Jeremiah 14:15 kjv
Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
Jeremiah 14:15 nkjv
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land'?'By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!
Jeremiah 14:15 niv
Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine.
Jeremiah 14:15 esv
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, 'Sword and famine shall not come upon this land': By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed.
Jeremiah 14:15 nlt
Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I will punish these lying prophets, for they have spoken in my name even though I never sent them. They say that no war or famine will come, but they themselves will die by war and famine!
Jeremiah 14 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 14:14 | "The prophets prophesy a lying vision, worthless divination..." | Immediate context of false prophecy. |
| Deut 13:1-5 | "If a prophet...arises...says 'Let us go after other gods'...put him to death." | Warning and test for false prophets. |
| Deut 18:20-22 | "The prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name...that I have not commanded...that prophet shall die." | Penalty for uncommissioned prophecy. |
| Jer 23:16-17 | "Do not listen to the words of the prophets...they speak visions of their own minds...who say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, 'It shall be well with you.'" | False message of peace, not from God. |
| Jer 23:21 | "I did not send the prophets, yet they ran...I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied." | God's explicit denial of sending them. |
| Jer 27:14-15 | "Do not listen to the words of the prophets...it is a lie; they prophesy falsely to you." | Specific false prophecy concerning Babylon. |
| Jer 29:8-9 | "Do not let your prophets...deceive you...for they prophesy falsely to you in my name; I have not sent them." | Repetition of God not sending them. |
| Ezek 13:3-8 | "Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit...I am against the prophets..." | Judgment on prophets following their own spirit. |
| Ezek 22:28 | "Her prophets have smeared whitewash...seeing false visions and uttering lying divinations." | False visions leading people astray. |
| Lam 2:14 | "Your prophets have seen for you false and misleading visions; they have not uncovered your iniquity." | False prophecy that ignored sin. |
| Zech 13:3 | "If anyone still prophesies, his father and mother...will say to him, 'You shall not live,' for you speak lies in the name of the LORD." | Severity of condemnation for false prophecy. |
| Matt 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." | Warning about the deceptive nature of false prophets. |
| Matt 24:11 | "And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray." | Prevalence of false prophets in later times. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies..." | Connection between false prophets and teachers. |
| 1 Jn 4:1 | "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world." | Necessity of discernment. |
| Rev 19:20 | "And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet...thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur." | Ultimate doom of the false prophet. |
| Lev 26:25 | "And I will bring a sword against you...and pestilence among you." | God using sword and famine as judgment. |
| Deut 28:20-22 | "The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration... pestilence, fever...the sword." | Curse of sword, famine, and destruction. |
| Jer 21:7 | "...I will give Zedekiah...into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar...He shall strike them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them." | Fulfillment of sword judgment for leaders. |
| Ezek 5:12 | "A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed by famine...a third part shall fall by the sword." | Distribution of judgment including sword/famine. |
| Hos 4:5 | "Your prophets also shall stumble with you by night..." | Prophets sharing in the judgment. |
| Amos 7:16-17 | "...because you say, 'Do not prophesy against Israel...' Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Your wife shall be a harlot...your land shall be parceled out by line...'" | Judgment for rejecting true prophecy. |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble." | Divine consumption of the wicked. |
Jeremiah 14 verses
Jeremiah 14 15 Meaning
Jeremiah 14:15 declares God's explicit judgment upon false prophets who claimed divine authority without being truly sent by Him. These prophets offered deceptive reassurance, proclaiming that the land would not experience the devastating judgment of "sword and famine." In a demonstration of ironic justice and divine truth, the Lord unequivocally states that these very false prophets will perish by the "sword and famine" they denied would come upon the people, thereby proving their deceit and confirming God's true word.
Jeremiah 14 15 Context
Jeremiah 14 is set during a severe drought in Judah, prompting a national lament. The people confess their sins (14:7-9), but God declares He will not accept their prayers due to their persistent idolatry (14:10-12), promising further judgment by "sword, famine, and pestilence." Amidst this crisis, false prophets offer messages of peace and safety, claiming they speak for the LORD (14:13). Jeremiah 14:15 serves as God's direct and stern rebuttal to these deceptive claims, specifically targeting the prophets themselves. The historical context is leading to the Babylonian invasion and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people, an event that directly contradicts the false prophecies of peace and vividly demonstrates the fulfillment of God's declared judgments of "sword and famine."
Jeremiah 14 15 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵ֞ן - lakhen): Signals a consequence directly flowing from the preceding discussion in 14:13-14 regarding the false prophets and their lies. It introduces a decisive divine decree in response to their deception.
- thus says (כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר - koh amar): A formal prophetic messenger formula, signifying that the following words are a direct, authoritative utterance from God, not from Jeremiah or any human source. It asserts divine origin, contrasting with the unauthorized messages of the false prophets.
- the LORD (יְהוָ֣ה - YHWH): Refers to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. Emphasizes the supreme authority and unchallengeable nature of the decree, distinguishing it from human pronouncements.
- concerning the prophets (עַל־הַנְּבִאִים - al hanᵊḇīʾīm): Explicitly names the recipients of this judgment: a specific group of spiritual leaders. The term נְבִיאִים (nᵊḇīʾīm) means "spokesmen" or "those who call out."
- who prophesy (הַנִּבְּאִ֛ים - hannibbeʾīm): Denotes their active practice of speaking under supposed divine inspiration. This participle highlights their ongoing activity.
- in my name (בִּשְׁמִ֛י - bishmī): Indicates their claim to represent God and to deliver messages sanctioned by His authority and character. This claim is central to their deception.
- although I have not sent them (וַאֲנִ֥י לֹֽא־שְׁלַחְתִּ֖ים - waʾănī lo shelaḥttim): This is the crux of their falsehood. God directly denies having commissioned them (שְׁלַחְתִּים - shelaḥttim, "I sent them"), exposing their fundamental lack of divine authorization.
- and who say (וְאֹֽמְרִים֙ - wʾomrīm): Describes their specific verbal message, presented as direct quotes, setting up the severe irony.
- 'Sword and famine shall not be (חֶ֥רֶב וְרָעָ֖ב לֹא־יִהְיֶ֣ה - hereḇ wᵊraʿāḇ lo yihye): Their core deceptive message. חֶ֥רֶב (ḥereḇ) means "sword," representing war and violence; וְרָעָ֖ב (wᵊraʿāḇ) means "famine," signifying lack and starvation. These were traditional covenant curses for disobedience (Lev 26; Deut 28). They falsely promise exemption from divine judgment.
- in this land (בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את - baʾareṣ hazzot): The specific geographic scope of their false promise—Judah—underscoring their local but impactful deceit.
- By sword and famine (בַּחֶ֥רֶב וּבָרָעָ֖ב - bahereḇ uva̅raʿaḇ): This powerful phrase echoes their own denial, creating an instance of lex talionis or poetic justice. The very evils they promised would not occur will be the instruments of their demise.
- those prophets shall be consumed (יִכְל֥וּ הַנְּבִיאִ֣ים הָהֵֽמָּה - yikhlū hannᵊḇīʾīm hāhēmmâ): The verb יִכְל֥וּ (yikhlū) means "they shall be utterly destroyed" or "come to an end." It emphasizes a complete and irreversible end for the false prophets, demonstrating God's swift and absolute judgment.
Words-Group analysis:
- "Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, although I have not sent them": This segment firmly establishes the theological problem: claims of divine commission (prophesying in God's name) without actual divine authorization (God not sending them). It highlights the critical difference between perceived spiritual authority and actual divine sanction. The absence of divine sending means their messages are devoid of truth and are an affront to God's holiness and sovereignty.
- "and who say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land'": This section pinpoints the content of their false message – a false gospel of peace and security. It directly opposes the consistent warnings of judgment by Jeremiah and other true prophets (e.g., Deut 28, Lev 26). Their message appeals to the people's desire for comfort but undermines their need for repentance.
- "By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed": This climactic declaration delivers a direct, severe, and ironically fitting judgment. The instruments of divine wrath that they denied for the land will specifically consume them, proving the falsity of their words and the reality of God's judgment. It underscores divine justice, where the penalty directly reflects the nature of the transgression.
Jeremiah 14 15 Bonus section
This verse carries significant weight beyond Jeremiah's time, emphasizing that prophetic authenticity is not based on self-proclamation or even popular reception, but solely on divine commission. The severity of God's judgment here highlights the profound danger and theological gravity of spreading falsehoods in the Lord's name. Such deception not only misleads the people but also fundamentally misrepresents God's character and plan. The specific judgment of "sword and famine" against the prophets underscores that those who deny God's promised judgment will often be the first to experience its devastating reality. This acts as both a warning to those who might speak presumptuously and an affirmation that God's word, though perhaps harsh at times, always proves true.
Jeremiah 14 15 Commentary
Jeremiah 14:15 reveals a stark contrast between true divine authority and deceptive human claims. God's judgment against false prophets is not arbitrary; it stems from their double transgression: claiming His name without His commission and then proclaiming a lie contrary to His revealed will. The phrase "though I have not sent them" is the lynchpin, demonstrating that their message, no matter how comforting, is a fraud built on a false premise. The subsequent pronouncement of judgment – "By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed" – is an instance of severe poetic justice. They will perish by the very evils they promised would not befall the nation. This illustrates God's unyielding commitment to His truth and His severe condemnation of those who use His name to manipulate and mislead, thereby obscuring His true word and hindering true repentance. It is a terrifying reminder of the ultimate accountability for those who presume to speak for the Almighty without His mandate.