Jeremiah 23:20
in Jeremiah 23The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has fully accomplished the purposes of His heart. In the days to come you will understand this clearly.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it perfectly.
KJV
The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
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This verse in Jeremiah 23
Commentary
10 notes on this verseIt is the custom in Scripture, after what is bitter, to say kind things for encouragement, and after what is good to say more bitter words. Scripture does this in order that, when they have disdained the wealth of the goodness of God, they may not store up for themselves anger in a day of anger. Hence God said, "If anger comes, it will not withdraw unless God has accomplished what he wants." And if God wants, anger also occurs, in order that what God wants does occur.
This site's exposition
This is what the LORD of
on Jeremiah 23:16-22
A true word is tested by its source. These prophets “speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD,” and promise, “No harm will come to you.” Verse 22 gives the test, since true prophets would have “turned them back from their evil ways and deeds.”
This site's exposition
The anger of the LORD
Wesley pictures the LORD's anger as a messenger who will not come back until his errand is done. In the days to come, the people will understand what the false prophets denied. Nearly the same line closes 30:24.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 19, 20.) Behold, a whirlwind (or a storm, and commotion) of the Lord's indignation will go forth, and a bursting storm will come upon the head of the wicked, and the Lord's fury will not turn back until He has done, and until He has fulfilled the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days, you will understand His plan.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The anger - The prophet speaks of the judgment as of a messenger, which should not return till it had done its errand, and executed what God had resolved it should effect.
The anger of the Lord shall not return,....
Note, Those that will not fear the threatenings shall feel the execution of them, and will then perfectly understand what they will not now admit the evidence of, what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of a just and jealous God. Those that will not consider in time will be made to consider when it is too late.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Primarily the meaning is: the Jews will not "consider" now God's warnings (De 32:29); but when the prophecies shall be fulfilled in their Babylonish exile, they will consider and see, by bitter experience, their sinful folly. The ultimate scope of the prophecy is: the Jews, in their final dispersion, shall at last "consider" their sin and turn to Messiah "perfectly" (Ho 3:5;
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2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
In the latter days ye shall consider it - I give you warning: and this punishment which I now threaten shall surely take place; a short time will determine it; ye shall not escape.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The latter days - The proper and final development of any event or series of events. Thus, the expression is used of the Christian dispensation as the full development of the Jewish Church. Here it means the destruction of Jerusalem, as the result of the sins of the Jews. Consider - Rather, understand. When Jerusalem is destroyed, the exiles - taught by adversity - will understand that it was sin which brought ruin upon their country.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לֹ֤א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָשׁוּב֙ | yashuv | it will turn back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אַף־ | ʾaf- | [the] anger of | H639 → | 276 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עֲשֹׂת֥וֹ | asoto | has brought about he | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הֲקִימ֖וֹ | hakimo | has carried out he | H6965 → | 628 times |
| מְזִמּ֣וֹת | mezimot | [the] purposes of | H4209 → | 19 times |
| לִבּ֑וֹ | libo | heart his | H3820 → | 595 times |
| בְּאַֽחֲרִית֙ | beacharit | at [the] end of | H319 → | 61 times |
| הַיָּמִ֔ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| תִּתְבּ֥וֹנְנוּ | titbonu | you will understand | H995 → | 170 times |
| בָ֖הּ | vah | <in> <the> it | ||
| בִּינָֽה׃ | binah | understanding | H998 → |
לֹ֤אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יָשׁוּב֙it will turn back
yashuvH7725 →1056 times
אַף־[the] anger of
ʾaf-H639 →276 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עֲשֹׂת֥וֹhas brought about he
asotoH6213 →2628 times
וְעַד־and until
vead-H5704 →1261 times
הֲקִימ֖וֹhas carried out he
hakimoH6965 →628 times
מְזִמּ֣וֹת[the] purposes of
mezimotH4209 →19 times
לִבּ֑וֹheart his
liboH3820 →595 times
בְּאַֽחֲרִית֙at [the] end of
beacharitH319 →61 times
הַיָּמִ֔יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
תִּתְבּ֥וֹנְנוּyou will understand
titbonuH995 →170 times
בָ֖הּ<in> <the> it
vah
בִּינָֽה׃understanding
binahH998 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 55:11so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
it leads to
- Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
- Isaiah 46:10
I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
- Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
- Isaiah 45:23
By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
- Matthew 24:35
Through
Isaiah 14:24The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 46:10–11
I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
- Job 23:13
But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires.
- Proverbs 19:21
Where this verse is studied
About Jeremiah
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, FRAGMENTS ON JEREMIAH 52.