Jeremiah 23 17

Jeremiah 23:17 kjv

They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

Jeremiah 23:17 nkjv

They continually say to those who despise Me, 'The LORD has said, "You shall have peace" '; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, 'No evil shall come upon you.' "

Jeremiah 23:17 niv

They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD says: You will have peace.' And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, 'No harm will come to you.'

Jeremiah 23:17 esv

They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, 'It shall be well with you'; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, 'No disaster shall come upon you.'"

Jeremiah 23:17 nlt

They keep saying to those who despise my word,
'Don't worry! The LORD says you will have peace!'
And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires,
they say, 'No harm will come your way!'

Jeremiah 23 verses

Jeremiah 23 17 meaning

Jeremiah 23:17 exposes the destructive deception perpetrated by false prophets who promise security and wellbeing to a rebellious people. They contradict God's actual pronouncements by assuring "peace" and an absence of "disaster" for those who persist in their stubborn ways, walking according to the desires of their own hearts rather than in obedience to the Divine will. This verse highlights a direct confrontation between the false messages that lull people into complacency and the impending divine judgment for sin.

Jeremiah 23 17 Context

Jeremiah 23 belongs to a section of Jeremiah's prophecies against the unfaithful leadership of Judah, specifically focusing on the false prophets and corrupt shepherds (kings) who led the people astray. In this chapter, Jeremiah distinguishes between true and false prophecy. God condemns the false prophets for speaking dreams and visions that did not originate from Him, thereby giving the people false hope and encouraging them in their sins. These prophets' messages stand in stark contrast to Jeremiah's own prophecies of impending judgment, exile, and destruction. Jeremiah 23:17 specifically addresses the core lie of these false prophets: promising safety and prosperity despite the people's blatant disobedience and idolatry. Historically, Judah was teetering on the brink of Babylonian invasion, a time when genuine repentance was desperately needed, but false prophets offered easy reassurance instead.

Jeremiah 23 17 Word analysis

• They continually say (הָאֹמְרִ֣ים אֹמַ֗ר - ha'omerim omer): This is an emphatic construction (infinitive absolute used with participle), highlighting the persistent and repeated nature of their message. It implies their message is unwavering and constantly delivered, despite contrary evidence.
• to those who despise the word of the LORD: The Hebrew phrase men'aẓei d'var YHWH (מְנָאֲצֵי דְּבַר-יְהוָה) signifies scorners or contemptuous ones towards God's declared will. These are people who consciously reject divine instruction.
• 'Peace': (שָׁל֗וֹם - shalom): In its biblical sense, shalom encompasses far more than just absence of conflict; it implies wholeness, completeness, welfare, health, prosperity, and security—a state of ideal wellbeing and harmonious relationships. The false prophets promised this profound state to those deserving the opposite, fundamentally distorting God's covenant blessings.
• You shall have: (יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם - yihyeh lakhem): A definitive future promise. The false prophets speak with authority, asserting an outcome that is certain.
• And to every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart: (וּלְכֹ֖ל הֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּשִׁרְרוּת לִבּ֑וֹ - u'lechol holekh b'shirrerut libbo): This phrase describes deeply entrenched, persistent stubbornness and obstinacy.
  • walketh after: (הֹלֵךְ - holekh): Denotes a way of life, consistent behavior, not an occasional lapse.
  • imagination / stubbornness: (שִׁרְרוּת - shirrerut): This term signifies hardness of heart, willful stubbornness, obstinacy. It describes a will set against God, following personal desires instead of divine instruction. It is not merely thinking but living according to self-devised standards.
  • his own heart: (לִבּוֹ - libbo): In Hebrew thought, the heart (lev) is the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and conscience—the core of a person's being. To follow one's own heart, especially in stubbornness, means to live autonomously from God's commands.
• 'No evil shall come upon you': (לֹא־תָב֥וֹא עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם רָעָֽה - lo'-tavo' aleichem ra'ah):
  • Evil: (רָעָה - ra'ah): In this context, ra'ah refers to calamity, misfortune, disaster, or divine judgment, not merely moral evil. It denotes the devastating consequences that God promised for disobedience. The false prophets deny this promised divine retribution.

Words-group analysis:

• "They continually say to those who despise the word of the LORD, 'Peace you shall have'": This exposes the specific target audience and their disposition—people actively rejecting God's word. The false prophets tailor their message to comfort and confirm these people in their rejection, rather than call them to repentance. The lie directly contradicts God's nature and covenant stipulations, which link true shalom with obedience.
• "And to every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, 'No evil shall come upon you'": This phrase directly addresses those who prioritize self-will over divine will. By promising freedom from ra'ah (calamity/judgment), the false prophets effectively nullify the warnings of the Law and the true prophets, enabling sinful complacency and a false sense of security in continued rebellion.

Jeremiah 23 17 Bonus section

The phrase "walketh after the imagination of his own heart" is found elsewhere in Jeremiah and also in Deuteronomy (e.g., Deut 29:19), indicating a longstanding pattern of Israelite disobedience rooted in self-will. This phrase often accompanies warnings of severe judgment, making the false prophets' promises in Jer 23:17 particularly egregious. The contrast drawn by Jeremiah implies that true prophecy, unlike the smooth words of these deceivers, always begins with God's word and leads to repentance, righteousness, and ultimately, true shalom (Jer 29:11). The ultimate judgment for these false prophets, explicitly stated later in Jer 23, is that they will not escape God's wrath and will themselves become a "reproach" and a "perpetual shame."

Jeremiah 23 17 Commentary

Jeremiah 23:17 stands as a powerful condemnation of those who use spiritual authority to disseminate falsehoods, directly counteracting God's revealed truth. False prophets exploit humanity's natural desire for peace and comfort, offering an easy path devoid of repentance. Their message of "peace" and "no disaster" is insidious because it validates sinful behavior and assures safety for the disobedient, effectively neutering the divine call to ethical and spiritual transformation. This perverts the true shalom that God offers, which is contingent upon righteousness and relationship, not human stubbornness.

The core offense here is not just an error in prediction, but a fundamental misrepresentation of God's character and requirements. By promising immunity from ra'ah (calamity/judgment) to those walking in the shirrerut libbo (stubbornness of their heart), they negate God's justice, holiness, and the consequences of sin. This message is profoundly dangerous because it fosters complacency and prevents the people from heeding the warnings necessary for their salvation from impending destruction. It teaches them to scorn the LORD's word without fear, setting a perilous path towards inevitable divine judgment. This verse remains relevant as a caution against any teaching that assures blessing or freedom from consequence without genuine repentance and submission to God's will.