As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.
Just as a spring constantly pours out water, Jerusalem constantly pours out evil. Violence and robbery can be heard throughout the city; I continually see suffering and injuries everywhere.
God is describing how Jerusalem has become completely corrupt, with evil flowing from it as naturally and constantly as water flows from a spring.
📚 Historical Context
In the 7th century BC, the prophet Jeremiah was delivering God's messages to the people of Judah, who were entrenched in idolatry, social injustice, and widespread moral decay amid threats from the Babylonian empire. This verse uses the imagery of a fountain spewing out water to illustrate how Jerusalem was constantly producing evil acts like violence and robbery, reflecting the city's deep-seated corruption. Jeremiah's warnings highlighted God's impending judgment on Judah for their unrepentant sins, urging them to turn back to covenant faithfulness.
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