Jeremiah 23:15 Meaning: Wormwood and Gall
Therefore Yahweh of Armies says concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink poisoned water; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.
Therefore, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, concerning the prophets: Lo, I am causing them to eat wormwood, And have caused them to drink water of gall, For, from prophets of Jerusalem Hath profanity gone forth to all the land.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God use wormwood and poisoned water to describe the punishment of false prophets? Learn what this verse teaches about leading others astray.
Context
Jeremiah 23 is a courtroom scene. God is indicting the prophets and priests of Jerusalem. They were supposed to be shepherds, but instead they led the people into ruin. In the verses just before this one, God says He has seen a horrible thing in Jerusalem: prophets committing adultery, walking in lies, and strengthening the hands of evildoers so that no one turns from wickedness. They had become like Sodom to Him. Now God declares what they will face: the bitter taste of their own doing. The word is coming straight from the Lord of Armies, the commander of heaven’s forces.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words give this verse its sting.
Wormwood (la'anah) is a plant so bitter it became a shorthand for grief and curse. The prophets had served the people sweet lies; God would serve them bitterness they could not spit out.
Poisoned water (mei rosh) literally means “water of venom.” Rosh is gall, something lethal. The false prophets had poisoned the land with their teaching; now they would drink the poison themselves. The punishment fits the crime.
And then the reason: ungodliness (chanuppah) is a rare word meaning profaneness, moral contamination. It is not just personal sin; it is defilement that spreads. The prophets did not merely stumble; they infected the whole land. This is why God’s judgment is so stark: what they carried was contagious.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen this verse as a sobering warning. Calvin (Reformed) wrote that God will pursue false teachers with every kind of punishment, turning even their table into a snare. The Cambridge Bible (Anglican) connects it to the theme that the prophets of Jerusalem shocked God by immorality and lying, infecting the entire land like a plague. Gill (Baptist) notes that as they poisoned the people with false doctrines, they would drink poison themselves. Matthew Henry (Presbyterian) emphasizes the guilt of those who strengthen evildoers and cause none to return from wickedness. Each tradition agrees: spiritual leaders bear a terrible responsibility, and God sees the damage they cause.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse and think God is being cruel, feeding prophets wormwood and poison for personal failure. But the pain in God’s voice is not cruelty; it is grief over what the prophets have done. They have spread ungodliness across the whole land. The judgment fits the crime: they poisoned others, so they taste poison themselves. The focus is not just on their punishment, but on the ruin they caused to everyone around them.
Living This Out
You may not be a prophet in Jerusalem, but you still influence people. Your words carry weight, at work, at home, among friends. This week, pay attention to what you are serving others. Is it truth, or is it what they want to hear? Is your life spreading something that draws people toward God, or something that pulls them away? A small lie told to make someone comfortable can poison a whole conversation. Ask God to show you where you might be unknowingly contaminating others with careless words. And if you are in a position of teaching or leadership, take this verse as a prayer: "Lord, keep me from feeding others what will harm them."
Main takeaway: False teaching spreads poison through a whole community, and God holds leaders accountable for the damage they cause.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Wormwood tastes very bitter. The prophets were telling lies to God’s people, so God said they would have to taste something bitter too. Always tell the truth, because lies hurt everyone.
For ages 9, 12
In Jeremiah 23:15, God uses strong pictures: wormwood and poison. He is talking about prophets who were supposed to help people know God, but instead they told lies and helped people do wrong. Their bad behavior spread like a sickness all over the land. God says He will give them what they gave others. This shows how seriously God takes truth and leadership. Even if you are not a prophet, your words and choices affect the people around you. Be someone who spreads good things, not poison.
Questions People Ask
What does wormwood mean in the Bible?
Wormwood is a bitter plant used in Scripture as a symbol of sorrow, curse, and judgment. It appears in Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Revelation (where a star named Wormwood poisons the waters). In Jeremiah 23:15, God says He will feed false prophets with wormwood, meaning they will experience the bitter consequences of their own lies.
Is God really making prophets drink actual poison?
The language is figurative, not literal. God is using the imagery of wormwood and poisoned water to describe severe judgment. The prophets had poisoned the people with false teachings, so God says they will taste the bitterness and destruction they caused. The point is that their punishment exactly fits their crime.
Why does God punish false prophets so harshly?
Because they led people away from God and prevented them from repenting. In verses 11, 14, God says both prophet and priest are profane, and they strengthen the hands of evildoers so that no one turns from wickedness. Spiritual leaders have a huge responsibility. When they abuse it, the damage spreads to everyone. God’s judgment is severe because the harm is severe.
Can this verse apply to pastors and teachers today?
Many Christians believe so. While the specific office of Old Testament prophet no longer exists in the same way, the principle remains: those who teach God’s people are accountable to God for what they say and how they live. James 3:1 says not many should become teachers because they will be judged more strictly. Jeremiah 23:15 is a serious warning for anyone in spiritual leadership.
What does 'profaneness gone forth into all the land' mean?
The Hebrew word chanuppah means moral pollution or godlessness. It is not just private sin, it is a contamination that spreads. The false prophets did not keep their wickedness to themselves; their lies and bad examples infected the whole nation. This verse shows that bad leadership does not just hurt the leader; it poisons everyone around them.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study