Jeremiah 14:12

12 "When they fast, I am ¹not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer ²burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to ³make an end of them by the ⁴sword, famine and pestilence."

Jeremiah 14:12 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 14:12

When they fast, I will not hear their cry
Or, "though they fast" ^F11; very probably on account of the want of rain, and the dearth or famine, a fast was proclaimed; see ( Jeremiah 36:9 ) , when they prayed and cried aloud, and made a great noise; but their prayers being hypocritical, and not arising from a pure heart, or offered up in faith and love, were not heard and accepted by the Lord: and when they offer burnt offerings and an oblation;
or a meat or bread offering, which went along with the burnt offering; thinking by those outward things to atone for their sins, without true repentance for them, or faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ: I will not accept them;
neither their offerings, nor their persons: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the
pestilence;
the Lord not only determines the continuance of the famine, notwithstanding the prayers of the prophet; but adds two other judgments, the sword and pestilence, by which he was resolved to consume them; and therefore it was to no purpose to pray to him on their behalf, he was inexorable.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (wmuy yk) "quamvis jejunant", Gataker.

Jeremiah 14:12 In-Context

10 Thus says the LORD to this people, "Even so they have loved to wander; they have not kept their feet in check. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and call their sins to account."

11 So the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for the welfare of this people.

12 "When they fast, I am not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine and pestilence."

13 But, "Ah, Lord GOD!" I said, "Look, the prophets are telling them, 'You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.' "

14 Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 1:28; Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 11:11; Ezekiel 8:18; Micah 3:4; Zechariah 7:13
• 2. Jeremiah 6:20; Jeremiah 7:21
• 3. Jeremiah 8:13
• 4. Jeremiah 21:9