylon, he had also pleaded with Yahweh on behalf of his people that they be spared this. More than once Yahweh had told him to stop interceding for Judah (Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11). His enemies were repaying good with evil.

Jeremiah’s yearning for justice is expressed here in vivid detail. As with all Biblical imprecation (a prayer for God’s justice to be visited upon one’s enemies), Jeremiah is seeking God’s justice to be imposed, not his own. Jeremiah has stopped interceding for his people and instead is advocating their punishment.

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Discussion Questions:

1. Should Jeremiah have prayed for his enemies’ punishment?
2. Is it ever wrong for us to pray that God’s justice would be meted out on evil people?
3. Is it possible to both want God’s justice against evil people and to also pray for their repentance?
4. What is the difference between imprecation and vengeance?