This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Cut down the trees and build siege ramps against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; it is filled with oppression. As a well pours out its water, so she pours out her wickedness. Violence and destruction resound in her; her sickness and wounds are ever before me. Take warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you and make your land desolate so no one can live in it.” This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Let them glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine; pass your hand over the branches again, like one gathering grapes.” – Jeremiah 6:6-9
God is desperately trying to get the attention of the remnant of His people that have eyes to see and ears to hear. God is actually directing those faithful to Him, perhaps in Judah, to cut down “the trees” to build siege ramps to invade Jerusalem. God is holding Jerusalem accountable for the ways they are oppressing the people and nations around them. God made the City of David a well-watered garden, but it seems to be producing only bad fruit.
In a post about Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 called the “tears of the oppressed” I explored the meaning of oppression. I came to the conclusion that it means someone in a position of power imposing their will on someone “below them” on the social or economic ladder. So for God to say that Jerusalem is filled with Oppression means that it is filled with people abusing the power they have to impose their will on those “below them”. In a sense this is what King David did when he abused his “view from the top” to steal Uriah’s wife and have him killed to cover it up (2 Samuel 11:1-17).
The metaphor used to describe Jerusalem in this passage is a bit murky. She, Jerusalem, is described as “a well pours out its water, so she pours out her wickedness. Violence and destruction resound in her.” This metaphor is somewhat confusing in that wells do not typically “pour out” their water. They usually require buckets or a pump to bring water to the surface. In a sense this would be a malfunctioning well, or at least one that is not functioning like a “normal” well. So to compare Jerusalem to this type of well would be to say that Jerusalem is not functioning as designed, and the result is violence and destruction.
Wells are also typically a community resource that serves many families. They also tend to be a focal point for community activities and communication. Sort of like a farmer’s market, shopping mall, or church in modern times. So for God to say that this focal point of the community is pouring out violence and destruction is to say that the entire community is being poisoned by bad water due to the people’s failure to follow God.
Prayer: God help us to be communities and people that share good water that serves to bring peace and encouragement rather than violence and destruction.