Jeremiah 29:23
in Jeremiah 29For they have committed an outrage in Israel by committing adultery with the wives of their neighbors and speaking lies in My name, which I did not command them to do. I am He who knows, and I am a witness, declares the LORD.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
because they have wrought folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I commanded them not; and I am he that knoweth, and am witness, saith Jehovah.
KJV
Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.
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This verse in Jeremiah 29
Commentary
9 notes on this verseBecause they have committed villany in Israel,.... Or "folly" (f); as the sins of adultery, and prophesying falsely, are afterwards mentioned.
This site's exposition
whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire
on Jeremiah 29:22-23
Their deaths become a curse: “May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!” Verse 23 names the ground, adultery with “the wives of their neighbors,” and “lies in My name,” so false prophecy and moral corruption go together.
This site's exposition
committed an outrage in Israel
John Gill notes that the Hebrew word for outrage can also mean folly, and he ties it to the two sins named next. The two prophets joined adultery to lies told in the Lord's name. The Lord Himself is the witness.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Verses 21-23) This is what the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says to Ahaziah son of Coliah, and to Zedekiah son of Maasiah, who prophesy to you falsely in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will strike them down before your eyes.
[Daniel 13:5] "And there were two of the elders of the people (the Vulgate omits: of the people) who were appointed judges that year." There was a Jew who used to allege that these men were Ahab and Zedekiah (variant: Alchias and Zedekiah), of whom Jeremiah wrote: "The Lord do to thee as Ahab and Zedekiah, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire because of the iniquity they had wrought in Israel and because they had committed adultery (variant: were committing adultery) with the wives of their citizens" (Jeremiah 29:22-23). "It was concerning them that the Lord said that iniquity came forth from Babylon on the part of the ancient judges who appeared to govern the people. They used to frequent the house of Joakim..." Very appropriately it is not said of these sinful elders, "They governed the people," but rather, "They appeared to govern." For those who furnish good leadership to the people are the ones who govern them, but those who merely have the title of judge and lead the people unjustly only appear to govern the people rather than actually doing so.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), and this is the purport of Jeremiah's letter. Here is a letter which Shemaiah, a false prophet in Babylon, wrote to the priests at Jerusalem, to stir them up to persecute Jeremiah (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
), They have spoken lying words in my name. Lying was bad, lying to the people of God to delude them into a false hope was worse, but fathering their lies upon the God of truth was worst of all. And no marvel if those that had the face to do that could allow themselves in the gratification of those vile affections to which God, in a way of righteous judgment, gave them up.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives - This is supposed to refer to the case of Susanna. See above.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Villany - Elsewhere folly, in the sense of lewdness Jdg 20:6, unchastity.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יַ֡עַן | yaan | because | H3282 → | 99 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֩ | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשׂ֨וּ | ʾasu | they did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| נְבָלָ֜ה | nevalah | folly | H5039 → | |
| בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל | beyisrael | in Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיְנַֽאֲפוּ֙ | vaynaafu | and they committed adultery | H5003 → | 31 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| נְשֵׁ֣י | neshei | [the] wives of | H802 → | 781 times |
| רֵֽעֵיהֶ֔ם | reeihem | neighbors their | H7453 → | 188 times |
| וַיְדַבְּר֨וּ | vaydaberu | and they spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| דָבָ֤ר | davar | a word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| בִּשְׁמִי֙ | bishmi | in name my | H8034 → | 864 times |
| שֶׁ֔קֶר | sheker | falsehood | H8267 → | 113 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֖ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ל֣וֹא | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| צִוִּיתִ֑ם | tzivitim | I commanded them | H6680 → | 494 times |
| וְאָנֹכִ֛י | veanokhi | and I | H595 → | 359 times |
| הַיּוֹדֵ֥עַ | huyodea' | [am he] who knows | H3045 → | 945 times |
| וָעֵ֖ד | vaed | and a witness | H5707 → | 70 times |
| נְאֻם־ | neum- | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ ס | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
יַ֡עַןbecause
yaanH3282 →99 times
אֲשֶׁר֩that
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָשׂ֨וּthey did
ʾasuH6213 →2628 times
נְבָלָ֜הfolly
nevalahH5039 →
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לin Israel
beyisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיְנַֽאֲפוּ֙and they committed adultery
vaynaafuH5003 →31 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
נְשֵׁ֣י[the] wives of
nesheiH802 →781 times
רֵֽעֵיהֶ֔םneighbors their
reeihemH7453 →188 times
וַיְדַבְּר֨וּand they spoke
vaydaberuH1696 →1141 times
דָבָ֤רa word
davarH1697 →1440 times
בִּשְׁמִי֙in name my
bishmiH8034 →864 times
שֶׁ֔קֶרfalsehood
shekerH8267 →113 times
אֲשֶׁ֖רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
ל֣וֹאnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
צִוִּיתִ֑םI commanded them
tzivitimH6680 →494 times
וְאָנֹכִ֛יand I
veanokhiH595 →359 times
הַיּוֹדֵ֥עַ[am he] who knows
huyodea'H3045 →945 times
וָעֵ֖דand a witness
vaedH5707 →70 times
נְאֻם־[the] utterance of
neum-H5002 →376 times
יְהוָֽה׃ סYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
Hebrews 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- Psalms 33:13–15
The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- Proverbs 15:3
Through
Malachi 3:5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud…
it leads to
- James 5:8–9
You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
- Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
- Deuteronomy 5:11
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
- James 5:8–9
Where this verse is studied
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER THIRTEEN; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.