Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.
Then I said, 'Oh, Lord God! You have surely deceived this people and Jerusalem by telling them they would have peace, when instead the sword reaches to their very soul.'
Jeremiah is expressing confusion and distress to God, feeling that the people were promised peace but are instead facing devastating war.
📚 Historical Context
Jeremiah was prophesying during the final decades before Jerusalem's destruction by Babylon (around 586 BC). The people had been hearing messages of peace from false prophets, while Jeremiah was called to warn of coming judgment. This verse captures Jeremiah's emotional struggle as he watched his people face the very destruction they had been told wouldn't come.
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