Jeremiah 32 31

Jeremiah 32:31 kjv

For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,

Jeremiah 32:31 nkjv

'For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury from the day that they built it, even to this day; so I will remove it from before My face

Jeremiah 32:31 niv

From the day it was built until now, this city has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove it from my sight.

Jeremiah 32:31 esv

This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built to this day, so that I will remove it from my sight

Jeremiah 32:31 nlt

"From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me, so I am determined to get rid of it.

Jeremiah 32 verses

Jeremiah 32 31 meaning

Jeremiah 32:31 reveals God's profound grief and anger over the consistent rebellion of Jerusalem and its inhabitants. It asserts that from the very establishment of the city—a place consecrated for His dwelling and His people—it has perpetually been a source of intense provocation, anger, and wrath to Him. This deep-seated and unbroken pattern of sin and disobedience from its foundation until the present moment in Jeremiah's time had necessitated an ultimate, decisive judgment: its removal and rejection from His protective presence.

Jeremiah 32 31 Context

Jeremiah 32 takes place during a dire moment in Judah's history: the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's forces in the tenth year of King Zedekiah's reign. Jeremiah himself is imprisoned in the court of the guard. Despite the imminent destruction, God commands Jeremiah to buy a field from his cousin Hanamel in Anathoth, a symbolic act guaranteeing future restoration and the return of the exiled people to the land. This very act of hope is set against the backdrop of utter devastation. Jeremiah's prayer in verses 17-25 expresses awe at God's power and laments the severe judgment being meted out, yet he questions how the buying of land makes sense given the immediate destruction. God's response to Jeremiah's prayer (verses 26-44) reaffirms His judgment while simultaneously promising future restoration. Verse 31 specifically elaborates on why this judgment is necessary, citing the sustained, profound, and generational sin of the city and its inhabitants, which has constantly provoked His righteous anger.

Jeremiah 32 31 Word analysis

• For: (Hebrew: כִּי, ki) Introduces the reason or explanation for the impending judgment declared in the preceding verses. It grounds the future action (judgment) in past transgression.
• this city: (Hebrew: הָעִיר הַזֹּאת, hā-ʿîr haz-zōʾt) Refers to Jerusalem, which was specially chosen by God (2 Sam 5; Ps 132:13) and meant to be a holy center, a place of God's dwelling and blessing. The irony is poignant; the favored city became the chief offender.
• has been: The perfect tense of the verb (הָיְתָה, hāyəṯâ) indicates a continuous state or an action that began in the past and continues into the present, highlighting the unbroken pattern of rebellion.
• to Me: (Hebrew: לִי, lî) Emphasizes that the provocation is directed personally at God, whose covenant and holiness have been consistently violated. It's not a generic offense but a direct affront to His character.
• a provocation: (Hebrew: לְכַעַס, lə-ḵaʿas from root כָּעַס, kaʿas, to provoke, to vex) The direct cause of divine anger. This word signifies vexation or irritation. Their actions constantly caused distress and frustration to God.
• of My anger: (Hebrew: אַפִּי, ʾapî, lit. "my nose" or "my nostril," idiomatic for anger/fury) Denotes God's passionate displeasure and wrath, a forceful and often intense emotion when His holiness is transgressed.
• and My wrath: (Hebrew: וַחֲמָתִי, waḥamāṯî, often paired with aph) An intensification of "anger," signifying a burning fury, indignation, or hot displeasure. The combination emphasizes the depth and duration of God's righteous indignation.
• from the day that they built it: (Hebrew: מִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ אֹתָהּ, min-hay-yōm ʾăšer bānū ʾōṯâ) Refers to the founding or establishment of Jerusalem as the capital of the united monarchy under David and especially its designation as a sacred city with the construction of the Temple under Solomon (2 Sam 5; 1 Kgs 6). It denotes a long, cumulative history of offense, spanning centuries.
• even to this day: (Hebrew: וְעַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, wəʿaḏ hay-yōm haz-zeh) Highlights the unbroken continuum of their sin up to the present moment, encompassing the generations and persistent defiance through prophets. It implies a lack of genuine repentance across the ages.
• so that it should be removed: (Hebrew: לְהָסִיר אֹתָהּ, ləhāsîr ʾōṯâ, to cause it to be removed/taken away) Expresses the inevitable, active consequence of their cumulative sin. God's purpose or intention stemming from their actions is its removal.
• from before My face: (Hebrew: מֵעַל פָּנַי, mēʿal pānay) Implies divine rejection, abandonment, and withdrawal of His presence and protection. To be removed from God's face is to be deprived of His favor, care, and blessing, facing judgment unprotected.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "a provocation of My anger and My wrath": This phrase highlights the intentionality and direct impact of their actions on God. Their disobedience wasn't merely breaking a rule; it actively vexed, infuriated, and offended the holy God who had chosen them. The double expression of anger (aph and ḥamah) emphasizes the depth and intensity of His righteous indignation.
• "from the day that they built it even to this day": This phrase underlines the chronic and continuous nature of their rebellion. It’s not a recent or isolated transgression but a long-standing, generational pattern of unfaithfulness since Jerusalem became a sacred center. This accumulated sin made judgment unavoidable, not impulsive. It contrasts the ideal of Jerusalem as a chosen city with its historical reality of persistent defilement.
• "so that it should be removed from before My face": This final segment of the verse reveals the direct and logical outcome of their persistent provocation. God's just response to centuries of offense is to cast the city out from His special favor and protection, leading to its destruction. This act is a severe withdrawal of divine presence, allowing their enemies to prevail.

Jeremiah 32 31 Bonus section

The historical timeline implied by "from the day that they built it even to this day" covers roughly 400-500 years from David's capture of Jerusalem and Solomon's building of the Temple to the time of Jeremiah. This vast span of time underscores God's immense patience. It is crucial to understand that God's "anger" and "wrath" in this context are not capricious human emotions but expressions of His holy character reacting to sustained unrighteousness and covenant infidelity. This divine emotion is a righteous attribute, revealing His steadfast commitment to justice and holiness. The persistent "provocation" reflects not just individual sins but systemic unfaithfulness embedded in the cultural and religious fabric of the society, passed down through generations. This verse also implicitly contrasts the earthly builders of Jerusalem (David, Solomon) with the divine purpose for which it was chosen, highlighting the tragic deviation from its sacred calling. This prophetic word from Jeremiah stands as a stern warning against the dangers of presumed divine favor and unchecked, generational sin.

Jeremiah 32 31 Commentary

Jeremiah 32:31 succinctly captures the divine rationale for the impending catastrophe upon Jerusalem. It reveals God's heart as one continually grieved and angered by His chosen people's unbroken chain of disobedience, dating back to the very foundation of their sacred city. The phrase "provocation of My anger and My wrath" is a powerful expression, showing that their actions were a direct, personal offense to God's holy character, not merely a detached breaking of rules. Their consistent idolatry, social injustice, and rejection of His prophets had, over centuries, built a cumulative debt of sin that now demanded a reckoning. "From the day that they built it even to this day" stresses the long-suffering patience of God that has finally reached its limit. This isn't a hasty judgment but a deliberate response to an entrenched, generational pattern of rebellion. The inevitable consequence, "so that it should be removed from before My face," signifies the tragic withdrawal of divine presence and protection, leading to the city's devastation and exile, a harsh but just consequence of their own choosing. This verse highlights the profound connection between human sin and divine judgment, emphasizing that God's patience is immense but not eternal, and that continued unfaithfulness ultimately leads to separation from His blessing.

• Example: Just as a parent patiently corrects a child repeatedly, yet eventually must enact firm consequences for consistent defiance, so God's long-suffering for Jerusalem reached a point where corrective judgment became essential for justice and holiness.
• Example: Think of a dedicated gardener whose prize plant is continually infected by neglect and pests, despite repeated efforts to save it; eventually, the only recourse might be to remove it to protect the other plants. Jerusalem's persistent sin, like a spiritual blight, necessitated its "removal" for the sake of divine order and justice.