Jeremiah 18:23

KJV

Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay [me]: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal [thus] with them in the time of thine anger.

KJV (with Strong's)

Yet, LORD {H3068}, thou knowest {H3045} all their counsel {H6098} against me to slay {H4194} me: forgive {H3722} not their iniquity {H5771}, neither blot out {H4229} their sin {H2403} from thy sight {H6440}, but let them be overthrown {H3782} before {H6440} thee; deal {H6213} thus with them in the time {H6256} of thine anger {H639}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Nevertheless, ADONAI, you know all their plans against me to stop me. Do not forgive their crime, do not blot out their sin from your sight; but let them be made to stumble before you; deal with them when you are angry.

Berean Standard Bible

But You, O LORD, know all their deadly plots against me. Do not wipe out their guilt or blot out their sin from Your sight. Let them be overthrown before You; deal with them in the time of Your anger.

American Standard Version

Yet, Jehovah, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight; but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thou with them in the time of thine anger.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 18:23 encapsulates the prophet's raw and impassioned plea to the LORD for divine justice against those who relentlessly conspired to take his life. Having faithfully delivered God's challenging message only to face profound rejection and persecution, Jeremiah appeals to God's perfect knowledge, confident that the LORD is fully aware of his adversaries' malicious schemes. He fervently implores God to withhold forgiveness and to actively bring about the downfall of his enemies, allowing them to be overthrown and decisively dealt with in the appointed time of divine wrath, reflecting a deep anguish and a righteous longing for God's ultimate vindication.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 18:23 serves as the powerful conclusion to a pivotal section within the book, immediately following the profound "Potter and the Clay" analogy presented in [Jeremiah 18:1-12](/jeremiah/18 "Jeremiah 18 - The Potter's Sovereign Authority"). In this analogy, God vividly illustrates His sovereign right to shape nations, promising to relent from impending judgment if they repent, or conversely, to bring calamity if they persist in wickedness. Despite this gracious offer of repentance, the people of Judah, particularly their religious and political leaders, defiantly refused, declaring in [Jeremiah 18:12](/jeremiah/18-12 "Jeremiah 18:12 - Judah's Stubborn Refusal") that "we will walk after our own devices." This stubborn rejection of God's word, faithfully delivered through Jeremiah, escalated into direct threats and active plots against the prophet's life, explicitly detailed in [Jeremiah 18:18](/jeremiah/18-18 "Jeremiah 18:18 - Conspiracy Against Jeremiah"), where his enemies conspire to "devise devices against Jeremiah" and "smite him with the tongue." Jeremiah 18:23 is the prophet's anguished, deeply personal response to this direct and existential threat, a desperate cry for God to intervene and protect His faithful, suffering servant against such malevolent intentions.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jeremiah's prophetic ministry unfolded during an intensely tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of the last five kings before the devastating Babylonian exile (roughly late 7th to early 6th century BC). This era was characterized by profound political instability, widespread spiritual apostasy, and pervasive moral decay. The people, including the very priests and prophets, had largely abandoned their covenant relationship with Yahweh, engaging in rampant idolatry, syncretism, and social injustice. Jeremiah's unwavering message of impending judgment and an urgent call to repentance was deeply unpopular, directly challenging the false sense of security propagated by false prophets who promised peace and prosperity. His warnings were often perceived as treasonous, unpatriotic, and demoralizing, leading to widespread rejection, public humiliation, imprisonment, and repeated attempts on his life. The cultural milieu was one of profound resistance to divine truth, where the messenger of God was viewed as an enemy of the state, making Jeremiah's personal suffering a direct and agonizing consequence of his prophetic calling in an increasingly hostile and ungodly environment.
* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 18:23 powerfully contributes to several overarching and poignant themes woven throughout the book of Jeremiah. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Prophetic Suffering and Vindication**, vividly portraying the immense personal cost of unwavering faithfulness to God's difficult call. Jeremiah's impassioned prayer highlights the biblical truth that God sees and ultimately responds to the suffering of His persecuted servants, even when human systems of justice utterly fail. Secondly, the verse emphasizes **Divine Justice and Retribution**. Jeremiah's imprecatory prayer is not merely a personal outburst but a fervent appeal to God's righteous character, asserting that ultimate justice belongs solely to the LORD, who will "deal thus with them in the time of thine anger." This aligns with the broader biblical principle that God will not allow persistent wickedness to go unpunished, a theme echoed profoundly in passages like [Psalm 7:11](/psalms/7-11 "Psalm 7:11 - God, a Righteous Judge"). Thirdly, the opening declaration, "Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me," powerfully reinforces the theme of **God's Omniscience**. It provides profound assurance to the afflicted that nothing, not even the most secretive and malicious plots, is hidden from God's all-seeing eye, offering immense comfort that their struggles are fully known and understood by a sovereign, all-knowing God, a truth also affirmed in [Hebrews 4:13](/hebrews/4-13 "Hebrews 4:13 - All Things Open Before God").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** This is the sacred Tetragrammaton (YHWH), the personal, covenant name of God, signifying "the self-Existent or Eternal." Jeremiah's direct address to "LORD" (Jehovah) emphasizes his intimate and covenantal relationship with the God of Israel. It underscores his conviction that this God, unlike the idols worshipped by his enemies, is the true and living God who hears and acts. This appeal to Yahweh highlights the personal nature of his plea, directed to the ultimate authority and righteous judge.
* **iniquity (Hebrew, _ʻâvôn'_):** This term, from the root meaning to "twist" or "pervert," refers to perversity or moral evil. It encompasses both the act of sin and its inherent guilt or deserved punishment. In this context, Jeremiah is not merely speaking of isolated transgressions but of the deep-seated moral corruption, deliberate malice, and perversion of justice inherent in his enemies' plots. Their "iniquity" is a fundamental distortion of righteousness and a direct affront to God's divine messenger.
* **overthrown (Hebrew, _kâshal'_):** Derived from a primitive root meaning "to totter or waver," this word implies a physical or moral faltering, stumbling, fainting, or falling. Here, it is used in a causative sense, meaning to cause someone to fall or be ruined. Jeremiah's prayer is for his enemies to be divinely caused to stumble and fall, to be brought to complete ruin and collapse, rather than merely experiencing a temporary setback. It denotes a decisive, comprehensive defeat and the utter failure of their malicious plans and their very standing.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay [me]:"** Jeremiah opens with an affirmation of God's perfect, intimate knowledge and awareness. Despite the secrecy and cunning nature of his enemies' plots, Jeremiah expresses absolute confidence that the LORD (Yahweh) is fully cognizant of their every malicious "counsel" or scheme, specifically their murderous intention "to slay" him. This declaration serves as both a profound statement of faith in God's omniscience and a foundational premise for his subsequent, impassioned petition for divine justice.
* **"forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight,"** This clause forms the intense core of Jeremiah's imprecatory prayer. He fervently asks God not to "forgive" (Hebrew: _kâphar_, to cover or expiate) their deep-seated "iniquity" (perversity) nor to "blot out" (Hebrew: _mâchâh_, to erase or abolish) their "sin" (offence) from His divine "sight." This powerful double negative emphasizes his desperate plea for God to withhold mercy and instead hold them fully and completely accountable for their wicked intentions and actions.
* **"but let them be overthrown before thee; deal [thus] with them in the time of thine anger."** Building directly on the preceding petition, Jeremiah requests active and decisive divine intervention. He asks that his enemies be "overthrown," or caused to stumble and fall into ruin, specifically "before thee," implying a public, undeniable, and direct judgment originating from God Himself. The concluding phrase, "deal thus with them," is a strong, urgent appeal for God to execute the precise judgment appropriate to their heinous deeds, specifically "in the time of thine anger," referring to God's righteous wrath and indignation against persistent evil and injustice.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 18:23 employs several potent literary devices that amplify its emotional and theological impact. The most prominent is **Imprecatory Prayer**, a direct and fervent appeal to God for judgment or curses upon one's enemies. This is not merely a wish for harm but a profound theological statement rooted in the prophet's unwavering conviction that God is righteous and will ultimately bring justice to the wicked. The phrase "forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight" masterfully utilizes **Litotes**, a form of rhetorical understatement where an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite. By stating what God should *not* do (forgive, blot out), Jeremiah powerfully emphasizes his fervent desire for divine retribution rather than mercy. The mention of God's "sight" and "anger" involves **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human characteristics (seeing, feeling anger) to God, making His divine presence and emotional response to profound injustice more relatable and immediate for the human audience. Finally, the entire verse is permeated with **Pathos**, powerfully evoking strong emotions of anguish, betrayal, and a righteous indignation that stems directly from Jeremiah's profound and personal suffering at the hands of those he sought to warn and redeem.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah's impassioned plea for divine justice in this verse resonates deeply with the biblical understanding of God's multifaceted character as both merciful and immutably just. While the New Covenant introduces a profound emphasis on forgiveness and love for enemies, the Old Testament often reveals a righteous indignation against persistent evil and a reliance on God to ultimately right all wrongs. This prayer highlights the inherent tension between human suffering and divine sovereignty, affirming that God is never indifferent to the plight of His faithful servants. It foreshadows the ultimate judgment that will be meted out to all who defiantly reject God's truth and persecute His messengers, providing assurance to believers that God sees every injustice and will, in His perfect timing, bring about His righteous reckoning.

* [Psalm 35:1-8](/psalms/35-1-8 "Psalm 35:1-8 - David's Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies")
* [Romans 12:19](/romans/12-19 "Romans 12:19 - Vengeance Belongs to the Lord")
* [2 Thessalonians 1:6-8](/2_thessalonians/1-6-8 "2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 - God's Righteous Judgment on the Unrighteous")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah's raw and honest prayer in this verse provides a profound space for reflection on how believers are called to navigate suffering, injustice, and the deep-seated desire for righteousness in a fallen world. While the New Testament calls us to a higher standard of loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us, Jeremiah's cry is not to be dismissed as unspiritual but understood as a legitimate expression of anguish and a deep, unwavering trust in God's ultimate justice. It serves as a powerful reminder that God is big enough to handle our most intense and complex emotions, even anger and a desire for retribution when faced with profound evil. We are consistently called to surrender our desire for personal revenge, knowing that God alone is the righteous judge who will execute perfect justice. Our prayers, though tempered and refined by Christ's example, can and should still express a longing for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, which inherently includes the ultimate triumph of divine justice over all injustice. This verse encourages us to bring our full selves—our pain, our frustration, and our longing for righteousness—before a God who sees, knows, and will ultimately act with perfect justice and unfailing love.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Jeremiah's prayer for justice challenge or affirm your current understanding of God's character and His dealings with evil?**
* **In what specific situations might you feel a similar, intense desire for divine intervention or justice, and how do you reconcile this with the New Testament call to love and pray for your enemies?**
* **What comfort and assurance can you personally draw from the truth that "LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me" when you experience injustice, betrayal, or hidden opposition?**

### FAQ

**Is it appropriate for Christians to pray imprecatory prayers like Jeremiah's?**

Answer: While Jeremiah's prayer reflects a righteous indignation against profound evil and an unwavering trust in God's ultimate justice, the New Testament introduces a higher standard for believers, powerfully exemplified by Christ's command to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" ([Matthew 5:44](/matthew/5-44 "Matthew 5:44 - Jesus' Command to Love Enemies")). Jesus Himself, even while suffering crucifixion, prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" ([Luke 23:34](/luke/23-34 "Luke 23:34 - Jesus' Prayer on the Cross")). Therefore, direct imprecatory prayers for the destruction of individuals, driven by personal revenge, are generally not aligned with the spirit of the New Covenant. However, believers can and should pray for God's justice to prevail, for righteousness to triumph over evil, and for God to bring an end to wickedness and oppression, trusting that He will deal righteously with all according to His perfect timing and will, as clearly stated in [Romans 12:19](/romans/12-19 "Romans 12:19 - Vengeance Belongs to God"). Such prayers acknowledge God's absolute sovereignty and His exclusive role as the ultimate, righteous judge.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah's profound suffering and his impassioned prayer for divine justice find their ultimate fulfillment and transformative reinterpretation in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Jeremiah, often known as the "weeping prophet," powerfully foreshadows Christ, the ultimate suffering servant, who likewise faced relentless rejection, malicious plots, and unjust persecution from His own people, culminating in His wrongful crucifixion. While Jeremiah prayed for his enemies to be "overthrown," Jesus, hanging on the cross, uttered the profoundly counter-intuitive prayer, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" ([Luke 23:34](/luke/23-34 "Luke 23:34 - Jesus' Forgiveness on the Cross")). This demonstrates a radical, paradigm-shifting transformation from the Old Covenant's righteous desire for retribution to the New Covenant's call for sacrificial love and boundless forgiveness, even towards one's most ardent persecutors. Yet, Christ's example does not negate the fundamental need for justice; rather, it centralizes and embodies it in His own person. He is the one who "takes away the sin of the world" ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - The Lamb of God Who Takes Away Sin")) through His atoning sacrifice, providing the means for forgiveness. Simultaneously, He is appointed by God as the ultimate judge of both the living and the dead ([Acts 10:42](/acts/10-42 "Acts 10:42 - Jesus Appointed Judge")). Thus, Jeremiah's longing for his enemies to be "overthrown... in the time of thine anger" is ultimately fulfilled in Christ's future return, when He will justly judge all unrighteousness, bring an end to all evil, and establish His eternal kingdom, thereby bringing perfect and final justice to all who have rejected Him and persecuted His people ([Revelation 19:11-16](/revelation/19-11-16 "Revelation 19:11-16 - Christ's Triumphant Return as Judge")).

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

Psalms 35:4

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

Psalms 69:22

¶ Let their table become a snare before them: and [that which should have been] for [their] welfare, [let it become] a trap.

Psalms 69:28

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Nehemiah 4:4

Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:

Nehemiah 4:5

And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked [thee] to anger before the builders.

Isaiah 2:9

And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.

Psalms 109:14

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.