Jeremiah 33 24

Jeremiah 33:24 kjv

Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

Jeremiah 33:24 nkjv

"Have you not considered what these people have spoken, saying, 'The two families which the LORD has chosen, He has also cast them off'? Thus they have despised My people, as if they should no more be a nation before them.

Jeremiah 33:24 niv

"Have you not noticed that these people are saying, 'The LORD has rejected the two kingdoms he chose'? So they despise my people and no longer regard them as a nation.

Jeremiah 33:24 esv

"Have you not observed that these people are saying, 'The LORD has rejected the two clans that he chose'? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight.

Jeremiah 33:24 nlt

"Have you noticed what people are saying? ? 'The LORD chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!' They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation.

Jeremiah 33 verses

Jeremiah 33 24 meaning

Jeremiah 33:24 reveals the LORD’s awareness of the despairing sentiment prevalent among "these people" regarding the fate of Judah and Israel. They lament that God, after choosing "the two clans" (referring to the Northern and Southern Kingdoms), has now irrevocably rejected them. This widespread perception leads them to conclude that God's people are no longer considered a nation in their eyes, indicating a profound loss of national identity, purpose, and the sense of divine election.

Jeremiah 33 24 Context

Jeremiah 33 is situated within the "Book of Consolation" (chapters 30-33) and offers a powerful message of hope and future restoration amidst present desolation. The city of Jerusalem is under siege by the Babylonians, soon to fall, and Jeremiah himself is imprisoned. The people are experiencing the dire consequences of their disobedience, and the nation is on the brink of collapse. In this context of profound despair and judgment, God reveals promises of future return, the establishment of a righteous king from David's line, and an enduring priesthood (Jer 33:14-22). Verse 24 specifically addresses the pervasive public sentiment, a lament that expresses utter hopelessness, assuming that God's severe judgment signifies a permanent rejection of His chosen people and a final revocation of His ancient covenants with them. This sets the stage for God's forceful rebuttal in the following verses, reaffirming His immutable faithfulness to His word and promises.

Jeremiah 33 24 Word analysis

• הֲלֹא (HaLo): "Have you not...?" - This is a rhetorical question in Hebrew, signaling that the answer is expected to be affirmative or obvious. God uses it to draw attention to something well-known or widely discussed among the people, indicating His full awareness of their disheartened talk.
• רָאִיתָ (ra'ita): "observed / seen" - Implies not just hearing casual remarks, but having observed the deep-seated despair and public expression of these thoughts. It suggests a prevailing mindset that has manifested in their words and actions.
• מָה הָעָם הַזֶּה (mah ha'am hazzeh): "what this people" - The phrase "this people" is often used in scripture when God refers to His disobedient or complaining people in a somewhat detached or negative way (cf. Exod 32:9). It contrasts with "my people" later in the verse, subtly distinguishing the current generation's negative outlook from God's enduring identification with them.
• שְׁתֵּי הַמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת (shete hammishpachot): "the two clans / families / kingdoms" - This is a crucial phrase, unequivocally referring to the divided kingdom: Israel (the northern kingdom, often called Ephraim or Samaria, which had already fallen to Assyria) and Judah (the southern kingdom, now facing Babylonian destruction). By referring to both, God acknowledges the scope of judgment and the full extent of the perceived national annihilation.
• אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר יְהוָה (asher bachar YHWH): "that the LORD chose" - This underscores the divine origin of Israel's unique status. The choice (Hebrew: bachar) by YHWH (the covenant name of God) was sovereign and rooted in His initiative, not their merit. This election is central to their identity and covenant relationship, making the people's belief in its rejection particularly despairing.
• וַיִּמְאָסֵם (vayi-m'a'asem): "and he has rejected them" - A strong Hebrew verb (ma'as) meaning to spurn, despise, abhor, or reject utterly. This word conveys the intensity of the people's perception: they believe God's judgment amounts to a total repudiation of His chosen people.
• וַיְנָאֲצוּ (vay'na'atzu): "and they despise / scorned / spurned" - Similar in force to ma'as, this verb indicates the contempt or disdain that "they" (the pessimistic "this people") now hold for "my people." It shows their profound disappointment and loss of hope.
• אֶת־עַמִּי (et-ammi): "my people" - In contrast to "this people," God still refers to them as "my people," revealing His continued love, ownership, and covenant relationship despite their current distress and the speaker's despair. It is a term of endearment and a reminder of His enduring commitment.
• מִהְיוֹת גּוֹי (mihyot goy): "from being a nation" - "Nation" (goy) in this context refers not merely to a group of people, but to an established political entity with its own land, governance, and identity, as promised by God (e.g., to Abraham). The despair implies a complete dissolution of these foundational elements of their covenant identity.
• לִפְנֵיהֶם (lifnehem): "in their sight / before them" - This refers to the perspective and estimation of "these people" (and potentially the surrounding nations). It indicates that the speakers have judged God's people as having lost their national status, implying shame, humiliation, and a belief that God no longer regards them as a distinct nation worthy of His covenant. This reflects their broken and cynical outlook.

Jeremiah 33 24 Bonus section

This verse encapsulates a crucial theological tension present throughout the prophetic literature: how does God's righteous judgment for Israel's sin reconcile with His unconditional, eternal covenant promises (like the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants)? The "these people" represent those who succumb to fatalism, believing that the judgment has effectively abrogated God's initial election and national promises.

The rhetorical "Have you not observed?" shows God is neither unaware nor indifferent to their despair. Rather, He is challenging their erroneous theological conclusion. This polemic against despair and a flawed understanding of God's covenants is fundamental to Jeremiah's message of a New Covenant, where the promise is ultimately secured not by human faithfulness (which failed), but by God's unilateral action. The "two clans" being "chosen" links directly to the concept of election, an unchanging divine choice, which the subsequent verses (25-26) affirm despite Israel's national disintegration. This also sets the stage for prophecies of Israel's physical return to the land, reunification of the two houses, and ultimate restoration, fulfilling the very national identity they felt they had lost.

Jeremiah 33 24 Commentary

Jeremiah 33:24 functions as a pivot within God's assurances of restoration. God brings into plain view the pervasive despair and the common cynical refrain among "this people." Their current experience of judgment, marked by the fall of both northern Israel and southern Judah, leads them to a profound theological conclusion: God has utterly abandoned His two chosen clans, rendering them no longer a viable nation. This is more than a lament; it's a questioning of God's character and covenant faithfulness, bordering on accusations of fickleness or weakness.

However, God's recognition of this sentiment (implied by the rhetorical question) is not an agreement. Instead, it prepares the ground for a forceful reaffirmation of His steadfast love and unbreakable covenant. By acknowledging the depths of their despair—that they believe their very identity as a chosen nation has been eradicated—God highlights the spiritual crisis facing His people. The divine reply in verses 25-26 directly addresses and refutes this false conclusion, using the stability of creation itself as a witness to the immutability of His promises to David and the Levites, thereby ensuring the future of His "seed" (offspring), Israel. The verse sets up a vital distinction between the human perception of divine rejection (based on outward circumstances) and the divine reality of enduring, unconditional covenant fidelity. It asserts that God never fully "rejects" what He has eternally "chosen," even when He disciplines severely.