Behold, they say to me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jeremiah 17:15
What does Jeremiah 17:15 mean?
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Jeremiah 17:15
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The people's challenge, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!" isn't just a question; it’s a defiant dare. They aren't truly seeking understanding, but are arrogantly mocking Jeremiah, implying his prophecies are empty threats and daring God to prove them wrong.
Behold, they say to me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is facing intense mockery from people who refuse to believe his warnings of judgment. They challenge him directly, demanding to see proof that his prophecies about God's wrath are real, implying he's making it all up and daring God to act. This taunt reveals that these pronouncements are happening before any major disaster has struck Jerusalem.
Have you ever felt like your prayers or God's promises were met with silence? People in Jeremiah's day felt the same way, and they weren't shy about expressing it.
Jeremiah's enemies were openly taunting him in verse 15. They weren't just curious; they were mocking.
A Test of Faith
They said, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!" This shows that the prophecies Jeremiah had delivered hadn't yet come to pass. For them, this was proof that Jeremiah was a false prophet and that God's threats were empty.
The Danger of Delay
This kind of scoffing is dangerous. When God's judgment or promises seem slow to arrive, it can lead people to dismiss Him altogether. They dare God to act, acting as if His threats are meaningless. This verse reveals a deep-seated rebellion and unbelief, a refusal to acknowledge God's timing and authority.
Jeremiah's critics demanded immediate proof of God's word. But sometimes, the most significant events unfold over time, testing our patience and faith.
The taunt in Jeremiah 17:15 wasn't just about Jeremiah's personal credibility; it was about the reality of God's word itself.
Before the Storm
Commentators suggest this verse likely comes from a time before Jerusalem was captured and destroyed. The people were still safe, making Jeremiah's dire predictions seem unbelievable to them. They saw no immediate signs of the judgment he proclaimed.
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The Inevitable Word
What these mockers failed to grasp is that God's word, especially His warnings, is certain. Even if the fulfillment isn't instant, it will come. The very fact that they felt bold enough to issue this challenge indicates that the fulfillment hadn't yet occurred, but history shows God's word was, in the end, completely accurate.
Understand the original words
dabar · Hebrew Noun
The divine utterance or message from God. It represents God’s authority, will, and truth revealed to humanity, often through prophets.
The taunts in this verse show that Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment had not yet been visibly fulfilled when he spoke them. The people, hardened in their sin, dared God to act, unaware of the devastating consequences that were soon to come.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Captivity of Northern Kingdom
The Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of its people. This event served as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, captures Jerusalem and deports some of the royal family and elite, including Daniel. This marks the beginning of Judah's Babylonian exile and fulfills earlier prophecies.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles, including the prophet Ezekiel, is sent to Babylon following a Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Jehoiachin, the king, is also taken captive.
c. 600-590 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry Amidst Crisis
Jeremiah delivers prophecies of judgment and calls for repentance to a defiant Judah. The people mock his warnings, demanding proof of God's pronouncements.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians lay final siege to Jerusalem, destroying the city and the Temple. This event is the ultimate fulfillment of God's judgment on Judah's persistent sin and rejection of His prophets.
This passage echoes the same defiant challenge, where people mockingly ask for God's judgment to be hastened, revealing a timeless pattern of dismissing divine warnings.
2 Peter 3:4Peter describes scoffers who question the promise of Christ's coming with similar doubt, highlighting how skepticism towards God's timing and promises persists through different eras.
Amos 5:18Amos also faced those who yearned for the 'day of the LORD' as if it were a distant, impossible event, mirroring the taunting disbelief Jeremiah encountered.
Psalm 74:9This psalm expresses a similar cry of desperation from God's people who feel abandoned and ask, 'We do not see our signs,' which reflects the sentiment of Jeremiah's challengers who questioned the absence of divine action.
barnesJeremiah 17:15: "Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now."
This taunt shows that this prophecy was written before any very signal fulfillment of Jeremiah's words had taken place, and prior therefore to the capture of Jerusalem at the close of Jehoiakim's life. "Now" means "I pray," and is ironical.
clarkeJeremiah 17:15: "Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now."
Where is the word of the Lord? - Where is the accomplishment of his threatenings? Thou hast said that the city and the temple should both be destroyed. No such events have yet taken place. But they did take place, and every tittle of the menace was strictly fulfilled.
The people's challenge, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!" isn't just a question; it’s a defiant dare. They aren't truly seeking understanding, but are arrogantly mocking Jeremiah, implying his prophecies are empty threats and daring God to prove them wrong.
Jeremiah is facing intense mockery from people who refuse to believe his warnings of judgment. They challenge him directly, demanding to see proof that his prophecies about God's wrath are real, implying he's making it all up and daring God to act. This taunt reveals that these pronouncements are happening before any major disaster has struck Jerusalem.
Jeremiah is facing intense mockery from people who refuse to believe his warnings of judgment. They challenge him directly, demanding to see proof that his prophecies about God's wrath are real, implying he's making it all up and daring God to act. This taunt reveals that these pronouncements are happening before any major disaster has struck Jerusalem.
"Behold, they say to me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!”" — The people's challenge, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!" isn't just a question; it’s a defiant dare. They aren't truly seeking understanding, but are arrogantly mocking Jeremiah, imp…
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Last reviewed October 2026