I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
I will scatter them like a powerful east wind scatters things in front of their enemies; I will turn my back on them and not look at them with favor when disaster comes upon them.
God is saying He will abandon His people to their enemies and turn away from them when trouble comes because of their disobedience.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet is delivering God's message to the people of Judah during a time of moral and spiritual decline in the 7th-6th centuries BC, warning them of divine judgment for their idolatry and unfaithfulness to the covenant. This verse uses the east wind as a metaphor for a harsh, destructive force that would scatter the people like chaff before their enemies, foreshadowing the Babylonian exile. God turning His back symbolizes His withdrawal of protection, reflecting the consequences of persistent rebellion against His laws.
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