Jeremiah 15:1

KJV

¶ Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, [yet] my mind [could] not [be] toward this people: cast [them] out of my sight, and let them go forth.

KJV (with Strong's)

Then said {H559} the LORD {H3068} unto me, Though Moses {H4872} and Samuel {H8050} stood {H5975} before {H6440} me, yet my mind {H5315} could not be toward this people {H5971}: cast them out {H7971} of my sight {H6440}, and let them go forth {H3318}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Then ADONAI said to me, "Even if Moshe and Sh'mu'el were standing in front of me, my heart would not turn toward this people! Drive them out of my sight, get them out of here!

Berean Standard Bible

Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go.

American Standard Version

Then said Jehovah unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 15:1 delivers a profound and unyielding divine decree from the LORD to the prophet Jeremiah, unequivocally declaring the irreversible nature of God's judgment against the people of Judah. Despite the historical precedent of powerful intercessors like Moses and Samuel, God's settled resolve is firm: Judah's persistent and unrepentant rebellion has exhausted divine patience, leading to an absolute decree of expulsion and the complete withdrawal of His favor and protective presence. This verse serves as a stark testament to the profound consequences of hardened sin and the unwavering justice of a holy God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse serves as a pivotal and somber response to Jeremiah's earnest lament and intercession for Judah, detailed extensively in [Jeremiah 14](/jeremiah/14 "Jeremiah 14 - Jeremiah's Lament and God's Response"). The prophet had poured out his heart, acknowledging the people's sin while appealing to God's covenant faithfulness and His own glory. Jeremiah 15:1 shatters any lingering hope of reprieve, marking a definitive turning point where God declares the time for intercession has passed, and His decree of exile is immutable. It sets the tone for the remainder of [Jeremiah 15](/jeremiah/15 "Jeremiah 15 - God's Unyielding Judgment"), which graphically outlines the severe calamities awaiting Judah—death by sword, famine, pestilence, and captivity—thereby reinforcing the absolute finality of the judgment pronounced in this opening declaration. The divine word here underscores the tragic culmination of generations of covenant unfaithfulness.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jeremiah's prophetic ministry unfolded during the tumultuous twilight years of the Kingdom of Judah, a period characterized by profound political instability, pervasive spiritual apostasy, and the escalating threat of the burgeoning Babylonian Empire. Despite repeated and urgent warnings delivered through Jeremiah and other prophets, the people, their kings, and religious leaders largely remained entrenched in their idolatry, social injustice, and misguided reliance on fleeting political alliances rather than on the LORD. The explicit mention of Moses and Samuel is highly significant within this historical and cultural backdrop. Moses was revered as the great lawgiver and the preeminent intercessor who famously averted God's wrath after the golden calf incident ([Exodus 32:11-14](/exodus/32-11 "Exodus 32:11-14 - Moses' Intercession for Israel")). Samuel was a pivotal prophet, judge, and priest whose intercession brought miraculous victory and deliverance for Israel ([1 Samuel 7:5-9](/1_samuel/7-5 "1 Samuel 7:5-9 - Samuel's Prayer and Victory")). By declaring that even these two iconic figures could not sway His decision, God emphatically underscores the unprecedented depth and pervasive nature of Judah's sin, highlighting the absolute necessity of the impending judgment as a direct and righteous consequence of their prolonged history of covenant breaking and spiritual defection.
* **Key Themes:** The overarching theme conveyed in this verse is the **Irreversible Divine Judgment** upon a people who have persistently rebelled against their covenant God. God's declaration that His "mind could not be toward this people" signifies a complete and definitive withdrawal of divine favor, compassion, and protective presence, directly resulting from Judah's unrepentant sin and deep-seated idolatry, as foreshadowed in passages like [2 Kings 23:27](/2_kings/23-27 "2 Kings 23:27 - God's Decision to Cast Off Judah"). This powerfully highlights God's **Holiness and Justice**, demonstrating that while He is indeed merciful and slow to anger, there are indeed limits to His divine patience when His covenant is continually spurned and His commands flagrantly disregarded. Another crucial theme is the **Limits of Intercession**. While intercession is a powerful and divinely ordained means of appealing to God's mercy, this verse reveals that there comes a point where persistent, unrepentant sin and hardened hearts render even the most fervent and historically efficacious prayers for reprieve utterly ineffective. This does not diminish the power or importance of prayer in general, but rather underscores the profound seriousness of human rebellion and the unwavering nature of God's righteous character, which ultimately demands accountability. The stark command to "cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth" powerfully foreshadows the dire **Consequences of Persistent Rebellion**, specifically the impending Babylonian exile, where Judah would be forcibly removed from their cherished land and face severe suffering and dispersion.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** From H3068, "the self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God." The use of this sacred, covenantal name emphasizes that the speaker is the eternal, unchanging, and sovereign God of Israel, the ultimate authority who established the covenant with His people. This underscores that the decree is not arbitrary but flows from the very character and being of the God who is faithful to His promises, even as He acts in righteous judgment against their profound breach.
* **mind (Hebrew, _nephesh'_):** From H5315, "properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); ...soul, life, self." In this context, "my mind" (KJV) or "my soul" conveys the deepest part of God's being, His innermost will, His affections, and His settled resolve. It signifies that His decision is not a fleeting emotion or a momentary burst of anger, but a profound, absolute, and sorrowful turning away from favor towards Judah, indicating a complete and final disinclination to show them mercy or protection any longer.
* **cast them out (Hebrew, _shâlach'_):** From H7971, "a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)." This imperative verb denotes a forceful expulsion, a definitive act of banishment and removal. It is a command for their immediate and irreversible removal, signaling the end of God's protective presence and covenantal blessing among them in their land, directly pointing to the impending Babylonian exile and the scattering of the people from their inheritance.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then said the LORD unto me":** This opening phrase immediately establishes the divine origin and the absolute authority of the message. It highlights Jeremiah's unique and solemn role as the direct recipient and faithful messenger of God's unvarnished word, emphasizing that this is not Jeremiah's personal opinion or lament, but a direct, undeniable revelation from the sovereign God of Israel.
* **"Though Moses and Samuel stood before me":** This clause employs a powerful rhetorical device, acknowledging the unparalleled historical and spiritual significance of Moses and Samuel as preeminent intercessors in Israel's history. It sets an impossibly high bar, implying that if even the prayers of such revered figures, who had previously swayed God's judgment and averted catastrophe, could not alter His decision in this instance, then the people's sin must be of an unprecedented, pervasive, and unforgivable magnitude.
* **"[yet] my mind [could] not [be] toward this people":** This is the core, devastating declaration of divine resolve. It signifies God's complete, final, and sorrowful withdrawal of favor, compassion, and protective regard from Judah. It indicates that the people's persistent rebellion, idolatry, and hardened hearts have reached a critical point of no return, where God's righteous character and holiness necessitate judgment over continued mercy for their unrepentant state.
* **"cast [them] out of my sight, and let them go forth":** This is God's direct and unmitigated command for their expulsion. "Out of my sight" implies a removal from His immediate, protective presence and watchful care, signifying a state of divine abandonment in terms of covenant blessing and security. "Let them go forth" is a definitive decree for their banishment, referring explicitly to the impending Babylonian exile, where they would be forcibly driven from their cherished land and scattered among foreign nations.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 15:1 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its stark and unyielding message of divine judgment. **Anthropomorphism** is evident in phrases such as "my mind could not be toward this people" and "cast them out of my sight," attributing human-like faculties of will, emotion, and perception to God. This literary technique helps human readers to grasp the profound depth of God's settled resolve and His personal, sorrowful, yet firm involvement in the judgment. The mention of "Moses and Samuel" functions as a potent **Allusion** to their historical roles as powerful intercessors, while simultaneously serving as a form of **Hyperbole** or a **Rhetorical Device**. It is not that these figures were literally present and interceding at that moment, but rather that even if they were, their prayers would be ineffectual given the extreme and unrepentant hardening of Judah's heart. This serves to underscore the **finality** and **immutability** of God's decree, emphasizing that the situation has passed the point of no return. Furthermore, the use of the **Imperative Mood** in the commands "cast them out" and "let them go forth" highlights the absolute divine authority and the certainty of the impending judgment, leaving no room for doubt about the inevitable fate awaiting Judah.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 15:1 stands as a profound theological statement on the nature of God's justice, the severe consequences of persistent sin, and the sobering limits of even powerful intercession. It reveals a God who, while boundless in mercy and slow to anger, is also absolutely holy, righteous, and just, demanding accountability for covenant infidelity. This verse challenges any presumption upon God's grace, demonstrating unequivocally that there is a critical point where divine patience is exhausted, and judgment becomes a necessary and righteous expression of His unchanging character. It underscores that God's actions are never arbitrary but are always a just and sorrowful response to sustained rebellion and unrepentance, even when faced with the most fervent prayers. The severity and finality of the divine decree emphasize the profound breach of the covenant by Judah, necessitating a radical divine intervention to uphold God's righteousness, purify His people, and demonstrate His unwavering commitment to His own holy standards.

* [Numbers 23:19](/numbers/23-19 "Numbers 23:19 - God is not a man, that he should lie")
* [2 Kings 23:27](/2_kings/23-27 "2 Kings 23:27 - God's Decision to Cast Off Judah")
* [Ezekiel 14:14](/ezekiel/14-14 "Ezekiel 14:14 - Even Noah, Daniel, and Job Could Not Save")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 15:1 serves as a timeless and deeply sobering warning for all generations, powerfully reminding us that God's grace, while boundless and unfathomable, is never to be presumed upon, nor is His holiness to be taken lightly. For individuals and communities today, this verse calls for a profound and searching introspection into the sincerity of our repentance and the consistency of our obedience to God's revealed will. It challenges us to honestly examine whether we are truly turning from sin with contrite hearts or merely offering superficial apologies while continuing in entrenched patterns of rebellion and spiritual apathy. Understanding that God's patience can indeed be exhausted should instill within us a profound reverence for His majestic character and a greater urgency to respond wholeheartedly to His gracious calls to righteousness. While we are perpetually encouraged to intercede fervently for others, this passage also imparts wisdom in prayer, reminding us that true spiritual transformation ultimately requires a responsive and repentant heart on the part of those for whom we pray. It compels us to live lives that genuinely honor God's holiness and justice, recognizing that authentic faith is demonstrated through a life of sincere repentance, faithful obedience, and a humble acknowledgment of His absolute sovereignty.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific ways might I, or my community, be presuming upon God's abundant grace or inadvertently testing His divine patience?**
* **How does understanding God's unyielding justice, as revealed in this verse, deepen my appreciation for the immeasurable depths of His mercy?**
* **What does being "cast out of my sight" signify for a person or community today in terms of profound spiritual consequences and divine withdrawal?**
* **How should the sobering reality of the limits of intercession, as powerfully depicted here, shape and inform my approach to prayer for others?**

### FAQ
**Does this verse mean God changes His mind, or that He is unfeeling?**

Answer: No, this verse does not imply that God changes His mind in a fickle or inconsistent manner, nor that He is unfeeling. Rather, it profoundly highlights the immutable nature of His righteous judgment when faced with persistent, unrepentant sin. The phrase "my mind could not be toward this people" (KJV) signifies a settled, divine resolve rooted in His unchanging character of holiness and justice. God's decision is a just and necessary response to Judah's prolonged rebellion and egregious covenant breaking, not a whimsical or arbitrary shift in disposition. It reflects His sorrowful but firm determination to uphold His righteous standards, even if it means withdrawing His favor and protection from a people He loves but who have utterly and continuously rejected Him. This is entirely consistent with God's unchanging nature as described in [Malachi 3:6](/malachi/3-6 "Malachi 3:6 - God Does Not Change") and [Numbers 23:19](/numbers/23-19 "Numbers 23:19 - God is not a man, that he should lie").

**Why couldn't Moses and Samuel intercede successfully for Judah in this instance?**

Answer: The mention of Moses and Samuel is a powerful rhetorical device, emphasizing the extreme depth of Judah's sin and the absolute finality of God's decree. It's not that these historical figures were literally present and interceding for Judah at that precise moment, but rather that even if they were, with all their past intercessory power (as vividly seen in [Exodus 32:11-14](/exodus/32-11 "Exodus 32:11-14 - Moses' Intercession for Israel") and [1 Samuel 7:5-9](/1_samuel/7-5 "1 Samuel 7:5-9 - Samuel's Prayer and Victory")), God's mind would remain fixed. Their past successes were often tied to a context where the people, though sinful, showed some capacity for repentance or where God's long-suffering mercy was still in full operation for the sake of His covenant. By Jeremiah's time, Judah's sin had become so entrenched, their hearts so hardened, and their rebellion so persistent that they had passed a critical point of no return. God's justice demanded action, and even the most powerful intercession could not avert the inevitable consequences of their unrepentant state, as also powerfully illustrated in [Ezekiel 14:14](/ezekiel/14-14 "Ezekiel 14:14 - Even Noah, Daniel, and Job Could Not Save").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 15:1, with its stark declaration of God's unyielding judgment and the sobering limits of human intercession, powerfully foreshadows humanity's ultimate need for a perfect Intercessor and a definitive, once-for-all solution to the pervasive problem of sin. The inability of even Moses and Samuel, the most revered intercessors in Israel's history, to sway God's settled mind highlights the profound depth of human sin and the absolute nature of God's holiness, which demands a perfect and complete atonement. In Christ, we find the one who perfectly fulfills the role of the ultimate Intercessor, not merely standing before God, but eternally sitting at His right hand, making continuous intercession for His redeemed people ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Christ's Eternal Intercession")). Unlike the Old Testament figures, Christ's intercession is not based on human merit or temporary sacrifices, but on His perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, which fully satisfied God's righteous demands for sin ([Hebrews 9:12](/hebrews/9-12 "Hebrews 9:12 - Christ's Perfect Sacrifice")). Where Judah faced the devastating reality of expulsion from God's protective sight due to their rebellion, believers in Christ are miraculously brought into God's very presence, fully reconciled through the precious blood of the Lamb ([Ephesians 2:13](/ephesians/2-13 "Ephesians 2:13 - Brought Near by the Blood of Christ")). The terrifying judgment "cast them out of my sight" finds its glorious reversal for all who trust in Jesus, who bore the full weight of God's wrath and judgment on the cross, so that we might never be cast out, but rather eternally welcomed into His presence ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Made Sin for Us")). Thus, Jeremiah 15:1, while a message of severe judgment, implicitly points to the glorious and redemptive mercy found in the New Covenant established through Christ, where God's mind is eternally and lovingly "toward" all who are found in Him ([Hebrews 8:12](/hebrews/8-12 "Hebrews 8:12 - God's Mercy in the New Covenant")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ezekiel 14:14

Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver [but] their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 14:20

Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall [but] deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

Ezekiel 14:21

For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

Jeremiah 14:11

Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for [their] good.

Jeremiah 11:14

Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear [them] in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

Psalms 106:23

Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy [them].

Jeremiah 7:15

And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, [even] the whole seed of Ephraim.