Jeremiah 15 1

Jeremiah 15:1 kjv

Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

Jeremiah 15:1 nkjv

Then the LORD said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth.

Jeremiah 15:1 niv

Then the LORD said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!

Jeremiah 15:1 esv

Then the LORD said to me, "Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go!

Jeremiah 15:1 nlt

Then the LORD said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading for these people, I wouldn't help them. Away with them! Get them out of my sight!

Jeremiah 15 verses

Jeremiah 15 1 Meaning

This verse expresses God's firm and irreversible decision regarding Judah's impending judgment. Despite any potential intercession, even from the most revered biblical figures like Moses and Samuel, God declares an end to His compassion and a complete withdrawal of favor from the people due to their persistent sin. He commands their definitive banishment, signifying a severe divine rejection and the onset of inevitable exile.

Jeremiah 15 1 Context

Jeremiah 15:1 immediately follows Jeremiah's heartfelt intercessory prayers for Judah, found in Chapter 14, where he pleads for God to spare His people from drought, famine, and the sword (Jer 14:7-9, 19-22). Despite Jeremiah's earnest pleas and God's earlier promises regarding the Abrahamic covenant, this verse serves as a stark and definitive divine response: the judgment is sealed. God's patience has reached its limit due to Judah's consistent and profound apostasy, including idol worship, moral corruption, and rejection of His prophets over generations. Historically, this period anticipates the imminent fall of Jerusalem to Babylon and the subsequent Babylonian exile (605-586 BC), which represents the ultimate "sending away from His presence" prophesied here. Culturally, the people often relied on prophetic intercession, remembering how Moses saved Israel from God's wrath and Samuel helped defeat the Philistines, making God's direct dismissal of these figures' hypothetical prayers exceptionally powerful and chilling.

Jeremiah 15 1 Word analysis

• Then the Lord said to me:

  • "Then" (וַיֹּאמֶר, vayyomer): Indicates a direct, immediate divine response, marking a pivotal turn in the narrative.
  • "the Lord" (יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His relationship with Israel, yet highlighting the gravity of His rejection of this very people. It underscores that this is a solemn, official decree from their own God.
  • "said to me": A direct, personal revelation to Jeremiah, reinforcing his role as a messenger receiving the divine decree firsthand.

• "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me":

  • "Even if" (אִם־יַעֲמֹד, 'im ya'amod): A conditional clause presenting a hypothetical, almost impossible scenario. It elevates the subsequent declaration by choosing the absolute best-case for intercession.
  • "Moses" (מֹשֶׁה, Mosheh): The preeminent intercessor, known for repeatedly turning God's wrath away from Israel (e.g., Exod 32, Num 14). His name signifies powerful, covenantal mediation.
  • "and Samuel" (וּשְׁמוּאֵל, u-Shmu'el): Another mighty prophet and intercessor (e.g., 1 Sam 7:5-9, 1 Sam 12:23), who prayed fervently for the people and often successfully. Mentioning him alongside Moses highlights their unmatched effectiveness in past crises.
  • "stood before me" (לְפָנַי, l'fanai): The posture of an advocate, an intercessor, one who pleads a case or serves in a sacred capacity. It evokes the image of these revered figures pleading on behalf of Judah. This phrase underscores the absolute finality of God's decision—not even the most effective historical intercessors could sway Him now.

• "my heart would not go out to this people":

  • "my heart" (נַפְשִׁי, nafshi): Literally "my soul" or "my inner being," signifying God's core disposition, His deep feelings and will. It conveys a complete lack of emotional or empathetic response.
  • "would not go out to": Expresses a complete absence of compassion, pity, or willingness to turn back from the intended judgment. This is a severe declaration of divine resolve, indicating no turning from wrath.
  • "this people" (הָעָם הַזֶּה, ha'am hazzeh): Referring to Judah, "His people," whom He had called out of Egypt and established a covenant with. The direct reference to "this people" emphasizes the depth of their rebellion that has alienated them from God's affections.

• "Send them away from my presence! Let them go!":

  • "Send them away" (שַׁלַּח, shallekh): A strong imperative, a command for expulsion, banishment. It signifies a decisive act of separation.
  • "from my presence" (מֵעַל פָּנַי, me'al panay): To be cast out from before God's face implies complete removal from divine favor, protection, and blessing. This is the ultimate punishment for a people whose existence was bound to His presence (Shekinah).
  • "Let them go!" (וְיֵצֵאוּ, v'yetze'u): A complementary imperative, emphasizing their required departure. It is not an invitation but an authoritative decree, highlighting the inevitability and immediacy of their banishment. The repetition underscores the firmness of the command and the irreversible nature of their destiny: exile.

Jeremiah 15 1 Bonus section

• Rhetorical Power: The strategic naming of Moses and Samuel serves as a powerful rhetorical device. These were Israel's 'heroic' intercessors whose prayers averted catastrophic judgment on numerous occasions. By stating that even they would fail now, God profoundly emphasizes the absolute finality of His decree against Judah. It's an appeal to what was most revered and trusted for intervention, only to declare its utter impotence in this ultimate crisis.
• The Point of No Return: This verse establishes a theological concept of a "point of no return" in God's judgment, where a nation or individual's sin reaches a threshold beyond which intercession or repentance, at least in the short term, becomes ineffectual for averting impending disaster. This does not preclude individual repentance and return to God during or after the exile but rather the postponement or avoidance of the decreed national judgment itself.
• Cost to Jeremiah: This divine declaration would have been crushing for Jeremiah. As an intercessor himself, whose prayers for Judah in chapter 14 had just been presented, hearing that even Moses and Samuel couldn't help signifies the absolute failure of his own intercessory efforts, marking a deeply personal and painful moment in his prophetic ministry.

Jeremiah 15 1 Commentary

Jeremiah 15:1 marks a critical juncture in the book of Jeremiah and God's interaction with Judah. It is God's direct, unequivocal refusal of further intercession, even of a caliber seen only in Moses and Samuel. This is not because God's mercy is exhausted per se, but because Judah's unrepentant sin and deep-seated idolatry have so grievously violated the covenant that divine justice now demands a full measure of judgment. The very mention of Moses and Samuel highlights the extraordinary nature of this decree; their past intercessions famously altered divine intent, but here, even their imagined presence is futile. "My heart would not go out to this people" indicates an unyielding resolve and a withdrawal of pity. The command to "Send them away from my presence! Let them go!" directly prophesies the impending Babylonian exile, a literal banishment from the land blessed by God's presence, signifying a removal from covenant favor and protection. This verse underscores the grave consequences of prolonged rebellion and rejection of God's grace, affirming that while God is merciful, there are limits to His patience when met with unwavering hardness of heart. It demonstrates a sovereign God whose holiness and justice must ultimately prevail over persistent wickedness.