They have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The shocking truth here is that the people aren't just doubting Jeremiah; they're actively denying that the LORD is the one speaking through him. Their refusal to believe his warnings about disaster reveals a deeper denial of God's power and his active involvement in their lives, essentially calling Him powerless or absent.
They have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has been exposing the deep corruption and sinfulness of Judah, warning of impending judgment. The people, however, refuse to take God's warnings seriously, dismissing them as mere human pronouncements rather than divine pronouncements. They've become so calloused and self-assured in their rebellion that they deny the Lord's authority and power, believing that disaster will never come upon them.
Have you ever thought, 'God's not going to judge that!'? The people of Jeremiah's day did, and they were dangerously wrong.
The people in Jeremiah's time had fallen into a deep spiritual delusion. They looked at their lives, their actions, and the warnings of the prophets, and concluded that God simply wouldn't intervene. They said, 'He will do nothing.'
This wasn't just a casual observation; it was a deliberate dismissal of God's authority and justice. They essentially told themselves that God was either powerless, uninterested, or that His justice wouldn't actually catch up to them. This thinking breeds a false sense of security, allowing sin to fester because there's no perceived consequence.
Their denial was a direct rejection of the prophetic word, which was God's very message to them. By saying 'He will do nothing,' they weren't just disbelieving a future event; they were denying the God who speaks and acts.
When we ignore God's warnings, are we just ignoring bad news, or are we actually rejecting God Himself?
The phrase 'They have belied the LORD' is powerful. It means they've lied about God, or denied Him. This denial had a couple of layers:
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This denial isn't just about a future disaster; it's about rejecting the very reality and authority of God in the present.
Understand the original words
kachash · Hebrew Verb
The act of speaking untruths or deceptive words; in a biblical context, it often refers to bearing false witness or claiming something about God that is contrary to His revealed character.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
Calamity, ruin, or severe judgment; used in the prophets to describe the divine consequences for covenant disobedience, often manifested through war or natural catastrophe.
The people's denial of impending disaster reflects a dangerous spiritual apathy, a refusal to believe God's word delivered through Jeremiah, likely fueled by the memory of past judgments that didn't completely annihilate them, and a misplaced faith in their own security.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of its population. This serves as a stark warning of the consequences of disobedience to God.
c. 609 BC
Josiah's Reforms and Death
King Josiah implements religious reforms based on the rediscovered Book of the Law, but he dies in battle against Egypt. This period highlights a brief spiritual renewal followed by a return to syncretism and apostasy.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a group of prominent citizens, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's Babylonian captivity.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. The people's confidence in God's protection wavers.
c. 587-586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, scattering the remaining population and confirming the dire prophecies of judgment.
During the reign of Zedekiah (c. 597-587 BC)— this verse
Jeremiah's Prophecies of Judgment
Jeremiah prophesies during a time of political instability and impending doom for Judah, urging repentance. The people, however, often reject his message, clinging to false hope.
This passage describes people who are complacent and have grown settled in their ways, mirroring the people in Jeremiah who have settled into a false sense of security and ignore God's warnings.
Psalm 14:1The attitude of saying 'He will do nothing' directly echoes the 'fool' who says in his heart, 'There is no God,' highlighting the deep-seated denial of God's authority and judgment.
Isaiah 28:15This verse speaks of people making a 'covenant with death' and a 'pact with the grave,' similar to Jeremiah's audience who believe they are safe from disaster, refusing to acknowledge the consequences of their actions.
Matthew 24:38-39Jesus uses the analogy of the days of Noah, where people were unaware and unprepared until the flood came, illustrating the same blindness and disbelief in impending judgment seen in Jeremiah 5:12.
Proverbs 29:1This proverb warns that a person who is repeatedly rebuked but remains stubborn will suddenly be destroyed without remedy, directly reflecting the fate of those who refuse to heed God's spoken word through His prophets.
barnesJeremiah 5:12: "They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:"
It is not he - i. e., Who speaks by the prophets.
pooleJeremiah 5:12: "They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:"
They have belied the Lord: this may signify either a denying, viz. a renouncing, making little or nothing of him, as some; or a denying, i.e. not believing, that these words of the prophet were God’s words, or God did not say so; he gave not the prophet, nor any other, any such commission; and possibly their atheism might grow to so high a degree as to deny…
The shocking truth here is that the people aren't just doubting Jeremiah; they're actively denying that the LORD is the one speaking through him. Their refusal to believe his warnings about disaster reveals a deeper denial of God's power and his active involvement in their lives, essentially calling Him powerless or absent.
Jeremiah has been exposing the deep corruption and sinfulness of Judah, warning of impending judgment. The people, however, refuse to take God's warnings seriously, dismissing them as mere human pronouncements rather than divine pronouncements. They've become so calloused and self-assured in their rebellion that they deny the Lord's authority and power, believing that disaster will never come upon them.
Jeremiah has been exposing the deep corruption and sinfulness of Judah, warning of impending judgment. The people, however, refuse to take God's warnings seriously, dismissing them as mere human pronouncements rather than divine pronouncements. They've become so calloused and self-assured in their rebellion that they deny the Lord's authority and power, believing that disaster will never come upon them.
"They have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine." — The shocking truth here is that the people aren't just doubting Jeremiah; they're actively denying that the LORD is the one speaking through him. Their refusal to believe his warnings about disaster…
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Last reviewed October 2026