Jeremiah 5:31 · Bible study
Jeremiah 5:31 Commentary: False Prophecy, Corrupt Priests, and the People's Love for It
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jeremiah 5:31 exposes a threefold tragedy: false prophets, corrupt priests, and a people who love the deception. What will you do in the end?
Research Summary
- Meaning: A threefold indictment of false prophets, corrupt priests, and a people who embrace the deception, with a warning of certain judgment.
- Key words: Prophets, falsehood, priests, rule by their hands, love, end, each shows the depth of corruption and complicity.
- Main debate: The exact sense of 'rule by their means', is it teaching, governing at their direction, or receiving gifts? All point to collaboration in sin.
- Theological theme: The human preference for comforting falsehood over convicting truth, and the accountability of both leaders and followers.
- Best use: A caution against preferring comfortable error; a call to examine how we may love soothing messages more than God’s word.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?
WEB World English Bible 2000
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?
KJV King James Version 1769
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
The prophets have prophesied falsely, And the priests bear rule by their means, And My people have loved it so, And what do they at its latter end?
Darby Darby Bible 1890
the prophets prophesy falsehood, and the priests rule by their means; and my people love [to have it] so. But what will ye do in the end thereof?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The prophets prophesied falsehood, and the priests clapped their hands: and my people loved such things: what then shall be done in the end thereof?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Los profetas profetizaron mentira, y los sacerdotes dirigían por manos de ellos; y mi pueblo así lo quiso. ¿ Qué pues haréis á su fin?
Os profetas profetizam falsamente, e os sacerdotes exercem liderança por suas próprias mãos; e meu povo assim o quer. Mas o que fareis quando isto chegar ao fim?
Les prophètes prophétisent avec fausseté,
Die Propheten weissagen falsch, und die Priester herrschen in ihrem Amt, und mein Volk hat's gern also. Wie will es euch zuletzt darob gehen?
De profeten profeteren valselijk, en de priesters heersen door hun handen; en Mijn volk heeft het gaarne alzo; maar wat zult gij ten einde van dien maken?
i profeti profetano bugiardamente; i sacerdoti governano agli ordini de’ profeti; e il mio popolo ha piacere che sia così. E che farete voi quando verrà la fine?
Prorocy kłamliwie prorokują, a kapłani panują przez ręce ich, a lud mój kocha się w tem; czegożbyście na ostatek nie uczynili?
пророки пророчествуют ложь, и священники господствуют при посредстве их, и народ Мой любит это. Что же вы будете делать после всего этого?
就是先知 說假 預言，祭司 藉 他們 把持權柄；我的百姓 也喜愛 這些事，到了結局 你們怎樣 行呢？
The prophets give false words and the priests give decisions by their direction; and my people are glad to have it so: and what will you do in the end?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 5:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions read this verse as a threefold indictment of Judah’s spiritual leadership and the nation itself. Adam Clarke notes that the false prophets predicted favorable things to please princes and people, while the priests used that influence to keep their positions and enrich themselves. Calvin is struck by the audacity: at the very site of God’s sanctuary, impostors claimed God’s name. The people, far from resisting, loved the arrangement, Clarke says they were willing to continue in sin without reproof. Gill and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown agree that the phrase 'bear rule by their means' (literally, 'at their hands') describes the priests acting under the false prophets’ guidance. Lange identifies it as a priestly technical term meaning 'under inspection' or 'by appointment.' All these sources concur that the question, 'What will you do in the end thereof?' points to the coming Babylonian judgment, a fatal outcome the people had not considered. The consensus is stark: the corruption runs from leaders to laity, and the end is certain. It is a painful reminder that we, too, can prefer an easy lie over a hard truth.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Priests rule as teachers under prophets' guidance: Cambridge Bible suggests reading from root for 'teach'; supported by 1 Chronicles 25:2-3
- Priests receive gifts (bribes): Geneva Bible and some readings of LXX/Vulgate; supported by Jeremiah's context of greed
- Priests rule under the prophets' direction: Calvin, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Lange; the phrase 'at their hands' implies authority delegated from prophets
- Princes rule by their means: Gill and Jarchi argue that 'priests' can also be rendered 'princes'; this shifts responsibility to civil rulers
What is clear: All three groups – prophets, priests, and people – are complicit in rejecting God’s word, and the coming judgment is certain.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of 'the prophets' | All commentators agree they are false prophets who contradict God’s actual message through Jeremiah. | The main agreement stands; the issue is not contested. |
| Meaning of 'priests rule by their means' | The priests are corrupted by their association with false prophets, using that connection for their own ends. | Some, like Cambridge Bible, suggest a root meaning 'teach,' so the priests taught by the prophets’ guidance. Others, like Lange, see a technical term for official appointment under the prophets. Geneva and others render it as 'receive gifts in their hands,' implying bribery. Gill also offers 'princes' as a reading, arguing it refers to civil rulers. |
| People's love for it | The people are complicit and embrace the falsehood willingly, not merely as victims. | Whether this love is active delight in sin (Clarke) or a passive preference for comfort (Matthew Henry), both are in view, but the emphasis shifts slightly. |
| Nature of 'the end' | The end refers to the coming judgment, most likely the Babylonian exile. | Some see it primarily as the immediate historical destruction; others note that the language echoes Deuteronomy 32:29 and can be applied to eschatological judgment as well. Both readings are found in the commentaries. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah prophesied in the final decades of the kingdom of Judah, roughly 627, 586 BC. The nation faced the rising threat of Babylon, yet many prophets insisted God would never let Jerusalem fall. They offered peace, prosperity, and divine protection, precisely what the people wanted to hear (see Jeremiah 6:14, 23:16, 17). In this climate, the priests, originally charged with teaching the Torah, had become political players. The Hebrew phrase behind 'rule by their means' (על ידי) is debated. Cambridge Bible suggests it may mean 'teach' from a root related to Torah; Lange points to it as a technical term for official appointment, as in 1 Chronicles 25:2, 3. Calvin noted that priests 'received into their hands' could mean they gathered gifts. But most agree that the priests lent their authority to the prophets’ lies in exchange for power or profit. What makes the scene 'astonishing and horrible' (v. 30) is the people’s response: they loved it. The verb אָהֵב (love) conveys deep affection, not passive tolerance. The people cherished a religion that made no demands and threatened no judgment. This is a culture of mutual deception, prophets, priests, and people all served each other’s preferences. The rhetorical question closing the verse echoes Deuteronomy 32:29: will you consider your latter end? Isaiah 10:3 asks a similar question: what will you do when the devastation comes from afar? The implication is that judgment will break the illusion, but by then it will be too late. This chapter presses us to examine our own appetite for comforting lies at the expense of truth.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text reads יִרְדּוּ ('they rule') from the root רדה (to rule). However, the Septuagint and Vulgate read 'they clapped with their hands,' possibly reflecting a different vocalization of the same consonants or a different root (רדד, to beat). Lange notes that Blayney and Boothroyd follow this reading. The Targum has 'they blessed their hands.' The textual evidence thus shows a divergence: the MT emphasizes priestly dominion, while the ancient versions envision a gesture of approval or applause. The differences do not affect the overall sense of collaboration between prophets and priests, but they nuance whether the priests actively governed or simply endorsed with their hands.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been used as a warning against the seduction of false teaching and the corruption of the clergy. Early Christian writers saw in it a prophecy of the apostasy that would arise within Israel and, by analogy, within the church. The Reformers, especially Calvin, applied it to the Papacy, arguing that when prophets and priests collude to suppress the gospel, the people who love the deception share the guilt. Puritan commentators like Matthew Henry used the verse to decry the moral decay of his own nation, calling it 'a wonderful and horrible thing' that any people should love their own misguidance. In modern evangelical tradition, the verse speaks to the danger of prosperity preaching and consumer-driven ministry. It remains a sobering call to examine whether our ‘love’ for a message is really love for God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The False Prophets, Prophesying Falsehood. They spoke peace when war was coming, assurance when judgment was deserved, comfort when repentance was needed. Their message was shaped by what would be accepted, not by what God had said.
- The Corrupt Priests, Ruling by Their Means. Instead of teaching the law and calling the people back to covenant, the priests used the prophets’ influence to secure their own power. Whether they received gifts or governed at the prophets’ direction, they abandoned their true calling.
- The Complicit People, Loving It So. The people did not suffer the corruption; they enjoyed it. They wanted a religion that allowed them to keep sinning without consequence. The warning is that judgment comes when all three parties are aligned against God.
Five-point outline
- False prophets speak what people want to hear. They trade divine truth for popular approval (see Isaiah 30:10).
- Priests collaborate for power. They abandon their teaching office to become agents of the prophets’ deception.
- The people embrace the deception. Their love for it shows deep complicity, not naive victimhood.
- The shocking collaboration. At the very place where God’s name dwelt, prophets and priests worked together to lead the people astray.
- The coming end. The question is left unanswered, because the answer is devastating: you will face the judgment you refused to believe.
Illustration hooks
- A workplace where managers promote only employees who agree with them, ignoring serious problems. Everyone knows it is wrong, but staff go along because it makes their own jobs easier. The culture of silence becomes a shared deception.
- A church where the pastor avoids difficult topics like repentance or generosity because attendance is high and offerings are good. The congregation appreciates the sermons, but no one grows. Both sides love the comfort, and both miss the warning.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I tell if the teaching I hear is truth or just what I want to hear?
- What should I do if I see my spiritual leaders more concerned with popularity than with faithfulness?
- Why does God allow corrupt leadership to continue so long before bringing judgment?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 5:31 forces us to look at the uncomfortable partnership between false teachers, corrupt leaders, and a willing audience. It is easy to blame the prophets and priests, but the verse includes 'my people', they loved it too. As you discuss this passage, let it press you to consider your own appetite for comfortable messages.
Discussion questions
- What does this verse reveal about the relationship between the prophets, priests, and people? Why does Jeremiah call their collaboration 'astonishing and horrible' (v. 30)?
- In your own words, what does it mean that the priests 'rule by their means'? What are some ways spiritual leaders today might be tempted to rely on another person’s influence rather than on God’s word?
- Why do you think the people 'love to have it so'? What comforts do false messages offer that the true message of repentance and covenant faithfulness does not?
- What is 'the end' the verse refers to? How do Deuteronomy 32:29 and Isaiah 10:3 shape your understanding of this warning?
- How can a congregation guard against the kind of collective self-deception described here? Are there warning signs that a church is drifting into a love for comfortable falsehood?
- Can a person be deceived by false teaching and still be held responsible? Why or why not, in light of this verse?
- What practical steps can you take this week to love truth more than comfort in your own spiritual life?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 32:29 | Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! |
| Isaiah 10:3 | What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth? |
| Isaiah 20:6 | The inhabitants of this coast land will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is our expectation, where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria. And we, how will we escape?’” |
| Isaiah 30:10 | who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits. |
| Isaiah 30:11 | Get out of the way. Turn away from the path. Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” |
| Isaiah 33:14 | The sinners in Zion are afraid. Trembling has seized the godless ones. Who among us can live with the devouring fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning? |
| Jeremiah 4:30 | You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with makeup, you make yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life. |
| Jeremiah 4:31 | For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who gives birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, “Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the corrupt alliance between false prophets and priests: prophets give pleasing predictions, and priests gain control over the people in return. The people are complicit because this arrangement lets them sin without reproof. This mutual deception marks the height of corruption.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin is struck by the monstrosity of false prophets operating in Jerusalem, God's own sanctuary. He sees this as far worse than even the Papacy's corruption, because the very place where God dwelt was defiled by impostors claiming his name. The priests then ruled through these false prophets, compounding the outrage.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights Jeremiah's isolation, arguing that unlike earlier prophets who could rely on other prophets as a reserve, Jeremiah felt abandoned by both the priesthood and the prophets. On the disputed phrase, they favor reading the Hebrew root as "teach" rather than "put money into their pockets."
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note highlights the shared guilt: prophets lie, priests take bribes, and the people actually delight in this corruption. The pointed question forces the reader to consider the coming judgment. When God finally acts, what excuse will anyone have?
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the shocking alliance between false prophets and priests or princes, who together deceived the people and kept them in bondage. Even more striking is that the people themselves loved this arrangement because the false prophets spoke smooth, pleasing words. He warns that such evil governance will only end in ruin and captivity.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the entire chapter as a demonstration that Israel's corruption springs from a single root: the complete absence of אמוּנה, meaning truthfulness and faithful loyalty. This deficiency surfaces first in public justice, then spreads through marriage, religious devotion, idolatrous worship, social dealings, and finally overwhelms every level of leadership and common life.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry stresses that the people's own sins, not God's unwillingness, have stopped the flow of His blessings like the rains. He points to the shocking moral decay among God's own people, where wickedness and exploitation had grown worse than among the heathen. Sin itself is what withholds good.