Jeremiah 5:12

Translation
King James Version
They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
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KJV (with Strong's)
They have belied H3584 the LORD H3068, and said H559, It is not he; neither shall evil H7451 come H935 upon us; neither shall we see H7200 sword H2719 nor famine H7458:
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Complete Jewish Bible
They have denied ADONAI, they have said, "He won't do anything, calamity will not strike us, we will see neither sword nor famine.
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Berean Standard Bible
They have lied about the LORD and said: “He will not do anything; harm will not come to us; we will not see sword or famine.
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American Standard Version
They have denied Jehovah, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
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World English Bible Messianic
They have denied the LORD, and said, “It is not he; neither shall evil come on us; neither shall we see sword nor famine.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
They haue denied the Lord, and saide, It is not he, neither shall the plague come vpon vs, neither shall we see sworde nor famine.
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Young's Literal Translation
They have lied against Jehovah, And they say, ` It is not He, Nor come in against us doth evil, Yea, sword and famine we do not see.
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See also
2 Chronicles 36:16Deuteronomy 29:191 Samuel 6:9Isaiah 28:14Isaiah 28:151 John 5:10Jeremiah 4:10
In the KJVVerse 19,071 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Jeremiah 5:12 profoundly captures the audacious spiritual rebellion of the people of Judah, particularly in Jerusalem, during Jeremiah's prophetic ministry. This verse reveals their defiant denial of God's sovereign involvement in their national affairs, their dismissive attitude towards divine warnings, and their dangerous presumption that the impending calamities of "sword" and "famine" would never befall them, despite their pervasive sin and covenant unfaithfulness against the Lord. It stands as a stark and tragic illustration of profound unbelief and a false sense of security in the face of certain divine judgment.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 5:12 is strategically placed within the opening chapters of Jeremiah's prophecy (chapters 1-6), which serve as a foundational indictment against Judah's widespread sin, pervasive corruption, and deep-seated idolatry. These chapters meticulously detail God's impending judgment, primarily through an unnamed northern foe, historically understood as Babylon. Chapter 5 intensifies this indictment by detailing the moral decay that has infected every stratum of society, from the common people to the prophets and priests, highlighting their deceit, injustice, and spiritual adultery, as seen in Jeremiah's desperate search for righteousness among them (Jeremiah 5:1-9). Verse 12 directly quotes or powerfully summarizes the people's arrogant and dismissive response to God's explicit warnings, showcasing their hardened hearts and resolute refusal to repent, thereby setting the inexorable stage for the detailed pronouncements of judgment that follow in the subsequent chapters.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Jeremiah's prophetic ministry spanned the tumultuous reigns of Judah's final kings, from Josiah to Zedekiah (c. 627-586 BCE), a period that culminated in the devastating Babylonian exile. Despite being God's covenant people, Judah had consistently and egregiously violated their covenant obligations, plunging into rampant idolatry, social injustice, and profound spiritual apostasy. A pervasive cultural mindset fostered a false sense of security, rooted in the erroneous belief that God would never permit Jerusalem or His sacred Temple to be destroyed, simply because of His perceived presence among them (Jeremiah 7:4). This verse precisely mirrors that cultural delusion, illustrating a society that actively dismissed prophetic warnings as mere human opinion, clinging to a deluded optimism despite the unmistakable signs of national decline and the rapidly escalating threat of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which God was divinely raising as His instrument of judgment.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 5:12 powerfully contributes to several central themes woven throughout the book of Jeremiah. Firstly, it starkly underscores the denial of God's sovereignty and truth, as the people "belied the LORD," essentially accusing Him of falsehood or denying His active, intervening involvement in their destiny. This is not passive disbelief but an active rejection of divine veracity. Secondly, it highlights the perilous theme of false security and presumption, where the people, despite their egregious and unrepentant sin, confidently assert that "evil shall not come upon us," arrogantly ignoring the inevitable consequences of their covenant breaking. This dangerous presumption is a recurring motif, sharply contrasted with Jeremiah's persistent and urgent warnings of impending judgment (Jeremiah 6:14). Lastly, the verse vividly exemplifies the rejection of prophetic warning, demonstrating the people's stubborn and defiant refusal to heed Jeremiah's divinely inspired messages, thereby sealing their own tragic fate and illustrating the unwavering certainty of divine justice for unrepentant sin.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Belied (Hebrew, kâchash', H3584): This verb signifies "to be untrue, in word (to lie, feign, disown) or deed (to disappoint, fail, cringe)." When directed at the LORD, as it is here, it denotes a deliberate, audacious act of denying God's truth, misrepresenting His character, or outright calling Him a liar. It is not merely passive disbelief but an active, aggressive contradiction of what God has unequivocally declared through His prophet.
  • LORD (Hebrew, Yᵉhôvâh', H3068): This is the sacred, covenantal name of God, Yahweh or Jehovah, signifying "the self-Existent or Eternal." The specific use of this divine name emphasizes that the people's denial is not against a generic deity but against the very God who entered into a unique covenant with Israel, revealed Himself intimately in their history, and consistently demonstrated His faithfulness and power. To "bely the LORD" is to directly assault the faithfulness, omnipotence, and veracity of the covenant-keeping God Himself.
  • Evil (Hebrew, raʻ', H7451): This noun refers to "bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, calamity, distress, grief, harm, mischief, misery, sorrow, trouble." In this specific context, "evil" refers to the comprehensive range of calamities and judgments that God had repeatedly warned would come upon them as the direct, divinely ordained consequences of their sin, including invasion, destruction, and exile. Their denial is a wholesale rejection of these divinely appointed consequences of their actions.
  • Sword (Hebrew, chereb', H2719): This noun describes "a cutting instrument... as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement." In biblical prophecy, "sword" is a pervasive and potent metaphor for war, military invasion, violent death, and national conquest. The people's assertion that they "shall not see sword" is a direct, contemptuous dismissal of the imminent threat of military conquest, particularly by the Babylonians, which Jeremiah had repeatedly and explicitly prophesied.
  • Famine (Hebrew, râʻâb', H7458): This noun means "hunger (more or less extensive); dearth, famine." Famine was a common and devastating consequence of siege warfare and a frequently employed instrument of divine judgment in the ancient Near East, often accompanying or following military conflict. Their denial of "famine" indicates their profound refusal to believe in the full, devastating scope of the comprehensive judgment God had promised, revealing a deep-seated spiritual blindness.

Verse Breakdown

  • "They have belied the LORD": This opening clause immediately establishes the core offense of Judah. It is not merely passive disobedience or neglect, but an active, verbal, and audacious contradiction of God's very character and His revealed word. They effectively accused God of being untruthful, unreliable, or incapable of fulfilling His warnings. This constitutes an act of profound spiritual rebellion and a direct assault on divine veracity and integrity.
  • "and said, [It is] not he;": This phrase further clarifies and intensifies the nature of their denial. It signifies their resolute refusal to acknowledge God as the active, sovereign agent behind the prophetic warnings or as the ultimate power who would bring about the promised judgments. They believed that the impending troubles were either illusory, or if they were real, they were merely natural occurrences or human conflicts, utterly unconnected to God's divine will or judgment. This reflects a deep-seated spiritual blindness and a deliberate attempt to remove God from His rightful place of supreme authority over history and human affairs.
  • "neither shall evil come upon us;": This bold declaration reveals their perilous sense of false security and profound presumption. Despite their pervasive, unrepentant sin and the clear, consistent prophetic warnings, they confidently asserted that no calamity, adversity, or divine judgment would ever befall them. This demonstrates a profound disconnect from spiritual reality and a stubborn refusal to accept the inevitable consequences of their actions, believing themselves immune to the righteous hand of divine judgment.
  • "neither shall we see sword nor famine:": This final clause specifies the particular, devastating forms of judgment they scoffed at and dismissed. "Sword" unequivocally represents war, military invasion, and violent death, while "famine" represents the widespread hunger, deprivation, and societal collapse that typically accompanied prolonged sieges and national destruction. Their arrogant dismissal of these specific, dire threats underscores their utter contempt for God's warnings and their deluded belief that their status as God's chosen people would somehow grant them an exemption from the natural and divine consequences of their persistent rebellion.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 5:12 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its chilling message of national defiance and impending doom. Irony is profoundly evident, as the very "sword" and "famine" that the people confidently deny will come upon them are precisely the instruments of judgment God will indeed bring, as later chapters of Jeremiah vividly and tragically detail. This creates a powerful sense of dramatic irony for the reader, who is privy to the historical outcome. The people's statement is also a quintessential example of Denial, a psychological defense mechanism writ large, here elevated to a national theological stance, where they stubbornly refuse to acknowledge an unpleasant, divinely revealed truth (impending judgment) despite overwhelming prophetic evidence. Furthermore, the phrase "It is not he" can be interpreted as a form of Anthropomorphism in reverse, where humans project their own disbelief, limitations, and untruthfulness onto God, effectively denying His omnipotence, faithfulness, and active involvement in history by attributing their own human skepticism to the divine. The entire verse functions as a powerful Antithesis to Jeremiah's divinely inspired prophetic message, starkly contrasting the people's arrogant presumption and self-deception with God's certain, righteous, and unwavering judgment.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 5:12 stands as a profound theological statement on the depths of human rebellion and the certainty of divine justice. It vividly highlights humanity's persistent and dangerous tendency to deny God's truth, question His absolute sovereignty, and presume upon His mercy and patience, even in the face of clear, repeated warnings. The people's audacious act of "belieing the LORD" reveals a heart that has not only rejected God's righteous commands but has also actively sought to redefine His character and dismiss His active, sovereign involvement in human affairs and historical events. This pervasive denial of accountability and the embrace of a false sense of security ultimately lead to inevitable and just judgment, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to His spoken word, whether it be a promise of blessing or a warning of consequence. The verse powerfully underscores the biblical truth that God is not mocked, and His justice, though patient and long-suffering, is ultimately certain and unavoidable.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 5:12 serves as a timeless and convicting mirror, reflecting the enduring human propensity to deny inconvenient truths and to cling to a deceptive sense of false security. In our contemporary lives, we are often tempted to dismiss God's clear warnings about the insidious nature of sin, its inevitable consequences, or the urgent necessity of repentance, subtly believing that "evil shall not come upon us." This powerful verse challenges us to confront our own potential for spiritual blindness, self-deception, and the dangerous illusion of immunity from divine principles. Genuine security is not found in ignoring spiritual reality or divine revelation, but rather in humbly acknowledging God's absolute sovereignty, trusting implicitly in His infallible word, and actively aligning our lives with His righteous and unchanging standards. It calls us to cultivate a posture of active, obedient listening to God's voice, recognizing that His warnings are not arbitrary threats but profound expressions of His loving desire for our ultimate good and His unwavering commitment to justice. To "bely the LORD" is to fundamentally question the very foundation of truth, grace, and divine order, leading inevitably to self-inflicted harm and spiritual ruin.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what specific areas of my life might I be subtly "belying the LORD" by dismissing His clear word, promises, or warnings?
  • What false securities or comforting illusions do I cling to that might prevent me from acknowledging potential "evil" or the natural consequences of my choices?
  • How does my personal response to God's warnings, whether encountered in Scripture or through life's circumstances, truly demonstrate my belief in His active sovereignty and faithfulness?
  • What concrete steps can I take to cultivate a heart that is more deeply receptive to God's truth, even when that truth is challenging, uncomfortable, or demands significant change?

FAQ

Who are "they" who have belied the LORD in Jeremiah 5:12?

Answer: "They" refers broadly to the people of Judah, specifically the inhabitants of Jerusalem, during the tumultuous period of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry. This encompasses a wide spectrum of society, from the common citizens to the influential religious and political leaders, all of whom had collectively and profoundly turned away from God and defiantly rejected His repeated warnings delivered through the prophet Jeremiah. The preceding verses in Jeremiah 5 meticulously describe their widespread dishonesty, pervasive injustice, and deep-seated idolatry, indicating that this audacious denial was a pervasive and defining national characteristic.

What exactly does it mean to "bely the LORD"?

Answer: To "bely the LORD" means to accuse Him falsely, to misrepresent His character, or to actively deny His truthfulness and faithfulness. The Hebrew word kâchash (H3584) carries the strong implication of a deliberate act of lying, deceiving, or disowning. In this specific context, the people were essentially calling God a liar by contemptuously rejecting His prophetic warnings of impending judgment. They denied that God was the active, sovereign agent behind the calamities that Jeremiah foretold, effectively proclaiming, "It is not He" who will bring these devastating things upon us. This was a profound and audacious act of spiritual rebellion, fundamentally undermining God's character, His divine authority, and His sovereign control over historical events.

Why did the people of Judah deny that evil would come upon them?

Answer: The people of Judah denied that evil would come upon them due to a complex interplay of factors. Primarily, they harbored a deeply ingrained and false sense of security, rooted in their status as God's chosen people and the physical presence of the Temple in Jerusalem, believing these afforded them inviolability (e.g., Jeremiah 7:4). They were also heavily influenced by false prophets who proclaimed comforting messages of "peace, peace" when there was, in fact, no genuine peace or spiritual health (e.g., Jeremiah 6:14). Their denial stemmed from a pervasive spiritual blindness, a hardened heart resistant to divine truth, and a stubborn refusal to acknowledge their widespread sin and its inevitable, divinely ordained consequences. They preferred to believe a comforting, self-deceptive lie over a difficult, convicting truth.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 5:12, with its stark and somber depiction of human rebellion and the audacious denial of divine truth, finds its ultimate resolution and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The people of Judah "belied the LORD" by rejecting His prophetic word and denying His agency in judgment, a tragic pattern of unbelief that culminated in their ultimate rejection of God's very Word made flesh. Jesus, in stark contrast, is the perfect embodiment of God's truth and the faithful witness who never once "belied" the Father. He perfectly revealed the Father's will and character, even when it meant speaking challenging truths about sin and impending judgment (John 3:18-19). While the people of Judah scoffed at the "evil" of sword and famine, Jesus willingly bore the ultimate "evil" of sin's curse and the full weight of divine wrath on the cross, becoming the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He is the true and only source of genuine security against all evil, offering profound peace and reconciliation with God not through denial or self-deception, but through His atoning sacrifice (Colossians 1:19-20). In Christ, the unwavering certainty of God's word is definitively affirmed—both His warnings against sin and His glorious promises of salvation—for He is the "Amen, the faithful and true witness" (Revelation 3:14). Those who believe in Him will not face the ultimate "sword" of divine wrath, but rather receive the gift of eternal life (John 3:16).

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Commentary on Jeremiah 5 verses 10–19

We may observe in these verses, as before,

I. The sin of this people, upon which the commission signed against them is grounded. God disowns them and dooms them to destruction, Jer 5:10. But is there not a cause? Yes; for, 1. They have deserted the law of God (Jer 5:11): The house of Israel and the house of Judah, though at variance with one another, yet both agreed to deal very treacherously against God. They forsook the worship of him, and therein violated their covenants with him; they revolted from him, and played the hypocrite with him. 2. They have defied the judgments of God and given the lie to his threatenings in the mouth of his prophets, Jer 5:12, Jer 5:13. They were often told that evil would certainly come upon them; they must expect some desolating judgment, sword or famine; but they were secure and said, We shall have peace, though we go on. For, (1.) They did not fear what God is. They belied him, and confronted the dictates even of natural light concerning him; for they said, "It is not he, that is, he is not such a one as we have been made to believe he is; he does not see, or not regard, or will not require it; and therefore no evil shall come upon us." Multitudes are ruined by being made to believe that God will not be so strict with them as his word says he will; nay, by this artifice Satan undid us all: You shall not surely die. So here: Neither shall we see sword nor famine. Vain hopes of impunity are the deceitful support of all impiety. (2.) They did not fear what God said. The prophets gave them fair warning, but they turned it off with a jest: "They do but talk so, because it is their trade; they are words of course, and words are but wind. It is not the word of the Lord that is in them; it is only the language of their melancholy fancy or their ill-will to their country, because they are not preferred." Note, Impenitent sinners are not willing to own any thing to be the word of God that makes against them, that tends either to part them from, or disquiet them in, their sins. They threaten the prophets: "They shall become wind, shall pass away unregarded, and thus shall it be done unto them; what they threaten against us we will inflict upon them. Do they frighten us with famine? Let them be fed with the bread of affliction." So Micaiah was, Kg1 22:27. "Do they tell us of the sword? Let them perish by the sword," Jer 2:30. Thus their mocking and misusing God's messengers filled the measure of their iniquity.

II. The punishment of this people for their sin. 1. The threatenings they laughed at shall be executed (Jer 5:14): Because you speak this word of contempt concerning the prophets, and the word in their mouths, therefore God will put honour upon them and their words, for not one iota or tittle of them shall fall to the ground, Sa1 3:19. Here God turns to the prophet Jeremiah, who had been thus bantered, and perhaps had been a little uneasy at it: Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire. God owns them for his words, though men denied them, and will as surely make them to take effect as the fire consumes combustible material that is in its way. The word shall be fire and the people wood. Sinners by sin make themselves fuel to that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men in the scripture. The word of God will certainly be too hard for those that contend with it. Those shall break who will not bow before it. 2. The enemy they thought themselves in no danger of shall be brought upon them. God gives them their commission (Jer 5:10): "Go you up upon her walls, mount them, trample upon them, tread them down. Walls of stone, before the divine commission, shall be but mud walls. Having made yourselves masters of the walls, you may destroy at pleasure. You may take away her battlements, and leave the fenced fortified cities to lie open; for her battlements are not the Lord's he does not own them and therefore will not protect and fortify them." They were not erected in his fear, nor with a dependence upon him; the people have trusted to them more than to God, and therefore they are not his. When the city is filled with sin God will not patronise the fortifications of it, and then they are paper walls. What can defend us when he who is our defence, and the defender of all our defences, has departed from us? Num 14:9. What is not of God cannot stand, not stand long, nor stand us in any stead. What dreadful work these invaders should make is here described (Jer 5:15): Lo, I will bring a nation upon you, O house of Israel! Note, God has all nations at his command, does what he pleases with them and makes what use he pleases of them. And sometimes he is pleased to make the nations of the earth, the heathen nations, a scourge to the house of Israel, when that has become a hypocritical nation. This nation of the Chaldeans is here said to be a remote nation; it is brought upon them from afar, and therefore will make the greater spoil and the longer stay, that the soldiers may pay themselves well for so long a march. "It is a nation that thou hast had no commerce with, by reason of their distance, and therefore canst not expect to find favour with." God can bring trouble upon us from places and causes very remote. It is a mighty nation, that there is no making head against, an ancient nation, that value themselves upon their antiquity and will therefore be the more haughty and imperious. It is a nation whose language thou knowest not; they spoke the Syriac tongue, which the Jews at that time were not acquainted with, as appears, Kg2 18:26. The difference of language would make it the more difficult to treat with them of peace. Compare this with the threatening, Deu 28:49, which it seems to have a reference to, for the law and the prophets exactly agree. They are well armed: Their quiver is as an open sepulchre; their arrows shall fly so thick, hit so sure, and wound so deep, that they shall be reckoned to breathe nothing but death and slaughter: they are able-bodied, all effective, mighty men, Jer 5:16. And, when they have made themselves masters of the country, they shall devour all before them, and reckon all their own that they can lay their hands on, Jer 5:17. (1.) They shall strip the country, shall not only sustain, but surfeit, their soldiers with the rich products of this fruitful land. "They shall not store up (then it might possibly by retrieved), but eat up thy harvest in the field and thy bread in the house, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat." Note, What we have we have for our families, and it is a comfort to see our sons and daughters eating that which we have taken care and pains for. But it is a grievous vexation to see it devoured by strangers and enemies, to see their camps victualled with our stores, while those that are dear to us are perishing for want of it: this also is according to the curse of the law, Deu 28:33. "They shall eat up thy flocks and herds, out of which thou hast taken sacrifices for thy idols; they shall not leave thee the fruit of thy vines and fig-trees." (2.) They shall starve the towns: "They shall impoverish thy fenced cities" (and what fence is there against poverty, when it comes like an armed man?), "those cities wherein thou trustedst to be a protection to the country." Note, It is just with God to impoverish that which we make our confidence. They shall impoverish them with the sword, cutting off all provisions from coming to them and intercepting trade and commerce, which will impoverish even fenced cities.

III. An intimation of the tender compassion God has yet for them. The enemy is commissioned to destroy and lay waste, but must not make a full end, Jer 5:10. Though they make a great slaughter, yet some must be left to live; though they make a great spoil, yet something must be left to live upon, for God has said it (Jer 5:18) with a non obstante - a nevertheless to the present desolation: "Even in those days, dismal as they are, I will not make a full end with you;" and, if God will not, the enemy shall not. God has mercy in store for his people, and therefore will set bounds to this desolating judgment. Hitherto it shall come, and no further.

IV. The justification of God in these proceedings against them. As he will appear to be gracious in not making a full end with them, so he will appear to be righteous in coming so near it, and will have it acknowledged that he has done them no wrong, Jer 5:19. Observe, 1. A reason demanded, insolently demanded, by the people for these judgments. They will say "Wherefore doth the Lord our God do all this unto us? What provocation have we given him, or what quarrel has he with us?" As if against such a sinful nation there did not appear cause enough of action. Note, Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with injustice in their afflictions, and pretend they have to seek for the cause of them when it is written in the forehead of them. But, 2. Here is a reason immediately assigned. The prophet is instructed what answer to give them; for God will be justified when he speaks, though he speaks with ever so much terror. He must tell them that God does this against them for what they have done against him, and that they may, if they please, read their sin in their punishment. Do not they know very well that they have forsaken God, and therefore can they think it strange if he has forsaken them? Have they forgotten how often they served gods in their own land, that good land, in the abundance of the fruits of which they ought to have served God with gladness of heart? and therefore is it not just with God to make them serve strangers in a strange land, where they can call nothing their own, as he has threatened to do? Deu 28:47, Deu 28:48. Those that are fond of strangers, to strangers let them go.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–19. Public domain.
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Clement of AlexandriaAD 215
The Instructor Book 1
Accusation is the censure of wrongdoers. This mode of instruction God employs by David, when he says, “The people whom I did not know served me, and when their ears heard they obeyed me. Sons of strangers came to me, and halted from their ways.” And by Jeremiah: “And I gave her a divorce decree, but covenant-breaking Judah did not fear.” And again: “And the house of Israel disregarded me. The house of Judah lied to the Lord.”
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 12, 13.) They denied the Lord and said: He is not (or these things are not), and evil will not come upon us. We will not see sword and famine. The prophets spoke in vain and there was no answer (or response) in them. Therefore, these things will happen to them. Because they denied the Lord or lied to the Lord, and said: He is not, by whose judgment all things are done, but these things happened by chance: and the things that the voices of the prophets threaten us with will not happen, nor will we see the sword, nor will we endure the siege famine, and whatever the prophets said, they spoke in vain, and all their words were in vain, and they did not receive an answer, which means the oracle or word of God was not in them, therefore they will endure what the following passage describes. Let the negligent Church listen to this and refute the providence of God, that it may believe the things that are said, lest it endure both the sword and famine.
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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