Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, and a wolf that hunts at night will destroy them, and a leopard will lurk around their cities, waiting. Anyone who leaves the city will be torn apart, because their sins are many and they have turned away from God more and more.
God is warning that wild animals will attack the people as judgment because they have repeatedly sinned and turned away from Him.
📚 Historical Context
Jeremiah was prophesying to the kingdom of Judah around 626-586 BC, during a time of spiritual decline and moral corruption. The people had abandoned God's laws and were worshiping idols, despite repeated warnings from prophets. This verse comes in the context of God's search for even one righteous person in Jerusalem, similar to His search in Sodom and Gomorrah.
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