“The young lions roared upon him, and yelled , and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.”
My Notes
What Does Jeremiah 2:15 Mean?
Jeremiah describes the devastation of Israel using the image of young lions: foreign nations (specifically Assyria and Egypt) have roared over God's people, reduced their land to waste, and burned their cities until no inhabitants remain. The "young lions" represent aggressive, powerful predators at the height of their strength—not old or weak but in their prime and hungry.
The past tense—"roared... yelled... made his land waste"—describes accomplished destruction. This isn't a warning about what might happen. It has happened. The lions have already devoured. The cities have already burned. The desolation is complete.
The image of lions roaring over a kill is particularly visceral: the roar isn't the attack itself but the triumphant announcement after the kill. The nations have already conquered Israel and are now roaring in celebration over the carcass. God's people have been reduced from a living nation to prey, and the predators are celebrating their victory.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Have you experienced someone 'roaring' over the ruins of something they destroyed in your life? What was that like?
- 2.How do you handle the added pain of someone celebrating your devastation—not just hurting you but enjoying it?
- 3.If God allowed the lions to roar, does that mean He's abandoned the prey? How does the larger narrative change the meaning?
- 4.What 'burned cities' in your life need to be rebuilt? What gives you hope that the ruins aren't permanent?
Devotional
Young lions roared over Israel. They yelled in triumph. They made the land waste and burned the cities empty. This isn't a prophecy—it's a description of what has already happened. The destruction is done. The predators are celebrating.
The image of young lions roaring over a kill is deliberately chosen: lions don't roar during the hunt. They roar after it. The roaring is the victory cry—the sound of a predator standing over its prey, announcing dominance. Israel has been reduced to prey, and the nations that devoured her are standing over the ruins, roaring.
If you've ever been in a situation where someone stood over the ruins of something you loved—celebrating their dominance, broadcasting their victory, roaring over what they destroyed—you know this verse viscerally. The cruelty isn't just in the destruction. It's in the celebrating after. The roaring adds insult to devastation.
But Jeremiah records this scene within a larger narrative that doesn't end with the lions. The one who allowed the lions to roar is the same one who controls the lions. God let the nations devour Israel as judgment, but He also brings the nations to their own judgment in time. The lions who roar today become the prey of tomorrow. The ruins that look permanent are already marked for restoration. The roaring isn't the end of the story.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes,.... These were cities in Egypt. Noph is the same with Moph in Hos 9:6 and which…
Upon him - Rather, against him. Israel has run away from his master’s house, but only to find himself exposed to the…
The prophet, further to evince the folly of their forsaking God, shows them what mischiefs they had already brought upon…
The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled referring to the frequent Assyrian invasions. The lion was the symbol…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture