Jeremiah 23:17 Meaning: Peace Promises for the Hard-Hearted
They say continually to those who despise me, ‘Yahweh has said, “You will have peace;”’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, ‘No evil will come on you.’
They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
They say continually unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you.
Saying diligently to those despising The word of Jehovah: Peace is for you, And to every one walking in the stubbornness of his heart they have said: Evil doth not come in unto you.
They say constantly unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace. And they say unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his heart, No evil shall come upon you.
Meaning in one sentence
Jeremiah 23:17 meaning, false prophets promised peace to those who despised God. Learn how to test true prophecy and avoid false comfort.
Context
Jeremiah 23 falls within a series of oracles against the leaders of Judah. Kings, priests, and prophets had all failed the people. In this section, God turns His attention specifically to the prophets. They were supposed to speak His word, but instead they spoke visions from their own minds. The chapter describes how they strengthened the hands of evildoers, so that no one turned from wickedness. Verse 17 captures the core of their betrayal: they promised peace to those who had no right to it. They told people who despised God that everything would be fine. They assured those walking in hard-hearted stubbornness that no disaster would come. This was not just a mistake. It was a direct contradiction of the prophetic calling.
Key Words
The Hebrew text uses a rare construction: 'omerim 'amor, meaning “they say, saying.” The second word intensifies the first. These prophets did not speak timidly. They announced their messages with bold confidence, as if they had stood in God’s council. But they had not. That boldness deceived both themselves and their hearers. The verb behind “despise” is na'ats, meaning to spurn or reject with contempt. It is not mild indifference. These people actively turned away from God and His commands. Yet the prophets called them “God’s friends.” And “stubbornness” translates sherirut, a word that appears only here and a few times in Jeremiah and Deuteronomy. It means a hardness, a firmness that refuses to bend. The false prophets did not challenge that hardness. They reinforced it. That is the tragedy: they used God’s name to seal people in their rebellion.
How Christians Read This Verse
Commentators across traditions see in this verse a clear diagnostic. The Anglican Cambridge Bible notes that false prophets “strengthen the hands of evildoers” and encourage permanent evil-doing. The Reformed expositor John Calvin writes that false prophets “flatter the ungodly and wicked despisers of God” and thereby harden them in impiety. The Baptist theologian John Gill points out that they not only lied, but they lied in the name of the Lord, making their deception a kind of blasphemy. Each tradition reads the same danger: a prophecy that contradicts God’s moral demands cannot come from Him. When a message makes sin feel safe, something is wrong.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading treats this verse as only about the prophets themselves. Think: “That was then, and I’m not a prophet.” In fact, the verse also warns everyone who listens. The people who wanted peace without repentance were complicit in the lie. They chose teachers who told them what they wanted to hear. The deception required both a false speaker and a willing ear. When we prefer comfortable messages over honest ones, we are repeating the same pattern.
Living This Out
This week, notice what messages you eagerly accept. Do you prefer the voices that tell you your habits are fine, your compromises harmless? The false prophets in Jeremiah knew what their audience wanted to hear. They delivered it. But God’s word sometimes brings discomfort before it brings healing. Consider one area where you have assumed “no evil will come” and ask the Lord if that is true. It may be a relationship, a financial choice, or a pattern of speech. A real message from God calls you to return to Him, not to stay the same.
Main takeaway: A message that promises peace to those who refuse to repent is not from God, no matter how confidently it is spoken.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people told others that God said everything would be okay, even when those people were being mean to God. That was a lie. We should always tell the truth about what God says, even if it’s hard.
For ages 9, 12
In Jeremiah’s time, false prophets told people what they wanted to hear. They said God promised peace to everyone, even those who ignored Him. But Jeremiah warned that real peace comes after repentance, not before. How can you tell if a message is from God? Compare it with the whole Bible. A real message from God always calls you to love Him and obey His commands, not to stay the same.
Questions People Ask
What does 'despise me' mean in Jeremiah 23:17?
It translates the Hebrew verb na'ats, which means to spurn or reject with contempt. These people were not just ignoring God; they were actively turning away from Him and His commands. The false prophets pretended that this attitude made no difference.
Why did the false prophets promise peace if they knew it was a lie?
They spoke from their own hearts, not from God's word. They wanted approval and popularity, so they told the people what they wanted to hear. The surrounding verses show they were also involved in immoral behavior and had no real encounter with God.
Is 'peace' always a good thing from God?
The Hebrew word shalom means wholeness and well-being, but it comes through right relationship with God. The false prophets used it as an empty slogan to cover sin. True peace follows repentance, not rebellion.
How can we know if a prophecy or message is from God?
True prophecy aligns with God's character and moral commands. It calls people to turn from wrongdoing, not to stay comfortable. The false prophets violated this test: they strengthened evildoers and removed any motivation to change.
What happened to these false prophets?
In the surrounding verses, God promised to feed them with wormwood and make them drink poisoned water. He said a storm of His wrath would burst on their heads. Their false confidence did not protect them from judgment.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study