Jeremiah 33:23-24
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This simple opening, "The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah," is actually the start of a powerful correction. God immediately addresses the people's despairing cry: "The LORD has rejected the two families he chose!" It reveals their deep unbelief that God's covenant promises were utterly broken, even though He was about to reaffirm them.
The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “Have you not observed that these people are saying, ‘The LORD has rejected the two clans that he chose’? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Lord speaks directly to Jeremiah, not to address the exiles in Babylon, but to counter their despairing whispers. They believed God had finally abandoned both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, seeing their division and exile as proof that they were no longer His chosen people. This passage refutes that notion, insisting that God’s promises to Israel and Judah, including the everlasting reign of David's line, will endure.
Have you ever felt like God's promises are uncertain? Sometimes, the weight of despair can make even the most faithful question God's faithfulness.
In Jeremiah 33:23, the familiar phrase 'The word of the LORD came...' signals that a vital message is about to be delivered. This wasn't just any message; it was God's direct communication to His prophet.
Why This Matters:
The people of Israel felt God had cast them off. How could a nation divided and exiled still be God's chosen?
Jeremiah 33:23 is the setup for God addressing a deep-seated doubt among His people. They looked at their brokenness—the split into two kingdoms (Judah and Israel) and their subsequent exile—and concluded God was done with them.
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The Core of Their Doubt:
Understand the original words
na'ats · Hebrew Verb
An act of showing contempt or treating something as worthless. Biblically, it indicates a hardening of the heart against God's sovereign choices or his people.
The people's despair, which Jeremiah addresses, stemmed from the catastrophic destruction of their nation and Temple by Babylon. They felt God had abandoned His chosen families, Israel and Judah, leading them to question His promises and faithfulness.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of many Israelites. This event sows seeds of doubt about God's faithfulness to His chosen people.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and many Judeans, including notable figures like Ezekiel, to Babylon. This marks a severe blow to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This is a devastating catastrophe for the people of Judah.
c. 580 BC
Jeremiah Prophesies During Exile
Jeremiah, likely having been taken to Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem, continues to prophesy. In Jeremiah 33, he addresses the despair of the exiles who feel God has utterly rejected them.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, leading to the eventual decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple. This marks the beginning of the return from Babylonian captivity.
This verse functions as the starting point for a prophetic message, much like Genesis 1:1 is the foundational declaration of God's creative authority and intent.
Isaiah 40:8It echoes the enduring nature of God's Word and promises, emphasizing that what God declares will surely come to pass, even when circumstances seem to contradict it.
Ezekiel 37:15-28This passage directly addresses the theme of reunification and enduring kingship for the divided houses of Israel and Judah, mirroring the context of Jeremiah 33 where God refutes the idea that His people are permanently cast off.
John 1:1This verse parallels the opening of John's Gospel, signifying a divine message being delivered, and points to the ultimate fulfillment of God's word in Jesus Christ, who is Himself the Word.
calvinJeremiah 33:23-24: "Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,"
Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.
An non vidisti quomodo populus hic loquantur? Duas familias quas elegit Jehova in ipsis, reprobavit eas (sed abundat particula vhm deinde copula etiam supervacua est, nisi vertatur in adverbium te…
pooleJeremiah 33:23: "Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,"
No text from Poole on this verse.
This simple opening, "The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah," is actually the start of a powerful correction. God immediately addresses the people's despairing cry: "The LORD has rejected the two families he chose!" It reveals their deep unbelief that God's covenant promises were utterly broken, even though He was about to reaffirm them.
The Lord speaks directly to Jeremiah, not to address the exiles in Babylon, but to counter their despairing whispers. They believed God had finally abandoned both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, seeing their division and exile as proof that they were no longer His chosen people. This passage refutes that notion, insisting that God’s promises to Israel and Judah, including the everlasting reign of David's line, will endure.
The Lord speaks directly to Jeremiah, not to address the exiles in Babylon, but to counter their despairing whispers. They believed God had finally abandoned both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, seeing their division and exile as proof that they were no longer His chosen people. This passage refutes that notion, insisting that God’s promises to Israel and Judah, including the everlasting reign of David's line, will endure.
"The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “Have you not observed that these people are saying, ‘The LORD has rejected the two clans that he chose’? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight." — This simple opening, "The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah," is actually the start of a powerful correction. God immediately addresses the people's despairing cry: "The LORD has rejected the two fam…
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Last reviewed October 2026
