Jeremiah 21:10
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The powerful phrase "I have set my face against this city" isn't just about God being angry; it's a deliberate, unyielding divine decision to bring judgment. While the destruction by fire is dire, what's often missed is that this same phrase, "set my face," can also signify God's determined commitment to bless when people are obedient.
For I have set my face against this city for harm and not for good, declares the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
King Zedekiah, facing the dire reality of Nebuchadnezzar's siege, sends messengers to Jeremiah asking if God will deliver them. Jeremiah, however, is commanded to deliver a harsh message: God has turned against the city, not to bless but to bring destruction, handing it over to the Babylonian king to be burned. This prophecy directly follows advice for the people to surrender to the Babylonians to save their lives, a stark contrast to the king's desperate, yet ultimately futile, plea for divine intervention.
Have you ever felt like the whole world is against you? God sometimes expresses His judgment with an intense, unwavering focus.
Jeremiah 21:10 uses a powerful idiom: 'I have set my face against this city.' This isn't a casual glance; it signifies a determined, unyielding stance. When God 'sets His face,' it means His will is fixed, His purpose is set, and His action is inevitable. This phrase, found elsewhere in Scripture (like Leviticus 17:10), highlights God's active opposition, not as a capricious ruler, but as a just judge responding to persistent sin. It underscores that His judgment is not a matter of chance but a deliberate consequence of rebellion.
God's judgment can feel overwhelming. But how does His divine decree get carried out in the real world?
The verse clearly states Jerusalem 'shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.' This reveals a crucial aspect of God's judgment: He often uses human agents to execute His will. The king of Babylon, a powerful pagan ruler, becomes the instrument of God's wrath. This isn't to say the king was righteous, but that God sovereignly directed world events to bring about His just consequences for Jerusalem's unfaithfulness. The burning of the city, a devastating act of destruction, was the practical outworking of God's decision.
Understand the original words
Ask a follow-up
panim · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor signifying God's direct, focused attention or presence. To set one's face against someone signifies divine opposition, judgment, and the active withholding of favor.
This prophecy was delivered in the midst of the final siege of Jerusalem, when the city's fate was sealed. God's unwavering judgment on Judah's persistent disobedience meant that even a desperate plea could only result in a foretold destruction.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem and takes Jehoiakim as a vassal. Key figures, including members of the royal family and nobility, are deported to Babylon, marking the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
597 BC
Second Deportation
After a brief rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin, his court, and thousands more Judeans to Babylon. This event deeply shakes the remaining populace and leadership.
c. 589 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
King Zedekiah, after rebelling against Babylon, faces a prolonged and devastating siege of Jerusalem. This period is filled with hardship, famine, and dwindling hope for the besieged city.
c. 588 BC— this verse
Zedekiah's Desperate Plea
Facing the dire consequences of the siege, King Zedekiah sends messengers to Jeremiah, seeking divine intervention and a favorable outcome. This is the immediate context for Jeremiah's prophecy in chapter 21.
c. 587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
After a brutal siege, Nebuchadnezzar's forces breach Jerusalem's walls. The city is plundered, its inhabitants are largely deported, and its magnificent structures, including the Temple, are set ablaze.
c. 587/586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
In fulfillment of the prophecy, the Babylonian army systematically destroys Jerusalem. The Temple, royal palace, and many homes are burned, symbolizing the end of Judah's sovereignty and Davidic dynasty.
This passage shows God declaring His opposition to those who practice sin, using the same strong imagery of 'setting His face against them' to signify His judgment and intent for destruction.
Jeremiah 44:11Jeremiah uses this same phrase, 'I will set my face against you for disaster,' to warn the Israelites who have turned away from God, highlighting God's unwavering opposition to persistent disobedience.
Jeremiah 52:13This passage offers a direct historical fulfillment of Jeremiah 21:10, detailing how Nebuchadnezzar burned Jerusalem and its palaces with fire, proving the terrifying accuracy of God's prophetic word.
Ezekiel 5:8Similar to Jeremiah's prophecy, Ezekiel is commanded to pronounce judgment upon Jerusalem, emphasizing that God's 'judgments' will be executed against the city because of its rebellion.
cambridgeJeremiah 21:10: "For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire."
10 . I have set my face upon this city ] Cp. Jeremiah 44:11 ; Amos 9:4 . The phrase occurs in a good sense in Jeremiah 26:6 .
clarkeJeremiah 21:10: "For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire."
He shall burn it with fire - What a heavy message to all; and especially to them who had any fear of God, or reverence for the temple and its sacred services!
The powerful phrase "I have set my face against this city" isn't just about God being angry; it's a deliberate, unyielding divine decision to bring judgment. While the destruction by fire is dire, what's often missed is that this same phrase, "set my face," can also signify God's determined commitment to bless when people are obedient.
King Zedekiah, facing the dire reality of Nebuchadnezzar's siege, sends messengers to Jeremiah asking if God will deliver them. Jeremiah, however, is commanded to deliver a harsh message: God has turned against the city, not to bless but to bring destruction, handing it over to the Babylonian king to be burned. This prophecy directly follows advice for the people to surrender to the Babylonians to save their lives, a stark contrast to the king's desperate, yet ultimately futile, plea for divine intervention.
King Zedekiah, facing the dire reality of Nebuchadnezzar's siege, sends messengers to Jeremiah asking if God will deliver them. Jeremiah, however, is commanded to deliver a harsh message: God has turned against the city, not to bless but to bring destruction, handing it over to the Babylonian king to be burned. This prophecy directly follows advice for the people to surrender to the Babylonians to save their lives, a stark contrast to the king's desperate, yet ultimately futile, plea for divine intervention.
"For I have set my face against this city for harm and not for good, declares the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.’" — The powerful phrase "I have set my face against this city" isn't just about God being angry; it's a deliberate, unyielding divine decision to bring judgment. While the destruction by fire is dire, wh…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
