TRV
Translation
King James Version
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
Complete Jewish Bible
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; when they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Rather, I will destroy them with war, famine and disease."
Berean Standard Bible
Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
American Standard Version
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
World English Bible Messianic
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
Geneva Bible (1599)
When they fast, I will not heare their cry, and when they offer burnt offering, and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sworde, and by the famine and by the pestilence.
Young's Literal Translation
When they fast, I hearken not unto their cry, And when they cause to ascend burnt-offering and present, I accept them not, For by sword, and by famine, And by pestilence, I am consuming them.
In the KJVVerse 19,306 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 14 verses 10–16
10 ¶ Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
13 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
15 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.
The dispute between God and his prophet, in this chapter, seems to be like that between the owner and the dresser of the vineyard concerning the barren fig-tree, Luk 13:7. The justice of the owner condemns it to be cut down; the clemency of the dresser intercedes for a reprieve. Jeremiah had been earnest with God, in prayer, to return in mercy to this people. Now here,
I. God overrules the plea which he had offered in their favour, and shows him that it would not hold. In answer to it thus he says concerning this people, Jer 14:10. He does not say, concerning my people, for he disowns them, because they had broken covenant with him. It is true they were called by his name, and had the tokens of his presence among them; but they had sinned, and provoked God to withdraw. This the prophet had owned, and had hoped to obtain mercy for them, notwithstanding this, through intercession and sacrifice; therefore God here tells him, 1. That they were not duly qualified for a pardon. The prophet had owned that their backslidings were many; and, though they were so, yet there was hope for them if they returned. But this people show no disposition at all to return; they have wandered, and they have loved to wander; their backslidings have been their choice and their pleasure, which should have been their shame and pain, and therefore they will be their ruin. They cannot expect God should take up his rest with them when they take such delight in going astray from him after their idols. It is not through necessity or inadvertency that they wander, but they love to wander. Sinners are wanderers from God; their wanderings forfeit God's favour, but it is their loving to wander that quite cuts them off from it. They were told what their wanderings would come to that one sin would hurry them on to another, and all to ruin; and yet they have not taken warning and refrained their feet. So far were they from returning to their God that neither his prophets nor his judgments could prevail upon them to give themselves the least check in a sinful pursuit. This is that for which God is now reckoning with them. When he denies them rain from heaven he is remembering their iniquity and visiting their sin; that is it for which their fruitful land is thus turned into barrenness. 2. That they had no reason to expect that the God they had rejected should accept them; no, not though they betook themselves to fasting and prayer and put themselves to the expense of burnt-offerings and sacrifice: The Lord doth not accept them, Jer 14:10. He takes no pleasure in them (so the word is); for what pleasure can the holy God take in those that take pleasure in his rivals, in any service, in any society, rather than his? "When they fast (Jer 14:12), which is a proper expression of repentance and reformation, - when they offer a burnt offering and an oblation, which was designed to be an expression of faith in a Mediator, - though their prayers be thus enforced, and offered up in those vehicles that used to be acceptable, yet, because they do not proceed from humble, penitent, and renewed hearts, but still they love to wander, therefore I will not hear their cry, be it ever so loud; nor will I accept them, neither their persons nor their performances." It had been long since declared, The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; and those only are accepted that do well, Gen 4:7. 3. That they had forfeited all benefit by the prophet's prayers for them because they had not regarded his preaching to them. This is the meaning of that repeated prohibition given to the prophet (Jer 14:11): Pray not thou for this people for their good, as before, Jer 7:15; Jer 11:14. This did not forbid him thus to express his good-will to them (Moses continued to intercede for Israel after God had said, Let me alone, Exo 32:10), but it forbade them to expect any good effect from it as long as they turned away their ear from hearing the law. Thus was the doom of the impenitent ratified, as that of Saul's rejection was by that word to Samuel, When wilt thou cease to mourn for Saul? It therefore follows (Jer 14:12), I will consume them, not only by this famine, but by the further sore judgments of sword and pestilence; for God has many arrows in his quiver, and those that will not be convinced and reclaimed by one shall be consumed by another.
II. The prophet offers another plea in excuse for the people's obstinacy, and it is but an excuse, but he was willing to say whatever their case would bear; it is this, That the prophets, who pretended a commission from heaven, imposed upon them, and flattered them with assurances of peace though they went on in their sinful way, Jer 14:13. He speaks of it with lamentation: "Ah! Lord God, the poor people seem willing to take notice of what comes in thy name, and there are those who in thy name tell them that they shall not see the sword nor famine; and they say it as from thee, with all the gravity and confidence of prophets: I will continue you in this place, and will give you assured peace here, peace of truth. I tell them the contrary; but I am one against many, and every one is apt to credit that which makes for them; therefore, Lord, pity and spare them, for their leaders cause them to err." This excuse would have been of some weight if they had not had warning given them, before, of false prophets, and rules by which to distinguish them; so that if they were deceived it was entirely their own fault. But this teaches us, as far as we can with truth, to make the best of bad, and judge as charitably of others as their case will bear.
III. God not only overrules this plea, but condemns both the blind leaders and the blind followers to fall together into the ditch. 1. God disowns the flatteries (Jer 14:14): They prophesy lies in my name. They had no commission from God to prophesy at all: I neither sent them, nor commanded them, nor spoke unto them. They never were employed to go on any errand at all from God; he never made himself known to them, much less by them to the people; never any word of the Lord came to them, no call, no warrant, no instruction, much less did he send them on this errand, to rock them asleep in security. No; men may flatter themselves, and Satan may flatter them, but God never does. It is a false vision, and a thing of nought. Note, What is false and groundless in vain and worthless. The vision that is not true, be it ever so pleasing, is good for nothing; it is the deceit of their heart, a spider's web spun out of their own bowels, and in it they think to shelter themselves, but it will be swept away in a moment and prove a great cheat. Those that oppose their own thoughts of God's word (God indeed says so, but they think otherwise) walk in the deceit of their heart, and it will be their ruin. 2. He passes sentence upon the flatterers, Jer 14:15. As for the prophets, who put this abuse upon the people by telling them they shall have peace, and this affront upon God by telling them so in God's name, let them know that they shall have no peace themselves. They shall fall first by those very judgments which they have flattered others with the hopes of an exemption from. They undertook to warrant people that sword and famine should not be in the land; but it shall soon appear how little their warrants are good for, when they themselves shall be cut off by sword and famine. How should they secure others or foretel peace to them when they cannot secure themselves, nor have such a foresight of their own calamities as to get out of the way of them? Note, The sorest punishment await those who promise sinners impunity in their sinful ways. 3. He lays the flattered under the same doom: The people to whom they prophesy lies, and who willingly suffer themselves to be thus imposed upon, shall die by sword and famine, Jer 14:16. Note, The unbelief of the deceived, with all the falsehood of the deceivers, shall not make the divine threatenings of no effect; sword and famine will come, whatever they say to the contrary; and those will be least safe that are most secure. Impenitent sinners will not escape the damnation of hell by saying that they can never believe there is such a thing, but will feel what they will not fear. It is threatened that this people shall not only fall by sword and famine, but that they shall be as it were hanged up in chains, as monuments of that divine justice which they set at defiance; their bodies shall be cast out, even in the streets of Jerusalem, which of all places, one would think, should be kept clear from such nuisances: there they shall lie unburied; their nearest relations, who should do them that last office of love, being so poor that they cannot afford it, or so weakened with hunger that they are not able to attend it, or so overwhelmed with grief that they have no heart to it, or so destitute of natural affection that they will not pay them so much respect. Thus will God pour their wickedness upon them, that is, the punishment of their wickedness; the full vials of God's wrath shall be poured upon them, to which they have made themselves obnoxious. Note, When sinners are overwhelmed with trouble they must in it see their own wickedness poured upon them. This refers to the wickedness both of the false prophets and of the people; the blind lead the blind, and both fall together into the ditch, where they will be miserable comforters one to another.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–16. Public domain.
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TertullianAD 220
ON PURITY 2
Although God is by nature good, yet he is also just, and as the case requires. He knows how to heal but also how to strike. He brings peace, but he brings about evil. He desires repentance, yet he commands Jeremiah not to intercede for the sinful people, since, he says, even if they fast, I will not hear their prayer.
Athanasius of AlexandriaAD 373
LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT 1:6
Hence it is that they are always writing, and always altering their own previous statements, and thus they show an uncertain faith, or rather a manifest unbelief and perverseness. And this, it appears to me, must be the case with them. Since they have fallen away from the truth and desire to overthrow that sound confession of faith that was drawn up at Nicaea, they have, in the language of Scripture, “loved to wander and have not restrained their feet.” Therefore, like Jerusalem of old, they labor and toil in their changes, sometimes writing one thing and sometimes another, but only for the sake of gaining time, and that they may continue enemies of Christ and deceivers of humankind.
JeromeAD 420
LETTER 127.10
In the Gospel, the Savior commends the unjust steward because, although he defrauded his master, he acted wisely for his own interests. The heretics in this instance pursued the same course. When they saw how great a matter a little fire had kindled, and that the flames applied by them to the foundations had by this time reached the housetops and that the deception practiced on many could no longer be hid, they asked for and obtained letters of commendation from the church, so that it might appear that until the day of their departure they had continued in full communion with it. Shortly afterward the distinguished Anastasius succeeded to the pontificate. But he was soon taken away, for it was not fitting that the head of the world should be struck off during the episcopate of one so great. He was removed, no doubt, that he might not seek to turn away by his prayers the sentence of God passed once for all. For the words of the Lord to Jeremiah concerning Israel applied equally to Rome: “Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry. When they offer burnt offering and oblation, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence.”
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 11, 12.) And the Lord said to me: Do not pray for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not listen to their prayers, and if they offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, I will not accept them; for I will consume them by sword, famine, and pestilence. It is foolish to pray for one who has sinned unto death, as John says: There is a sin unto death, I do not say that anyone should pray for him (1 John 5:16). All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not unto death. Fasting, prayers, and offerings and burnt offerings are then effective when we turn away from vices and repent of our ancient sins. But if we remain in wickedness and think that we can redeem ourselves through vows and sacrifices, we are greatly mistaken, for we consider God unfair. For whoever has been appointed once to the sword, hunger, and disease cannot be saved by any prayers. Hence, it is said by the Prophets, let him not pray in vain for what he cannot obtain.
John CassianAD 435
CONFERENCE 3:21.14
You see, then, that fasting is certainly not considered by the Lord as a thing that is good in its own nature, because it becomes good and well-pleasing to God not by itself but by other works. Again, from the surrounding circumstances it may be regarded as not merely empty but hateful, as the Lord says: “When they fast, I will not hear their prayers.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 14:12 delivers a profound divine judgment, unequivocally declaring God's rejection of Judah's superficial religious practices. Despite their outward displays of piety, such as fasting and offering sacrifices during a period of severe drought and national distress, their lack of genuine repentance and persistent disobedience rendered these rituals utterly meaningless and unacceptable in God's sight. Consequently, the Lord proclaims that He will not respond to their pleas but will instead execute comprehensive judgment through the devastating instruments of sword, famine, and pestilence, thereby underscoring the severe consequences of insincere worship and the unwavering certainty of divine justice for unaddressed sin.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 14:12 is strategically positioned within a significant prophetic unit (chapters 14-15) often designated as the "Drought Oracles" or "Lamentations of Jeremiah." This passage immediately follows the prophet's vivid and poignant descriptions of the widespread devastation wrought by a severe drought upon the land, its animals, and the people of Judah (e.g., Jeremiah 14:1-6). The suffering prompts a communal lament and prayer from the people (e.g., Jeremiah 14:7-9), wherein they acknowledge their sins but seemingly without the deep, transformative repentance that God demands. God's stern and definitive response in Jeremiah 14:10-12 serves as a pivotal moment, directly preceding His condemnation of the false prophets who offer deceptive assurances of peace and prosperity (e.g., Jeremiah 14:13-16). Thus, the verse functions as a crucial turning point, shifting the narrative from the description of national suffering to the pronouncement of God's unyielding judgment, emphatically highlighting the utter inadequacy of outward religious rituals when divorced from inward spiritual transformation.
Historical & Cultural Context: The prophetic ministry of Jeremiah unfolded during the tumultuous late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, a period characterized by profound political instability, pervasive spiritual apostasy, and the escalating threat of Babylonian imperial expansion, which would ultimately lead to the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of Judah. The severe drought described in this chapter was not merely a natural disaster but was deeply interpreted within ancient Israelite culture as a direct manifestation of divine displeasure and a consequence of covenant disobedience. Such calamities were explicitly outlined as curses within the Mosaic Law, particularly in passages like Deuteronomy 28:23-24. In this cultural milieu, fasting and burnt offerings were divinely prescribed acts of worship, intended to express humility, repentance, and a fervent desire for God's favor. However, the people of Judah had tragically adopted the outward forms of their religion while their hearts remained stubbornly devoted to idolatry and pervasive social injustice, a recurring and scathing critique voiced by numerous Old Testament prophets. God's emphatic rejection of these rituals in Jeremiah 14:12 powerfully underscores His unwavering demand for genuine internal transformation and moral righteousness over mere external religious observance, a profound theological theme echoed by prophetic voices such as Isaiah in his opening chapters and Amos in his call for justice.
Key Themes: Jeremiah 14:12 serves as a potent articulation of several foundational theological themes prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic corpus. First, it vividly illustrates the futility of hypocritical worship, unequivocally demonstrating that God prioritizes a sincere heart and genuine repentance over any outward religious performance. This concept is central to Jeremiah's entire prophetic message, as he consistently calls for a profound "circumcision of the heart" (Jeremiah 4:4). Second, the verse underscores the inevitability and severity of divine judgment as a righteous consequence for persistent sin and covenant unfaithfulness. The ominous triad of "sword, famine, and pestilence" is a recurring and powerful motif of comprehensive judgment throughout the Old Testament, signifying God's just and inescapable response to Judah's deep-seated rebellion against His covenant (e.g., Leviticus 26:25-26). Finally, it powerfully highlights God's unwavering holiness and justice, revealing that He cannot be manipulated or appeased by superficial displays of piety. His intrinsic character demands a just response to sin, and His decisive rejection of their offerings serves as a stark and sobering reminder of the gravity of Judah's spiritual apostasy and the true, demanding nature of their covenant relationship with the Holy God.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 14:12 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and uncompromising message of divine judgment. Antithesis is profoundly evident, establishing a sharp contrast between the people's outward religious actions ("When they fast," "when they offer burnt offering and an oblation") and God's definitive, negative response ("I will not hear," "I will not accept them," "but I will consume them"). This stark juxtaposition powerfully highlights the vast chasm between human religious performance and genuine divine approval. The use of Repetition in the emphatic phrase "I will not" (implied in "will not hear" and explicitly stated in "will not accept") underscores the unwavering and absolute nature of God's rejection. Furthermore, the culminating phrase "by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence" is a classic example of a Triad of Judgment, a recurring and ominous prophetic motif found throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Ezekiel 5:12). This specific grouping functions as a form of Merism, where three distinct but related elements are used to represent a complete and exhaustive category—in this instance, signifying an all-encompassing, inescapable, and devastating divine judgment. The cumulative effect of these literary techniques is to amplify the gravity of Judah's spiritual apostasy and the certain, comprehensive nature of God's impending wrath.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 14:12 profoundly articulates God's unwavering demand for genuine worship and highlights the utter futility of religious ritual when it is devoid of sincere repentance and a transformed heart. It reveals that God is not impressed or appeased by outward displays of piety when the heart remains rebellious, unrepentant, and far from Him. This principle is a foundational cornerstone of prophetic theology, consistently emphasizing that true devotion is not found in mechanical adherence to religious practices or external ceremonies but in an inward transformation that seeks righteousness, justice, and a deep, authentic relationship with the Holy God. The verse serves as a powerful and timeless reminder that God values the internal disposition and moral integrity over mere external performance, and that persistent sin, even when cloaked in religious acts, will inevitably lead to severe divine judgment.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 14:12 stands as a timeless and piercing challenge to all who claim to worship God, compelling us to look beyond the mere performance of religious duties and to deeply examine the sincerity and authenticity of our hearts. In an age where outward appearances, social media piety, and programmatic religious activity can often mask internal emptiness or spiritual complacency, this verse serves as a potent reminder that God sees beyond our rituals, our eloquent prayers, and our generous offerings, scrutinizing the true condition and motivation of our devotion. Are our acts of worship, our service to others, our giving, and our spiritual disciplines truly born out of a profound love for God and a genuine desire to obey Him, or are they merely attempts to earn favor, fulfill a perceived obligation, maintain a respectable image, or assuage guilt? God desires a relationship marked by authenticity, integrity, and wholehearted surrender, where our actions flow organically from a heart genuinely transformed and submitted to His will. This verse calls us to cultivate a deep, internal transformation, ensuring that our spiritual practices are not empty forms but vibrant, sincere expressions of true faith, love, and repentance.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God reject their fasting and sacrifices if these were commanded in the Law?
Answer: God rejected their fasting and sacrifices not because the rituals themselves were inherently flawed or wrong—they were, in fact, divinely commanded in the Mosaic Law as legitimate means of worship, atonement, and expressing devotion. Rather, God rejected them because they were offered with unrepentant hearts, devoid of genuine obedience, moral integrity, and spiritual transformation. The people of Judah were engaging in outward religious acts while simultaneously persisting in rampant idolatry, pervasive social injustice, and flagrant disobedience to God's covenant. Prophets like Jeremiah consistently emphasized that God desires truth in the inward parts and a heart wholly devoted to Him, not just external conformity. As 1 Samuel 15:22 famously declares, "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." Their rituals had tragically become a hollow substitute for a true, living relationship and faithful obedience, which God found abhorrent.
What is the significance of the "sword, famine, and pestilence" triad?
Answer: The "sword, famine, and pestilence" triad is a recurring and highly significant prophetic motif throughout the Old Testament, representing the primary instruments of comprehensive divine judgment and covenant curses (e.g., Leviticus 26:25-26 and Ezekiel 5:12). "Sword" signifies the devastating effects of war and violent death, often at the hands of invading armies. "Famine" refers to severe scarcity of food, leading to widespread starvation, often a direct consequence of drought or prolonged siege. "Pestilence" denotes widespread disease, plague, or epidemic, causing mass mortality. Together, these three elements represent a complete, inescapable, and utterly devastating form of judgment, indicating that God's wrath would be holistic and leave no avenue for escape. It powerfully underscores the totality of the consequences for Judah's persistent rebellion and unfaithfulness to their covenant with God.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 14:12, with its stark portrayal of God's absolute rejection of insincere worship and the ensuing, comprehensive judgment, finds its profound and glorious Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Covenant. The Old Testament sacrifices, including the burnt offerings and oblations mentioned, were inherently imperfect and served as mere shadows pointing to the ultimate, perfect, and once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Unlike the offerings of Judah, which were rendered futile by the sinfulness and hypocrisy of the offerers, Jesus, as the spotless and blemish-free Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, offered Himself on the cross, a sacrifice that was eternally "acceptable and pleasing to God" (Hebrews 10:10-14). Through His atoning work, Christ not only provided the perfect sacrifice that truly propitiates God's wrath but also inaugurated a new covenant where true worship transcends external rituals and is characterized by "worshiping in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24). The judgments of sword, famine, and pestilence, representing the comprehensive consequences of sin and rebellion against God, are ultimately overcome for all who believe in Christ. He bore the full weight of God's righteous wrath on the cross, thereby delivering those who trust in Him from the condemnation of the Law and the curse of sin (Romans 8:1). Thus, while Jeremiah 14:12 powerfully highlights the futility of self-righteous human efforts and the severity of divine justice, it simultaneously magnifies the boundless grace of God in Christ, who provides the only acceptable way to approach God and grants deliverance from the very judgments pronounced upon the unrepentant.