Jeremiah 23 10

Jeremiah 23:10 kjv

For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

Jeremiah 23:10 nkjv

For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, And their might is not right.

Jeremiah 23:10 niv

The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land lies parched and the pastures in the wilderness are withered. The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly.

Jeremiah 23:10 esv

For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right.

Jeremiah 23:10 nlt

For the land is full of adultery,
and it lies under a curse.
The land itself is in mourning ?
its wilderness pastures are dried up.
For they all do evil
and abuse what power they have.

Jeremiah 23 verses

Jeremiah 23 10 meaning

Jeremiah 23:10 describes the profound moral and spiritual decay pervading Judah, directly linking it to the severe ecological devastation impacting the land. The verse conveys that the nation's widespread unfaithfulness to God, personified as adultery and expressed through evil conduct and misuse of power, has invoked divine judgment in the form of a covenantal curse. Consequently, the land itself experiences desolation and barrenness, literally mourning the effects of the people's sin, highlighting that human wickedness brings tangible, destructive consequences not only upon individuals but upon creation itself.

Jeremiah 23 10 Context

Jeremiah 23:10 is situated within a passionate lament and prophetic indictment (Jeremiah 23:9-40) primarily directed against the false prophets and corrupt leaders of Judah during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. This period precedes the Babylonian exile and is marked by profound moral and spiritual decay. Jeremiah, whose heart is broken by their wickedness (v. 9), describes the dire consequences of this widespread corruption. Verse 10 explains the reasons for the nation's imminent judgment: the land's desolation is not a random natural event but a direct result of the pervasive sin—specifically spiritual and physical "adultery"—of its inhabitants, enabled and even encouraged by unrighteous leaders whose ways are evil and might unjustly exercised (vv. 11, 14-15). It paints a grim picture of a society where even those entrusted with spiritual guidance have become instruments of corruption, thereby inviting the covenant curses of God upon the entire land.

Jeremiah 23 10 Word analysis

• For the land (כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ / kî mālʾâ hāʾāreṣ)
  • For (kî): Serves as a causal conjunction, explaining why Jeremiah is so heartbroken (referring back to v. 9). It introduces the underlying reason for the prophet's distress.
  • the land (hāʾāreṣ): Refers specifically to the promised land of Judah. In biblical theology, the land is covenantally linked to its people; its flourishing is contingent on their obedience. Its personification or suffering mirrors the moral state of its inhabitants.
• is full (mālʾâ): Denotes overflowing abundance. It signifies not just a presence but an overwhelming saturation of the specified evil, indicating its pervasiveness.
• of adulterers (מְנָאֲפִים / mĕnaʾăpîm)
  • mĕnaʾăpîm: Plural, active participle of "to commit adultery." This refers both to literal marital infidelity and, more significantly in the prophetic context, spiritual infidelity—worshipping other gods, pursuing pagan practices, or forsaking loyalty to YHWH (Jer 3:6-9). Given the context of false prophets, this can imply leading the people away from God, akin to seduction.
• for because of the curse (כִּי מִפְּנֵי אָלָה / kî mippĕnê ʾālāh)
  • for because of (kî mippĕnê): Reinforces the causal link. The land's state is a direct consequence.
  • the curse (ʾālāh): Refers to the divine judgment or imprecations laid out in the Mosaic covenant (e.g., Lev 26, Deut 28) against a disobedient Israel. It's the stipulated penalty for breaking covenant obligations, showing God's just retribution for sin.
• the land mourns (אָבְלָה הָאָרֶץ / ʾāḇĕlâ hāʾāreṣ)
  • ʾāḇĕlâ: "Mourns," "laments." Personifies the land, attributing human grief to it. This evokes images of desolation, barrenness, lack of rain, and crop failure—all traditional signs of divine judgment (Hos 4:3, Isa 24:4).
• the pastures of the wilderness (נְאוֹת מִדְבָּר / nĕʾôt miḏbār)
  • pastures (nĕʾôt): Lush, verdant areas traditionally providing sustenance.
  • wilderness (miḏbār): Arid or semi-arid regions. The phrase highlights that even areas that should offer life and greenery, typically at the edges of settled lands, are now affected. This underscores the comprehensive nature of the desolation; nothing is spared.
• are dried up (yābĕšû): A vivid depiction of severe drought and desolation, signifying the cessation of life and productivity. This is a direct outcome of the covenant curse.
• Their course is evil (וַתְּהִי מְרוּצָתָם רָעָה / wattĕhî mĕrûṣātām rāʿāh)
  • Their: Refers to the inhabitants of the land, implicitly and primarily the false prophets and wicked leaders mentioned in the surrounding context, whose actions set the moral tone for the nation.
  • course (mĕrûṣātām): Encompasses their chosen path, lifestyle, behavior, and way of living or operating. It's their entire conduct.
  • evil (rāʿāh): Describes their moral quality. Their actions and decisions are fundamentally wicked, contrary to God's will.
• and their might (וּגְבוּרָתָם / ûḡĕḇûrātām)
  • gĕḇûrātām: Refers to their strength, power, influence, or capability. This can refer to the energy and zeal with which they pursue their wickedness or their position of authority and its application.
• is not right (לֹא כֵן / lōʾ kēn)
  • lōʾ kēn: Means "not thus," "not proper," or "not just/upright." It implies a distortion or perversion of their inherent power or leadership. Their strength is not employed in accordance with justice, truth, or divine standards, but for corrupt ends.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "For the land is full of adulterers": Establishes a foundational truth: the deep moral corruption and spiritual disloyalty of the people (and particularly its leaders) are pervasive throughout the society. This is the root cause.
• "for because of the curse the land mourns; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up": Directly links the moral failure to environmental catastrophe through divine judgment. The physical desolation is a visible sign of an invisible spiritual disease, manifesting God's covenantal consequences. The natural world reacts to humanity's sin.
• "Their course is evil, and their might is not right": Identifies the specific nature of this corruption as originating from the leadership and the populace. It highlights that not only are their actions inherently wicked, but their very exercise of power and influence is devoid of integrity and justice, serving only their depraved ways rather than God's righteous standards.

Jeremiah 23 10 Bonus section

• The personification of the land "mourning" is a powerful rhetorical device, often used in prophetic literature to convey the gravity of divine judgment and the intimate connection between creation and humanity's moral state. It implies that the natural world suffers alongside (or because of) humanity's fall.
• The phrase "the pastures of the wilderness are dried up" uses specific imagery that would have resonated deeply with an agricultural society dependent on rainfall and fertile grazing lands. It vividly portrays a fundamental disruption to their livelihood and existence.
• This verse underpins a recurring biblical principle: justice and righteousness are not abstract concepts but have concrete implications for the health and prosperity of both human society and the natural environment. Where sin abounds, decay follows.
• The critique of "might" not being "right" directly addresses the misuse of authority and power, especially in the context of leaders (false prophets, corrupt officials) who exploit their positions for personal gain or to lead others into sin, rather than guiding them toward justice and truth. This sets up a contrast with God's righteous rule, often depicted as just "might" (gĕḇûrâh).

Jeremiah 23 10 Commentary

Jeremiah 23:10 succinctly articulates the profound theological connection between a nation's moral health and its environmental well-being, framed within the covenant relationship with God. The pervasiveness of "adultery" points not merely to sexual sin but, more critically in prophetic terms, to the deep-seated spiritual unfaithfulness of Judah, including idolatry and abandoning God's commands, greatly exacerbated by corrupt prophets and priests. This pervasive sin, in turn, triggers God's promised "curse," leading to a desolate landscape where even the resilient wilderness pastures fail. This divine judgment is a direct response, showing that sin has real, tangible consequences. The final declaration—"Their course is evil, and their might is not right"—specifically condemns the wicked leaders and the people for their corrupt path and the unjust use of their power, indicating that their influence actively propagates unrighteousness rather than guiding the nation towards God. This verse serves as a solemn warning that a departure from God's ways results in both societal and ecological decay, a clear manifestation of His righteous judgment.