Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: “Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people dismissed God's messages as mere words, but here, God declares He will turn those words into actual fire. This fire, held in Jeremiah's mouth, will then consume the people who are like dry wood, emphasizing that God's word isn't just speech but a powerful, destructive force when rejected.
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: “Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Judah have been dismissing God's warnings and mocking His messengers, essentially saying His words are powerless. In response, God declares through Jeremiah that the very words the people have scorned will become a consuming fire, and they themselves will be the fuel for that fire, signifying their imminent destruction by a foreign enemy. This comes after God exposed Judah's deep corruption and the people's refusal to repent, setting the stage for severe judgment.
You've spoken a word against God, dismissing His message. How does the Lord, the God of Hosts, respond to such defiance?
Jeremiah is delivering a message from God, but some people are scoffing, treating God's words as mere air. In verse 14, God declares, 'Because you have spoken this word...' This isn't just about dismissing any word; it's about rejecting God's specific message of judgment and warning delivered through Jeremiah.
God's response is powerful and immediate: 'Behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.'
When God speaks, He introduces Himself with a title that signifies His ultimate power. Who is this God of Hosts?
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In this verse, God identifies Himself as 'the LORD, the God of hosts' (Yahweh Elohim Zebaoth). This isn't just a casual name; it's a profound declaration of His authority.
When God says, 'Because you have spoken this word,' and then follows with His title, 'the God of hosts,' it underscores the gravity of their defiance. They are not just dismissing a message; they are rejecting the supreme Commander of all reality. His pronouncements carry the weight of His omnipotence, ensuring that His words, whether of judgment or salvation, will ultimately be fulfilled.
Understand the original words
tsaba' · Hebrew Noun
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty over all heavenly armies and celestial bodies, highlighting His supreme power and universal authority to execute judgment.
'esh · Hebrew Noun
A frequent biblical metaphor for God’s purifying, refining, and destructive judgment upon sin; it represents the consuming nature of His holiness.
Jeremiah's prophecy in chapter 5 comes at a pivotal, terrifying moment. The people’s defiance is met with the stark declaration that God’s judgment, delivered through Jeremiah, will be an unstoppable force, consuming them like fire consumes dry wood, mirroring the very Babylonian conquest that is about to engulf them.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Deportations Begin
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II, begins systematic deportations of conquered peoples, including Israelites from the northern kingdom. This sets a precedent for exile as a divine judgment.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a select group of elites, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's Babylonian captivity.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's population, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. Jerusalem's temple is desecrated.
587/586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy. The remaining population is largely exiled to Babylon, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecies.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Persian conquers Babylon, and the following year issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands.
c. 516 BC
Second Temple Completed
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua, the Jewish exiles return and complete the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, marking a significant step in their restoration.
This verse echoes Jeremiah 5:14 by showing God directly empowering Jeremiah's words, commissioning him to 'put my words in your mouth,' which later become a 'fire' against disobedience.
Deuteronomy 28:49This passage describes a distant nation coming to conquer Israel 'like a bird of prey,' consuming their possessions, mirroring the destructive 'fire' metaphor in Jeremiah 5:14 that devours the people and their sustenance.
Isaiah 55:11While Jeremiah 5:14 speaks of God's judgment as consuming fire, Isaiah 55:11 reveals the powerful, unstoppable nature of God's word when it goes forth, whether for judgment or for His promises to prosper.
Hebrews 4:12This verse likens the word of God to a 'two-edged sword' that pierces to the division of soul and spirit, paralleling the consuming, penetrating power of the 'fire' mentioned in Jeremiah 5:14.
Jeremiah 23:29This passage explicitly states, 'Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD,' directly linking the destructive power of God's message to a consuming fire, just as described in Jeremiah 5:14.
clarkeJeremiah 5:14: "Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them."
Because ye speak this word - Because ye thus treat my message, "I will make my words in thy mouth fire." They have said they are but air; but I will make them fire, and a fire too that shall devour them. And how this was to be done, and by whom, is mentioned in the next verse.
pulpitJeremiah 5:14: "Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them."
Verse 14. - My words in thy mouth fire. (See on Jeremiah 1:9, 10.)
The people dismissed God's messages as mere words, but here, God declares He will turn those words into actual fire. This fire, held in Jeremiah's mouth, will then consume the people who are like dry wood, emphasizing that God's word isn't just speech but a powerful, destructive force when rejected.
The people of Judah have been dismissing God's warnings and mocking His messengers, essentially saying His words are powerless. In response, God declares through Jeremiah that the very words the people have scorned will become a consuming fire, and they themselves will be the fuel for that fire, signifying their imminent destruction by a foreign enemy. This comes after God exposed Judah's deep corruption and the people's refusal to repent, setting the stage for severe judgment.
The people of Judah have been dismissing God's warnings and mocking His messengers, essentially saying His words are powerless. In response, God declares through Jeremiah that the very words the people have scorned will become a consuming fire, and they themselves will be the fuel for that fire, signifying their imminent destruction by a foreign enemy. This comes after God exposed Judah's deep corruption and the people's refusal to repent, setting the stage for severe judgment.
"Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: “Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them." — The people dismissed God's messages as mere words, but here, God declares He will turn those words into actual fire. This fire, held in Jeremiah's mouth, will then consume the people who are like dry…
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Last reviewed October 2026