Jeremiah 26:12

Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

Then spake {H559} Jeremiah {H3414} unto all the princes {H8269} and to all the people {H5971}, saying {H559}, The LORD {H3068} sent {H7971} me to prophesy {H5012} against this house {H1004} and against this city {H5892} all the words {H1697} that ye have heard {H8085}.

Then Yirmeyahu said to the officials and all the people, "ADONAI sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words you have heard.

But Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people, “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.

Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

In Jeremiah 26:12, the prophet Jeremiah stands boldly before the princes and all the people of Judah, delivering a pivotal defense of his ministry. This verse captures his unequivocal assertion that his controversial and foreboding messages are not his own words, but a direct commission from the Almighty LORD.

Context

This declaration occurs at a critical juncture in Jeremiah's ministry, during the reign of King Jehoiakim (c. 609-598 BC). Jeremiah had just delivered a powerful and unpopular sermon in the Temple court, warning that Jerusalem and its revered Temple would be destroyed and become like Shiloh, a place of prior divine judgment, if the people did not repent. This message provoked outrage among the priests, false prophets, and the people, who seized Jeremiah and demanded his execution (Jeremiah 26:8). Faced with a death sentence, Jeremiah's response in verse 12 is not a plea for mercy, but a courageous reaffirmation of his divine mandate, placing the responsibility squarely on God's shoulders.

Key Themes

  • Divine Authority and Commission: Jeremiah emphatically states, "The LORD sent me." This highlights that his prophecies, however unwelcome, were not personal opinions or political statements, but the very word of God. This principle is central to understanding the nature of true prophetic ministry.
  • Unpopular Truth: The message of judgment against "this house" (the Temple) and "this city" (Jerusalem) directly challenged the false sense of security held by many who believed God would never allow His Temple or chosen city to fall. Jeremiah's willingness to speak such an unpopular truth, even at great personal risk, underscores the integrity required of God's messengers.
  • Accountability for Disobedience: The prophecy serves as a stark reminder that even sacred institutions and chosen people are subject to divine judgment if they abandon God's covenant and embrace idolatry and injustice. God’s commitment to justice supersedes human expectations or religious rituals without true repentance.

Linguistic Insight

The repeated phrase "The LORD" translates the Hebrew personal name of God, Yahweh (or Jehovah in KJV tradition). By invoking Yahweh, Jeremiah emphasizes that the source of his message is not a generic deity but the covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is actively involved in their history and holds them accountable to His laws.

Practical Application

Jeremiah's steadfastness in delivering God's message despite opposition offers timeless lessons:

  • Courage to Speak Truth: Believers are called to speak God's truth, even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular. Like Jeremiah, our authority comes from God, not from human approval.
  • Discerning God's Voice: This verse encourages discernment. We must evaluate messages, not by their popularity or comfort, but by their alignment with God's revealed Word.
  • Repentance and Accountability: It reiterates that God’s patience has limits, and unrepentant sin, even among His people, will eventually lead to consequences. True faith demands more than outward religious observance; it requires genuine transformation.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 26:15

    But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

  • Acts 4:19

    But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

  • Acts 5:29

    Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

  • Jeremiah 26:2

    Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

  • Jeremiah 1:17

    Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

  • Jeremiah 1:18

    For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

  • Amos 7:15

    And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

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