Jeremiah 14 12

Jeremiah 14:12 kjv

When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

Jeremiah 14:12 nkjv

When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence."

Jeremiah 14:12 niv

Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague."

Jeremiah 14:12 esv

Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence."

Jeremiah 14:12 nlt

When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease."

Jeremiah 14 verses

Jeremiah 14 12 Meaning

Jeremiah 14:12 declares God's categorical rejection of the people of Judah's religious rituals—their fasting, burnt offerings, and grain offerings. Despite these outward expressions of piety, their hearts remained unrepentant and disobedient. Consequently, God sternly announces He will not answer their cries or accept their sacrifices. Instead of receiving His favor, they will be consumed by the very covenant curses designed for disobedience: sword, famine, and pestilence, signifying impending judgment and destruction.

Jeremiah 14 12 Context

Jeremiah chapter 14 begins with a description of a severe drought, leading the prophet Jeremiah to lament on behalf of the suffering people (vv. 1-6). The people acknowledge their sins and cry out to God (vv. 7-9), but their repentance is superficial. God, therefore, declares His decision to no longer show compassion (v. 10). He then explicitly forbids Jeremiah from interceding for the people (v. 11), indicating a point of no return for His patience with Judah's persistent sinfulness. Verse 12 directly follows this command, explaining why their religious observances are now utterly futile. Their traditional acts of piety—fasting, burnt offerings, and grain offerings—which should have signified true devotion and repentance, have become empty rituals performed without a corresponding change of heart or genuine obedience to the covenant. This verse operates within the larger historical context of Judah nearing its destruction and exile by Babylon (late 7th to early 6th century BC), a judgment directly linked to centuries of covenant unfaithfulness and idolatry, exacerbated by false prophets who proclaimed peace where there was none. This rejection of superficial piety is a polemic against the notion that ritual performance alone can manipulate God or secure His favor, directly challenging both pagan concepts of deity appeasement and a perverted understanding of Israel's own covenantal worship.

Jeremiah 14 12 Word analysis

• "Though they fast" (כִּי־יָצֻמוּ, ki-yatsumu):
  • Yatsumu (יָצֻמוּ) derives from tsum (צוּם), meaning "to fast," a common practice for repentance and seeking God.
  • Significance: Here, it highlights that the people's fasting, intended as an act of humility, lacks true inner brokenness or spiritual sincerity. It is a perfunctory act performed in hopes of eliciting a response from God, but without the necessary contrite heart.
• "I will not hear their cry" (אֵינֶנִּי שֹׁמֵעַ אֶל־רִנָּתָם, einenni shome'a el-rinnatam):
  • Shome'a (שֹׁמֵעַ) from shama (שָׁמַע), meaning "to hear," implying listening with attention and often with an intention to act.
  • Rinnatam (רִנָּתָם) from rinnah (רִנָּה), which refers to a cry of distress or supplication.
  • Significance: God's emphatic refusal is not an inability to hear, but a determined decision not to respond favorably. This active rejection of their plea underscores His judgment on their insincere and unrighteous cries for help.
• "and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering" (וְכִי־יַעֲלוּ עוֹלָה וּמִנְחָה, vekhi ya'alu 'olah u-minchah):
  • 'Olah (עוֹלָה), the "burnt offering," was entirely consumed, symbolizing complete dedication and atonement.
  • Minchah (וּמִנְחָה), the "grain offering," was a bloodless offering often presented in thanksgiving or dedication.
  • Significance: These were essential components of Mosaic worship, ordained by God. However, their practice by an unrepentant people demonstrates a superficial adherence to form without the spiritual substance, rendering the sacred acts meaningless in God's eyes.
• "I will not accept them" (אֵינֶנִּי רֹצֶה אֹתָם, einenni rotseh otam):
  • Rotseh (רֹצֶה) from ratsah (רָצָה), "to be pleased with, accept, delight in."
  • Significance: God directly states His lack of favor or pleasure in these offerings. This reveals that the effectiveness of the ritual lay not merely in its performance but in the worshiper's sincere heart and obedient disposition towards the covenant.
• "by the sword" (בַחֶרֶב, ba-cherev):
  • Cherev (חֶרֶב), meaning "sword."
  • Significance: Represents warfare, violent invasion, and military destruction, typically executed by a foreign power as God's instrument of judgment.
• "by famine" (וּבָרָעָב, u-va-ra'av):
  • Ra'av (רָעָב), meaning "famine" or "hunger."
  • Significance: A direct consequence of drought, siege, and agricultural failure, leading to widespread starvation and representing severe divine discipline.
• "and by pestilence" (וּבַדֶּבֶר, u-va-dever):
  • Dever (דֶּבֶר), meaning "pestilence," "plague," or "epidemic disease."
  • Significance: Often accompanies or follows war and famine, devastating weakened populations. This triad of "sword, famine, and pestilence" constitutes the classic covenant curses for disobedience (Lev 26; Deut 28), representing comprehensive and unavoidable destruction from God.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Though they fast... I will not hear their cry": This initial clause highlights the stark contrast between the people's religious effort and God's absolute refusal. It underscores that human actions, even those biblically sanctioned for seeking God, are rejected when separated from a heart of true repentance and obedience. The disconnect between outward observance and inward sincerity is the crucial barrier to God's attention.
• "and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them": This expands the scope of rejection to the most central forms of Israelite sacrificial worship. It demonstrates that the efficacy of these holy acts is not automatic but is contingent upon the disposition of the one offering. God values the spirit of worship more than the mere letter of the ritual. Their offerings, though prescribed, have become abominable due to their sin.
• "but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence": This final declaration transitions from rejection of rituals to a firm announcement of impending active judgment. The "but" in translation captures the consequential nature of their rejection: because their spiritual efforts are futile, physical destruction awaits. This threefold curse—sword, famine, and pestilence—is a consistent prophetic motif signifying inescapable and all-encompassing divine punishment, confirming the severe consequences of chronic covenant unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 14 12 Bonus section

The strong prophetic stance against empty ritualism in Jeremiah 14:12 directly anticipates New Testament teachings that emphasize inward transformation and spiritual worship over outward forms. This rejection also functions as a powerful theological statement: God's holiness means He cannot compromise with sin, nor can He be swayed by religious mechanics from those who willfully rebel. This truth often proved distressing for Jeremiah, as he was commanded by God not to pray for a people for whom all their spiritual efforts were rendered ineffective, underscoring the severity of God's patience reaching its limit. This verse highlights the profound connection between corporate sin and its temporal consequences, affirming the covenantal principle of divine justice, not just individual but national.

Jeremiah 14 12 Commentary

Jeremiah 14:12 provides a profound and challenging insight into God's character and the nature of true worship. The verse illustrates God's unyielding standard for sincerity and obedience over mere ritual performance. The people of Judah engaged in fasting and offering sacrifices, which were prescribed means for approaching God and seeking atonement. However, their hearts remained defiant and their lives were marked by persistent sin. In response, God vehemently declares He will not accept their hollow piety, making it clear that such external religious acts are not only insufficient to gain His favor but become an offense when devoid of genuine repentance. Rather than yielding to their ritualistic attempts, God actively pronounces judgment through the familiar, devastating trio of "sword, famine, and pestilence." This passage is a timeless warning against the dangers of spiritual complacency, where outward religious observance becomes a substitute for heartfelt faith, moral living, and true relationship with God. It affirms that God is not manipulated by ceremonies but seeks a broken and contrite spirit, an obedient life, and genuine faithfulness to His covenant.