TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Jeremiah 29 verses 15–23
Jeremiah, having given great encouragement to those among the captives whom he knew to be serious and well-affected, assuring them that God had very kind and favourable intentions concerning them, here turns to those among them who slighted the counsels and comforts that Jeremiah ministered to them and depended upon what the false prophets flattered them with. When this letter came from Jeremiah they would be ready to say, "Why should he make himself so busy, and take upon him to advise us? The Lord has raised us up prophets in Babylon, Jer 29:15. We are satisfied with those prophets, and can depend upon them, and have no occasion to hear from any prophets in Jerusalem." See the impudent wickedness of this people; as the prophets, when they prophesied lies, said that they had them from God, so the people, when they invited those prophets thus to flatter them, fathered it upon God, and said that it was the Lord that raised them up those prophets. Whereas we may be sure that those who harden people in their sins, and deceive them with false and groundless hopes of God's mercy, are no prophets of God's raising up. These prophets of their own told them that no more should be carried captive, but that those who were in captivity should shortly return. Now, in answer to this, 1. The prophet here foretells the utter destruction of those who remained still at Jerusalem, notwithstanding what those false prophets said to the contrary: "As for the king and people that dwell in the city, who, you think, will be ready to bid you welcome when you return, you are deceived; they shall be followed with one judgment after another, sword, famine, and pestilence, which shall cut off multitudes; and the poor and miserable remains shall be removed into all kingdoms of the earth," Jer 29:16, Jer 29:18. And thus God will make them, or rather deal with them accordingly, as the salt that has lost its savour, which, being good for nothing, is cast to the dunghill, and so are rotten figs. This refers to the vision and the prophecy upon it which we had Jer 24:1-10. And the reason given for these proceedings against them is the same that has often been given and will justify God in the eternal ruin of impenitent sinners (Jer 29:19): Because they have not hearkened to my words. I called, but they refused. 2. He foretells the judgment of God upon the false prophets in Babylon, who deceived the people of God there. He calls upon all the children of the captivity, who boasted of them as prophets of God's raising up (Jer 29:20): "Stand still, and hear the doom of the prophets you are so fond of." The two prophets are named here, Ahab and Zedekiah, Jer 29:21. Observe, (1.) The crimes charged upon them - impiety and immorality: They prophesied lies in God's name (Jer 29:21), and again (Jer 29:23), They have spoken lying words in my name. Lying was bad, lying to the people of God to delude them into a false hope was worse, but fathering their lies upon the God of truth was worst of all. And no marvel if those that had the face to do that could allow themselves in the gratification of those vile affections to which God, in a way of righteous judgment, gave them up. They have done villainy in Israel, for they have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives. Adultery is villainy in Israel, and in such as pretend to be prophets, who by such wickednesses manifestly disprove their own pretensions. God never sent such profligate wretches on his errands. He is the Lord God of the holy prophets, not of such impure ones. Here it appears why they flattered others in their sins - because they could not reprove them without condemning themselves. These lewd practices of theirs they knew how to conceal from the eye of the world, that they might preserve their credit; but I know it and am a witness, saith the Lord. The most secret sins are known to God; he can see the villainy that is covered with the thickest cloak of hypocrisy, and there is a day coming when he will bring to light all these hidden works of darkness and every man will appear in his own colours. (2.) The judgments threatened against them: The king of Babylon shall slay them before your eyes; nay, he shall put them to a miserable death, roast them in the fire, Jer 29:22. We may suppose that it was not for their impiety and immorality that Nebuchadnezzar punished them thus severely, but for sedition, and some attempts of their turbulent spirits upon the public peace, and stirring up the people to revolt and rebel. So much of their wickedness shall then be detected, and in such a wretched manner they shall end their days, that their names shall be a curse among the captives in Babylon, Jer 29:22. When men would imprecate the greatest evil upon one they hated they would think they could not load them with a heavier curse, in fewer words, than to say, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab. Thus were they made ashamed of the prophets they had been proud of, and convinced at last of their folly in hearkening to them. God's faithful prophets were sometimes charged with being the troublers of the land, and as such were tortured and slain; but their names were a blessing when they were gone and their memory sweet, not as these false prophets. As malefactors are attended with infamy and disgrace, so martyrs with glory and honour.
(Verse 14 and following) And I will restore your captivity, and gather you from all the nations and from all the places to which I have driven you, declares the Lord. And I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile. For you have said, 'The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon.' Thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who live in this city, your fellow countrymen who did not go with you into exile. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will send against them the sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten, because they are so bad. And I will pursue them with the sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will give them as a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and an object of scorn among all the nations where I have driven them, because they did not listen to my words, declares the Lord, that I persistently sent to them by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the Lord. So hear the word of the Lord, all the exiles whom I sent from Jerusalem to Babylon. + Up to this point, it is not found in the seventy, which I have marked with asterisks. For the rest, in which either individual verses or a few words have been omitted, I did not want to note, so as not to make the reading tedious. But the Lord promises to those who were in exile that after seventy years of captivity he will make them return from all the nations and from all the places to which he has driven them, and after the captivity has been ended, they will regain their former state and homeland. And when I, says he, shall do these things of my own accord, and shall surely return to you at a certain time, you are being deceived in vain, and you think you have prophets in Babylon who promise you false things. So you should know that you should by no means hope for a return now: but build houses, plant orchards, take wives, and give birth to children, and multiply in number, and wait for the promised time. Hear what the Lord speaks to Zedekiah, who now reigns in Jerusalem, and to all the inhabitants of his city, that is, to your brothers, who did not want to obey my advice, and to migrate to Babylon with you, because they can by no means escape captivity, but will die by sword, and hunger, and pestilence. And I will set them like a basket of bad figs, which Theodotio interpreted as rotten figs: the second worst: Symmachus, the last: which in Hebrew are called Suarim (), but due to the mistake of the scribes, instead of the middle syllable or letter Alpha, the Greek Delta is written: so instead of Suarim, it is read as Sudrim. However, just as a basket or a crate, which had good figs, is said to have had first figs: likewise, the other basket, which had bad figs, is written to have had last figs. And I will pursue, he says, those who now dwell in the city of Jerusalem, with sword, famine, and pestilence: so that as soon as they are able to break through the siege and escape, they may be scattered throughout all lands, and may be an example to all of curse, shame, hissing, and reproach: to whom I will cast out (Ah, you), because they did not listen to my words, says the Lord, which I spoke to them through my servants, rising up early and sending them: and I have never ceased warning them, that they should imitate you who now enjoy peaceful leisure in exile, until the promise of the Lord is fulfilled. But you, who have obeyed my command and handed yourselves over to the Babylonian king, listen to what I have to say. And in this place, a delusional Interpreter dreams of the downfall of heavenly Jerusalem and suspects that the prophecy is directed to those who dwell in the region of Babylon in this world: that they willingly descend into these bodies and build homes in the land of the Chaldeans, plant orchards, take wives, bear children, and through good works be restored after seventy years to their original place and to heavenly Jerusalem. But those who refuse of their own will to descend to earthly matters will suffer these things that the Lord threatens to Zedekiah and his people. Those who refuse to imitate their brothers and come to Babylon will be struck by the sword, famine, and pestilence, that is, a scarcity of all things, and they will be like the worst figs that cannot be eaten; and they will be pursued by an eternal sword, and will be a vexation to all the kingdoms of the earth, so that they will not become humans, but demons, aerial powers, and they will be among all the Angels who preside over each province as a curse, astonishment, hissing, and reproach to all nations. And this they will endure for this reason, because they refused to listen to the words of the Prophets in heavenly Jerusalem, who urged them to descend to earthly things and assume a humble body; and after true Sabbath observance, to possess the original place through acts of repentance. He said these things. When his disciples hear them, and the refuse of the Grunnian family, they think they hear divine mysteries. And we who despise these things are regarded as mere animals and called 'mud people,' because being formed in the mud of this body, we are unable to perceive heavenly things.
Continue studying Jeremiah 29:18 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Jeremiah 29:18 conveys a solemn divine decree against the unrepentant residents of Jerusalem, particularly those swayed by false prophets who promised an imminent end to the Babylonian exile. This verse details a comprehensive and severe judgment encompassing war, famine, and pestilence, culminating in a widespread dispersion of the people across the earth. The consequence of their persistent disobedience and rejection of God's authentic word would be public humiliation, making them a visible object of scorn, a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where they would be scattered.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 29:18 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of severe divine judgment. The most prominent is Tricolon, evident in the repeated phrase "with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence," and further extended into a fourfold enumeration of their fate: "a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach." This rhetorical device creates a sense of escalating intensity and comprehensive devastation, emphasizing the inescapable and multifaceted nature of God's judgment. Personification is also clearly seen in God's declaration, "I will persecute them," attributing human-like action (persecution, active pursuit) to the divine will, underscoring His direct and active involvement in bringing about these consequences. Furthermore, the verse utilizes vivid Imagery to evoke a strong emotional response, particularly with terms like "hissing" and "reproach," which conjure a picture of public scorn, derision, and deep humiliation. This imagery effectively communicates the profound social and spiritual disgrace that would accompany their physical suffering and dispersion, making their plight a public spectacle.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 29:18 stands as a powerful testament to God's unwavering justice and the severe consequences of persistent disobedience and rejection of His revealed truth. While God's character is rich in mercy and grace, as profoundly demonstrated in His promises of restoration for the repentant remnant, He is also a God who holds His people accountable to the covenant. This verse underscores the principle that divine warnings are not idle threats but expressions of His righteous character, designed to call humanity to repentance and avert disaster. The judgment described here is a direct outcome of Judah's idolatry, moral corruption, and their embrace of false prophecy, serving as a stark reminder that spiritual discernment and unwavering obedience to God's authentic word are paramount. Their public humiliation among the nations serves as a tragic reversal of God's original intention for Israel to be a light and a blessing, illustrating the profound shame and brokenness that result from covenant unfaithfulness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 29:18 serves as a sober and enduring reminder that God's character encompasses both profound love and unwavering justice. While the preceding verses in the chapter offer a beautiful vision of hope and a future, this verse highlights the reality that divine promises are often conditional upon faithfulness and obedience. For us today, this passage calls for a deep introspection into our own lives and communities. It challenges us to critically discern truth from falsehood, especially in an age saturated with competing narratives and easy answers. Are we truly listening to God's authentic word, even when it is challenging or counter-cultural, or are we seeking out voices that merely affirm our desires and comfortable illusions? The "sword, famine, and pestilence" may manifest differently in our contemporary world—perhaps as spiritual barrenness, moral decay, or societal breakdown resulting from collective sin—but the principle remains: persistent rejection of God's will and truth inevitably leads to profound and painful consequences, both individually and corporately. This verse compels us to heed divine warnings, embrace repentance, and strive for genuine obedience, lest we become a "reproach" in a world desperately needing the authentic witness of God's people.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
How does Jeremiah 29:18 reconcile with the message of hope in Jeremiah 29:11?
Answer: Jeremiah 29:18 does not contradict Jeremiah 29:11 but rather provides a crucial counterpoint that highlights the conditional nature of God's promises and the reality of His justice. Jeremiah 29:11 is addressed to the exiles in Babylon, who, despite their suffering, were being preserved by God and were submitting to His will (even if reluctantly). Jeremiah 29:18, however, is directed at those who remained in Jerusalem and the false prophets deceiving them. These individuals stubbornly resisted God's word through Jeremiah, believing they were secure and would not face judgment. Thus, the two verses address different audiences with different spiritual postures: hope for the repentant and those submitting to God's plan, and judgment for the rebellious and those embracing falsehood. God's character encompasses both His desire for their welfare and His righteous indignation against unrepentant sin.
Is God truly vengeful, as implied by "I will persecute them"?
Answer: The term "persecute" (Hebrew, râdaph') in this context should be understood within the framework of biblical justice and covenant faithfulness, not human vengeance. God's actions are not driven by petty spite but by His holy character, which cannot tolerate unrepentant sin and rebellion against His covenant. The "persecution" here refers to God actively bringing about the just consequences for breaking the covenant (as outlined in Deuteronomy 28), particularly for rejecting His prophetic warnings and embracing idolatry and false prophecy. It demonstrates God's sovereignty and His commitment to upholding His moral order. While the consequences are severe, they are a righteous response to persistent disobedience, intended to bring about repentance and ultimately to demonstrate His holiness to all nations.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 29:18, with its stark portrayal of divine judgment, dispersion, and public reproach for covenant unfaithfulness, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment not in a direct parallel of judgment on believers, but in the ultimate outworking of God's justice and redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. The "curse, astonishment, hissing, and reproach" that fell upon disobedient Israel foreshadows the ultimate curse borne by Christ on the cross. As Galatians 3:13 declares, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us." The judgment of sword, famine, and pestilence, representing the full weight of divine wrath against sin, was fully poured out upon Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Furthermore, the dispersion of Israel, "driven to all the kingdoms of the earth," finds its counterpoint in the gathering of all nations into the spiritual Israel, the Church, through Christ. The New Covenant, established in Christ's blood (Luke 22:20), offers forgiveness and restoration, transforming those who were once "a reproach" into a people called to be a light to the nations (Matthew 5:14). Believers, though spiritual exiles and sojourners in this world (1 Peter 2:11), are no longer under the curse of the law but are united in Christ, looking forward to their true heavenly home, a fulfillment far greater than the return to an earthly land.