Jeremiah 17:15 kjv
Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now.
Jeremiah 17:15 nkjv
Indeed they say to me, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!"
Jeremiah 17:15 niv
They keep saying to me, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it now be fulfilled!"
Jeremiah 17:15 esv
Behold, they say to me, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!"
Jeremiah 17:15 nlt
People scoff at me and say,
"What is this 'message from the LORD' you talk about?
Why don't your predictions come true?"
Jeremiah 17 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 5:19 | Woe to those... who say, "Let God hurry; let him hasten his work so we may see it!" | Direct parallel: mockingly calling for God's judgment to appear. |
| Eze 12:22-28 | "The days go by and every vision comes to nothing." ... "The word I speak will be fulfilled..." | Skepticism regarding the timing and fulfillment of prophecy. |
| 2 Pet 3:3-4 | "mockers will come... saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were...'" | New Testament echo: scoffing at delayed divine judgment/coming. |
| Jer 5:12-13 | They deny the LORD and say, "He will do nothing... the prophets are only wind; they have no word from God." | Denying God's capacity to act and discrediting His prophets. |
| Jer 20:7-8 | "I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me." | Jeremiah's personal experience of constant mockery. |
| Hab 2:3 | "For the vision is yet for an appointed time... it will surely come, it will not tarry." | Affirmation of God's timely fulfillment, despite perceived delay. |
| Lam 2:17 | The LORD has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his word, which he decreed long ago. | Retrospective affirmation after Jerusalem's fall that God fulfilled His word. |
| Zec 1:5-6 | "My words and My decrees... did they not overtake your fathers?" | God's word historically proved true against a disbelieving generation. |
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man that He should lie... Has He spoken and will He not fulfill it? | God's faithfulness and absolute commitment to His spoken word. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | My word that goes out from my mouth... will not return to me empty... will accomplish what I desire. | God's word is effective and accomplishes its intended purpose. |
| Deut 18:21-22 | "How may we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" ... "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place...". | The test of a true prophet is the fulfillment of his word. |
| Eccl 8:11 | Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart... is fully set... to do evil. | Explains how delayed judgment encourages scoffing and continued sin. |
| Prov 1:24-31 | "I called but you refused... I will laugh at your calamity." | God's eventual response to those who scorn His warnings. |
| Rom 2:4-6 | Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness...? ... stored up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath. | God's patience as an opportunity for repentance, not an excuse for scoffing. |
| Matt 24:34-35 | "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." | The eternal reliability and certain fulfillment of God's word. |
| Heb 10:37 | "For, 'In a very little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.'" | New Testament assurance of the certainty and punctuality of Christ's return and final judgment. |
| 1 Thess 5:3 | While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' then destruction will come upon them suddenly... | Judgment often comes unexpectedly to those who ignore warnings. |
| Amos 5:18 | Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for that day? That day will be darkness, not light. | Those who defiantly wish for God's intervention will find it not as they expect. |
| Gen 6:3 | Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years." | God's patience has limits before judgment falls. |
| Judg 6:13 | "If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders?" | A questioning of God's presence and power during a time of hardship. |
Jeremiah 17 verses
Jeremiah 17 15 Meaning
Jeremiah 17:15 captures the prophet's anguish as his message of impending judgment is met with scoffing and disbelief. The people mock him, defiantly challenging God's word and demanding its immediate manifestation. Their words "Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come now!" express deep skepticism, impatience, and even a cynical challenge to divine authority and the prophet's credibility. This is a scene of profound spiritual rebellion and open derision towards Yahweh's warnings through His servant.
Jeremiah 17 15 Context
Jeremiah 17:15 appears in the middle of a discourse that transitions between general warnings about Judah's sin and Jeremiah's personal struggles. The chapter begins with an indictment of Judah's idolatry, engraved on their hearts, and then shifts to contrasting trust in man with trust in the Lord (Jer 17:5-8). It also introduces the concept of the deceitfulness of the human heart (Jer 17:9-10) and the instability of ill-gotten gain (Jer 17:11). Verses 12-13 praise God as the hope of Israel, a stark contrast to the idolatrous people. Then, in Jer 17:14-18, Jeremiah offers one of his "confessions" – prayers revealing his profound anguish and appeal to God amid his difficult ministry. Verse 15 specifically captures the cutting mockery he endures, forming the direct context for his subsequent prayer for vindication and rescue from his persecutors who disbelieve and scorn his prophetic messages concerning impending judgment. This verse vividly illustrates the social rejection and spiritual blindness he faced as a faithful prophet.
Jeremiah 17 15 Word analysis
- Behold: (Hebrew: Hinnêh) An interjection signaling immediacy, drawing attention to something remarkable or important. Here, it underscores the shock and urgency of the mocking challenge Jeremiah reports.
- they: (Hebrew: hēmmâ) Refers to the people of Judah, Jeremiah's opponents, who consistently disregard his prophecies. This pronoun emphasizes the widespread nature of the opposition.
- say to me: (Hebrew: ’ōmrîm ’ēlay) The participle "saying" (aorist participle) suggests continuous or repeated action, indicating a persistent, ongoing taunt directed personally at Jeremiah. It highlights the direct and painful nature of the accusation.
- 'Where is?': (Hebrew: ’ayyeh) An interrogative particle questioning location, but here used rhetorically to imply non-existence or delay. It conveys scorn and dismisses the prophecy as baseless.
- the word of the Lord?: (Hebrew: dḇar Yahweh) This is the essence of Jeremiah's prophetic message—God's direct communication and command, especially regarding impending judgment. The mockers challenge its reality, denying the divine origin and power behind Jeremiah's warnings.
- 'Let it come now!': (Hebrew: yāḇô’ nā’ haddāḇār)
- Let it come: (Hebrew: yāḇô’) A volitional imperative, expressing a strong desire. Here, it's not a genuine request but a defiant dare. They want to see if Jeremiah's predictions (the judgment) will truly materialize, implying they won't.
- now: (Hebrew: nā’) This particle often softens a command, but in this context, it intensifies the sarcasm and impatience, conveying a "go on, prove it!" attitude. It also highlights their desire for immediate gratification or proof, revealing their short-sightedness concerning God's timing.
- the word: (Hebrew: haddāḇār) This repeats "dḇar" but adds the definite article "ha-", emphasizing the specific, oft-repeated prophetic word (of judgment) that is the target of their ridicule. It underscores the precise object of their defiant challenge.
Jeremiah 17 15 Bonus section
The mocking of Jeremiah 17:15 reveals a classic human response to the apparent delay of God's promises or judgments. This impatience and cynicism stem from a misunderstanding of divine time (which is not human time) and God's long-suffering character, which graciously offers opportunity for repentance before inevitable judgment. The scoffers demonstrate an internal rejection of truth, seeking empirical and immediate proof while ignoring the spiritual and moral implications of their actions. The prophet's suffering here also aligns with the experiences of other biblical figures who faced derision for their unpopular messages (e.g., Noah building the ark, Lot warning Sodom, Elijah on Mount Carmel).
Jeremiah 17 15 Commentary
Jeremiah 17:15 serves as a profound window into the suffering and spiritual conflict inherent in prophetic ministry. The people, comfortable in their sin and emboldened by delayed judgment, scorn the divine word delivered through Jeremiah. Their rhetorical question, "Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come now!", is a defiant act of disbelief and mockery. It implicitly questions God's power, His justice, and Jeremiah's integrity. This taunt reveals a hardened heart that has misread God's patience for weakness, dismissing the prophetic warning rather than embracing it as a call to repentance. Such a response is deeply discouraging to the prophet, placing immense psychological and spiritual pressure upon him. The subsequent verses in Jeremiah's "confession" directly address this pain, highlighting his faithfulness to God's message despite the scorn, and seeking divine vindication. This verse stands as a testament to the persistent challenge faced by God's messengers in every age: being faithful to a difficult truth, even when the audience desires a more palatable falsehood or defies the inevitable outcome of divine justice.