Jeremiah 14:12
in Jeremiah 14Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
KJV
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
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This verse in Jeremiah 14
Commentary
11 notes on this verseYou see, then, that fasting is certainly not considered by the Lord as a thing that is good in its own nature, because it becomes good and well-pleasing to God not by itself but by other works. Again, from the surrounding circumstances it may be regarded as not merely empty but hateful, as the Lord says: "When they fast, I will not hear their prayers."
This site's exposition
Truly they love to wander
on Jeremiah 14:10-12
The LORD answers the prayer by naming the pattern beneath it, “Truly they love to wander”. Jeremiah is told, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people”, and fasting and burnt offerings will not be accepted. The prophet is forbidden the very intercession his office exists to make.
This site's exposition
Although they may fast
Fasting and the offerings were the forms of Israel's worship, and God refuses them all. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the refusal as a verdict on prayers made while the heart still clung to idols. Sword, famine and plague come at once.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(Verse 11, 12.) And the Lord said to me: Do not pray for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not listen to their prayers, and if they offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, I will not accept them; for I will consume them by sword, famine, and pestilence. It is foolish to pray for one who has sinned unto death, as John says: There is a sin unto death, I do not say that anyone should pray for him (1 John 5:16). All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not unto death.
In the Gospel, the Savior commends the unjust steward because, although he defrauded his master, he acted wisely for his own interests. The heretics in this instance pursued the same course. When they saw how great a matter a little fire had kindled, and that the flames applied by them to the foundations had by this time reached the housetops and that the deception practiced on many could no longer be hid, they asked for and obtained letters of commendation from the church, so that it might appear that until the day of their departure they had continued in full communion with it. Shortly afterward the distinguished Anastasius succeeded to the pontificate. But he was soon taken away, for it was not fitting that the head of the world should be struck off during the episcopate of one so great. He was removed, no doubt, that he might not seek to turn away by his prayers the sentence of God passed once for all. For the words of the Lord to Jeremiah concerning Israel applied equally to Rome: "Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry. When they offer burnt offering and oblation, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence."
Although God is by nature good, yet he is also just, and as the case requires. He knows how to heal but also how to strike. He brings peace, but he brings about evil. He desires repentance, yet he commands Jeremiah not to intercede for the sinful people, since, he says, even if they fast, I will not hear their prayer.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
That they had forfeited all benefit by the prophet's prayers for them because they had not regarded his preaching to them. This is the meaning of that repeated prohibition given to the prophet (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
When they fast, I will not hear their cry,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The prophet offers another plea in excuse for the people's obstinacy, and it is but an excuse, but he was willing to say whatever their case would bear; it is this, That the prophets, who pretended a commission from heaven, imposed upon them, and flattered them with assurances of peace though they went on in their sinful way,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Their cry i. e - prayer offered aloud. Oblation - A meat-offering Lev 2:1. The sword, famine, and pestilence - The two latter ever follow upon the track of the first Eze 5:12, and by these God will consume them, yet so as to leave a remnant. The chastisement, which crushes those who harden themselves against it, purifies the penitent.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
not hear--because their prayers are hypocritical: their hearts are still idolatrous. God never refuses to hear real prayer (Jer 7:21, 22; 58:3). sword . . . famine . . . pestilence--the three sorest judgments at once; any one of which would be enough for their ruin (2Sa 24:12, 13).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָצֻ֗מוּ | yatzumu | they will fast | H6684 → | |
| אֵינֶ֤נִּי | ʾeineni | not I | H369 → | 789 times |
| שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ | shomea' | [will be] listening | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| רִנָּתָ֔ם | rinatam | cry of entreaty their | H7440 → | 33 times |
| וְכִ֧י | vekhi | even if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יַעֲל֛וּ | yaalu | they will offer up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עֹלָ֥ה | ʾolah | a burnt offering | H5930 → | 287 times |
| וּמִנְחָ֖ה | uminchah | and a grain offering | H4503 → | 211 times |
| אֵינֶ֣נִּי | ʾeineni | not I | H369 → | 789 times |
| רֹצָ֑ם | rotzam | [will be] accepting them | H7521 → | |
| כִּ֗י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ | bacherev | by the sword | H2719 → | 413 times |
| וּבָרָעָ֣ב | uvaraav | and by <the> famine | H7458 → | 101 times |
| וּבַדֶּ֔בֶר | uvadever | and by <the> pestilence | H1698 → | 49 times |
| אָנֹכִ֖י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| מְכַלֶּ֥ה | mekhaleh | [will be] bringing to an end | H3615 → | 208 times |
| אוֹתָֽם׃ ס | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יָצֻ֗מוּthey will fast
yatzumuH6684 →
אֵינֶ֤נִּיnot I
ʾeineniH369 →789 times
שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙[will be] listening
shomea'H8085 →1159 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
רִנָּתָ֔םcry of entreaty their
rinatamH7440 →33 times
וְכִ֧יeven if
vekhiH3588 →4482 times
יַעֲל֛וּthey will offer up
yaaluH5927 →890 times
עֹלָ֥הa burnt offering
ʾolahH5930 →287 times
וּמִנְחָ֖הand a grain offering
uminchahH4503 →211 times
אֵינֶ֣נִּיnot I
ʾeineniH369 →789 times
רֹצָ֑ם[will be] accepting them
rotzamH7521 →
כִּ֗יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙by the sword
bacherevH2719 →413 times
וּבָרָעָ֣בand by <the> famine
uvaraavH7458 →101 times
וּבַדֶּ֔בֶרand by <the> pestilence
uvadeverH1698 →49 times
אָנֹכִ֖יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
מְכַלֶּ֥ה[will be] bringing to an end
mekhalehH3615 →208 times
אוֹתָֽם׃ ס<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
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
Proverbs 1:28Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
it leads to
- Micah 3:4
Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
Reached by 4 separate paths from here.
- Zechariah 7:13
And just as I had called and they would not listen, so when they called I would not listen, says the LORD of Hosts.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 11:11
Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- James 4:3
And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
- Micah 3:4
Through
Zechariah 7:13And just as I had called and they would not listen, so when they called I would not listen, says the LORD of Hosts.
it leads to
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
Reached by 4 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 1:24–28
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
- Isaiah 1:15
Through
Jeremiah 11:11Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them.
it leads to
- Proverbs 1:28
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 1:28
Through
Jeremiah 6:20What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 1:11
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood…
- Isaiah 1:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; Jerome, LETTER 127.10; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 3:21.14; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, ON PURITY 2.