Jeremiah 23:14 Meaning: The Sin That Makes a People Like Sodom
In the prophets of Jerusalem I have also seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one returns from his wickedness. They have all become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.”
I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
And in prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing, Committing adultery, and walking falsely, Yea, they strengthened the hands of evil doers, So that they have not turned back Each from his wickedness, They have been to me--all of them--as Sodom, And its inhabitants as Gomorrah.
And in the prophets of Jerusalem have I seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in falsehood, and strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that none doth return from his wickedness. They are all become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
Meaning in one sentence
Why Jeremiah called Jerusalem's prophets worse than Samaria's and how their lies prevented repentance. The terrible comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah.
Context
Jeremiah is God's messenger during the final crumbling years of Judah. In chapter 23 he turns his attention to the prophets, the very people who should speak for God. Earlier in the chapter he condemned the prophets of Samaria, the northern kingdom, for leading Israel astray by prophesying in the name of Baal. These men in Jerusalem had the temple, the law, the true worship, yet what God saw in them was even worse. This verse comes as the climax of that comparison, showing that the sin of Jerusalem's prophets was not just false teaching but actively hardening people in their wickedness.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words hold the weight of this verse. The word translated horrible thing (sha'arurah) has the force of filthiness or stench, something that makes you recoil. God is not mildly displeased. He is sickened by what He sees. The phrase strengthen the hands (chazaq yad) means to make someone bold, to give them courage to keep sinning. It is the opposite of what a prophet should do. Instead of warning people to turn back, these prophets made evildoers feel safe. And that word return (shuv) is the Old Testament word for repentance, turning around and going the other way. The prophets removed any reason to turn.
How Christians Read This Verse
Readers across traditions have focused on different aspects of this verse. Many Reformed commentators note that the sin of Jerusalem's prophets is worse because they had greater privilege, the temple and the true worship, yet they were more corrupt than the Baal-prophets of Samaria. Matthew Henry points out that they should have been examples of holiness, but instead they led the way in sin. Others, like Calvin, emphasize that their sin was not just personal immorality but the way they gave evildoers confidence. Across all traditions, Christians agree that the comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah signals a judgment as total as that ancient destruction.
A common misunderstanding
A common misunderstanding is that this verse condemns only the worst kind of blatant immorality. In fact, the core sin here is subtler: these prophets strengthened the hands of evildoers by their silence and their false promises of peace. They did not need to commit every sin themselves, they just made it easier for others to stay in sin. That is the 'horrible thing' God saw.
Living This Out
This week, pay attention to whom your words give courage. It is easy to comfort a friend by saying things will be fine, even when you know they are walking a destructive path. Jeremiah calls us to be people who tell the truth gently, not people who make it safe to stay in sin. You do not have to be harsh, but you do have to be honest. Ask God for the wisdom to know when a word of warning is the most loving thing you can offer.
Main takeaway: When those who should speak for God instead make sin feel safe, they lead a whole people toward the kind of judgment that destroyed Sodom.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God sees everything we do, even the things we try to hide. He wants us to help each other do what is right, not what is wrong.
For ages 9, 12
In Jeremiah's time, the prophets were supposed to tell people to stop sinning and come back to God. Instead, they made people feel okay about doing wrong. That made God very sad and angry, because He loved His people and wanted them to be safe. When we see a friend doing something wrong, the loving thing is not to pretend it is fine, but to gently help them choose what is right.
Questions People Ask
What does 'strengthen the hands of evildoers' mean in Jeremiah 23:14?
It means these prophets gave wicked people confidence and encouragement to keep sinning. Instead of warning them to repent, the prophets made them feel safe and approved. That is why God calls it a horrible thing.
How was Jerusalem's sin worse than Samaria's in this passage?
The prophets of Samaria led Israel astray by worshiping Baal, a false god. But the prophets of Jerusalem had the true worship of Yahweh in the temple, yet they still committed adultery, lied, and encouraged evil. Their sin was worse because they had more light and rejected it more deeply.
Does Jeremiah literally mean Jerusalem has become as evil as Sodom and Gomorrah?
Yes, he is comparing the whole society to those cities that God destroyed for their wickedness. The comparison is not about the specific sins of Sodom but about the level of corruption and the certainty of coming judgment. Jerusalem's moral state was so bad that God saw it as another Sodom.
What is the 'horrible thing' in this verse?
The Hebrew word sha'arurah means something vile, filthy, or stinking. It refers to the combination of adultery, lying, and especially the way these prophets encouraged evildoers to stay in their sin. God is not just angry; He is deeply disgusted by what He sees among His own people.
How does Jeremiah 23:14 apply to Christians today?
It warns anyone in spiritual leadership not to affirm people in sin or to give false assurances of peace. It also calls all believers to examine whether our words and silence make it easier for others to continue in wrong. The loving thing is to gently call people back to repentance, not to confirm them in their path.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study