Question 1

Who is the “man of strife and contention” in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The “man of strife and contention” is Jeremiah himself. He feels that from the day he was born, his life has been full of conflict because of his calling. He is not starting fights through business or money issues, since he says he has not dealt in lending with interest. Instead, people are angry with him because he speaks God’s hard messages about sin and judgment. So he feels cursed and alone, even though he is trying to help them by telling them the truth from God.

Question 2

What does Jeremiah mean when he says, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them”?

Accepted Answer

When Jeremiah says he “ate” God’s words, he is picturing how deeply he received them. It is like a hungry person eating food. God’s messages were not just sounds to him, they became part of him. At first those words brought him joy and made his heart glad, because he knew he belonged to the LORD and carried His name. Even though his ministry led to pain and rejection, God’s word itself was sweet and life-giving to him on the inside.

Question 3

Why does Jeremiah complain about being cursed even though he has not lent on interest?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah brings up lending on interest because that was a common cause of arguments and bitterness between people. By saying he has not lent or borrowed with interest, he is saying, “I have not done the usual things that lead to quarrels.” His troubles do not come from cheating or harming others in daily life. Instead, people hate him because he brings God’s word that they do not want to hear. This shows that faithful service to God can bring hostility even when we have done nothing wrong in human terms.

Question 4

What is meant by the “northern iron and the steel” in God’s answer?

Accepted Answer

The picture of “northern iron and steel” points to a power stronger than Judah. The people seemed hard and stubborn, like iron, in resisting God’s warnings. But there is an even harder iron from the north, which points to the invading army that would come, often linked with Babylon. God is saying that Judah cannot stand against the strength He is sending in judgment. Their false confidence will fail, their treasures will be taken, and they will be carried to a land they do not know because of their sins.

Question 5

Why does Jeremiah ask if God will be to him like a liar and waters that fail?

Accepted Answer

This is one of the hardest lines because Jeremiah speaks out of deep hurt. He has obeyed God, suffered shame for God’s sake, and feels his pain never ends. So he cries out, asking if God will seem to him like a false promise or like a stream that dries up when he needs it. He is not coldly accusing God, but pouring out his confusion and struggle. This shows that even a faithful servant can feel overwhelmed and is allowed to bring honest questions to God in prayer.

Question 6

What was happening in Jeremiah’s life when he sat alone and did not join the mockers?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah explains that he did not sit in the gatherings of those who mocked and took pleasure in sin. Instead, he sat alone because of God’s hand on him. God had filled him with a sense of anger and grief over the people’s sin and the coming judgment. This set him apart from the crowd. While others laughed and ignored God’s warnings, Jeremiah carried a heavy burden. His loneliness came from being faithful to his calling, not from being unfriendly or proud.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about serving God when people oppose you?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that serving God can lead to deep loneliness and misunderstanding. Jeremiah had not cheated or harmed people, yet they cursed him. He felt worn out, wished he had never been born, and even wondered if God had failed him. At the same time, God promised that it would go well with him in the end and that his enemies would one day treat him kindly. For believers today, it shows that honest prayer in hardship is welcome, and that God sees, remembers, and will one day make things right.

Question 8

How does God respond to Jeremiah’s pain and complaints in this section?

Accepted Answer

God does not ignore Jeremiah’s pain. He answers with a promise and a warning. On one hand, God says it will be well with Jeremiah in the end, and even enemies will treat him well in the time of trouble. This is personal care for His servant. On the other hand, God repeats that the nation’s sin will bring real loss and exile. So God takes Jeremiah’s suffering seriously, but He does not soften the truth about judgment on the people who refuse to listen.

Jeremiah 15:10

¶ Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.

Jeremiah’s Woe

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Jeremiah 15:10

¶ Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.

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Jeremiah’s Woe

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