Jeremiah 25 5

Jeremiah 25:5 kjv

They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:

Jeremiah 25:5 nkjv

They said, 'Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.

Jeremiah 25:5 niv

They said, "Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land the LORD gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever.

Jeremiah 25:5 esv

saying, 'Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever.

Jeremiah 25:5 nlt

Each time the message was this: 'Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live in this land that the LORD gave to you and your ancestors forever.

Jeremiah 25 verses

Jeremiah 25 5 meaning

Jeremiah 25:5 presents God's urgent and final plea to the people of Judah through His prophets. It commands an immediate and universal turning away from their sinful lifestyle and specific wicked actions. This repentance is offered as the sole condition for them to remain securely in the land of Israel, a divine inheritance granted by God to them and their ancestors with the intention of lasting permanence, but contingent upon their obedience. The verse encapsulates the central prophetic message: repent and live, or persist in sin and face exile.

Jeremiah 25 5 Context

Jeremiah 25 is a crucial chapter, often seen as the climax of Jeremiah's initial warnings before the Babylonian exile. The verse 5 functions as a summary of the persistent divine message delivered over decades. Jeremiah himself explicitly states in verse 3 that he had been speaking to the people for 23 years, from the 13th year of Josiah to the 4th year of Jehoiakim, but they refused to listen. Verse 4 emphasizes that God had "sent to you all his servants the prophets, persistently," making this plea not just Jeremiah's, but the cumulative message of all preceding prophets. Historically, this prophecy occurs in the significant 4th year of Jehoiakim (605 BC), the same year of Nebuchadnezzar's victory at Carchemish and the beginning of Babylon's dominance. This period immediately precedes the first wave of Judah's deportation to Babylon. Thus, the call in verse 5 represents God's final, patient offer of mercy and an avertable judgment before detailing the specific seventy-year exile and desolation in verses 9-11, consequences of their steadfast refusal to heed this very instruction. The message here also stood in stark contrast to the prevalent false assurances of peace and invincibility of Jerusalem offered by many contemporary prophets.

Jeremiah 25 5 Word analysis

• They said,
  • This refers to "all his servants the prophets, persistently rising early and sending them" (v. 4). It emphasizes the consistent and long-standing nature of God's plea, communicated through numerous messengers. The prophets are acting as God's mouthpieces.
• 'Turn now,
  • Hebrew: Shuvu na (שׁוּבוּ נָא). Shuvu is an imperative, commanding a reversal, a return. It signifies a fundamental change of direction and heart – often rendered as "repent." Na adds a sense of urgency and entreaty, "please now," intensifying the command. It's a call for immediate and decisive action.
• everyone
  • Hebrew: ’ish (אִישׁ). This word indicates individual responsibility. The call to repentance is not just to the nation as a whole, but to each person within it, underscoring personal accountability before God.
• from his evil way
  • Hebrew: midderekô hārāʿāh (מִדַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה). Derekh (way) here denotes one's entire lifestyle, moral conduct, the course or path of life chosen. It implies not just isolated acts, but the overall moral trajectory. "Evil" refers to that which is morally corrupt, displeasing to God, deviating from His Law.
• and from your evil deeds,
  • Hebrew: ūmimmaʿalēlêkêm hārāʿîm (וּמִמַּעֲלֵלֵיכֶם הָרָעִים). Ma'alalim refers to specific actions, practices, or works. While "way" is the overall character, "deeds" are the concrete manifestations of that character. This addresses both the inner disposition and its outward expression. The phrase "evil deeds" clearly pinpoints specific acts of sin.
• and dwell
  • Hebrew: ûshvu (וּשְׁבוּ). This imperative promises a secure, peaceful, and settled existence in the land if they repent. It implies remaining rather than being uprooted or exiled, directly contrasting with the impending judgment of removal from the land. This promise is contingent on the preceding repentance.
• in the land
  • Refers to the land of Canaan/Israel, the promised territory, which was the focus of God's covenant with Abraham and Israel. It represents their divinely ordained place of blessing and identity.
• that the Lord has given to you and your fathers
  • This highlights the land as a divine gift, not something earned or inherently owned by Israel. Its possession is rooted in God's covenant faithfulness and grace (Gen 12:7; Ex 6:4). The reference to "fathers" emphasizes the ancient and enduring nature of this promise, highlighting God's unchanging faithfulness even when His people proved unfaithful.
• forever and ever.'
  • Hebrew: le'olam va'ed (לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד). This phrase denotes perpetuity or eternity. In this context, it underscores God's original intent for His people to live in the land permanently and securely, free from threat, provided they remained faithful to Him. It implicitly conditions their tenure in the land on their obedience, distinguishing it from God's ownership or the ultimate spiritual fulfillment of His promise in the Messianic age which is truly eternal and unconditional.

Jeremiah 25 5 Bonus section

This verse serves as a crucial theological bridge, showcasing the long-suffering of God before judgment. It anticipates the ultimate New Testament call for repentance from sin (Acts 2:38; 1 John 1:9) and connects to the broader biblical narrative of a conditional inheritance, not just of a physical land but of eternal life and spiritual blessings (Heb 3:7-19; Rev 21:7), which are also contingent on one's response to God's commands. The "forever and ever" aspect for the land underscores God's original gracious intent for perpetual blessing that sin unfortunately disrupted for a period. This disruption, however, does not annul God's long-term covenantal plan, which looks forward to a future restoration and an everlasting kingdom.

Jeremiah 25 5 Commentary

Jeremiah 25:5 captures God's unwavering and patient plea through His prophets to Judah to avert impending disaster. It's a distillation of the entire prophetic message of repentance. The dual emphasis on "evil way" (overall conduct) and "evil deeds" (specific actions) stresses a complete turning from all forms of sin. The accompanying promise, "dwell in the land," explicitly links their continued habitation of the divinely granted land to their obedience. While the land itself was an eternal gift in terms of God's sovereign giving, their tenure within it was covenantally conditional. This verse portrays the culmination of divine patience before the pronouncement of inevitable judgment, offering a final opportunity for life and stability to a people who, sadly, would refuse it, thus sealing their fate for exile. It stands as a stark testament to both God's love in warning and His justice in executing the consequences of persistent disobedience.