An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land:
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just state that a "horrible thing" happened; it says an "appalling and horrible thing" has occurred. This doubling emphasizes the sheer shock and incomprehensibility of the sin so deeply embedded in the land that it's beyond normal human conception or description. It's a sin so profound that it borders on the unbelievable.
An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land:
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah is reeling from the depth of sin and corruption in Judah, declaring an appalling and horrible situation has taken root. This isn't just about individual sins, but a systemic betrayal where false prophets preach lies, corrupt priests rule by their manipulation, and the people willingly embrace this deception. Jeremiah's shock underscores the profound disconnect between God's faithfulness and the nation's chosen path of wickedness.
Jeremiah uses two powerful words to describe what's happening. It's so bad, it’s almost impossible to grasp. What makes a situation truly 'appalling' and 'horrible'?
Jeremiah doesn't just say there's sin; he declares that an "appalling and horrible thing" has occurred. The original language here conveys something that strikes with awe and terror, something so profoundly wrong it’s almost beyond human understanding or expression. It’s not merely a bad deed, but a state of affairs that fundamentally violates God’s order and should shock everyone. Think of it as a deep sickness in the land, a perversion that is both terrifying in its implications and astonishing in its existence, especially in a land that was supposed to be God’s own.
What fuels this shocking state? It's a dangerous partnership where leaders mislead and the people embrace the lies. This isn't accidental; it's a willful choice.
The "appalling and horrible thing" is further explained by the collusion of spiritual leaders and the people's desire for deception. False prophets proclaimed lies, and the priests either supported them or profited from them, ruling "by their means." This created a system where truth was perverted for personal gain and popularity. Crucially, Jeremiah adds, "my people love to have it so." This wasn't just passive acceptance; it was an active preference for comforting falsehoods over challenging truths. They wanted to hear what pleased them, even if it led them away from God and towards destruction.
Ask a follow-up
When spiritual decay and willful ignorance take root, what's the ultimate outcome? Jeremiah poses a stark question about the end of such a path.
The passage culminates in Jeremiah's rhetorical question: "and what will ye do in the end thereof?" This isn't a question seeking an answer, but a pronouncement of inevitable judgment. The "end" of this horrifying state, marked by false prophecy and beloved deception, is not a happy one. It signifies the ultimate downfall and ruin that comes from rejecting God's truth and His appointed leaders. It’s a warning that such a path, embraced willingly, leads to a final reckoning where there will be no escape and no comfort, only the consequences of their choices.
Understand the original words
shammah · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
This describes something that is morally shocking, devastating, or spiritually repulsive, often used to depict sin or divine judgment that leaves observers in stunned silence.
Jeremiah's cry about an 'appalling and horrible thing' directly addresses the moral and spiritual decay within Judah, particularly the corrupt practices of its prophets and priests, which set the stage for the nation's catastrophic judgment by Babylon.
Late 8th - Early 7th century BC
Assyrian Dominance and Influence
The Neo-Assyrian Empire exerted significant political and cultural influence over Judah, impacting its religious and social structures.
626 BC
Nabopolassar Declares Independence
Nabopolassar, a Babylonian official, revolted against Assyria, establishing the Neo-Babylonian Empire and shifting regional power dynamics.
609 BC
Josiah's Death at Megiddo
King Josiah, a reforming king, was killed in battle against the Egyptians, plunging Judah into political instability and religious compromise.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon defeated Egypt and began deporting elite Judeans, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon.
c. 597 BC— this verse
Second Babylonian Deportation
After a Judean revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deported more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar razed Jerusalem and destroyed Solomon's Temple, ending Judah as an independent kingdom and leading to a final, larger exile.
This passage describes how the spiritual leaders of Israel have led the people astray, mirroring the false prophets and priests in Jeremiah's time who caused this 'horrible thing'.
Ezekiel 13:10This verse speaks of prophets building a wall with whitewash and applying it to people who have covered it over, illustrating the deceptive and ultimately unstable foundation built by false messages, directly related to Jeremiah's 'appalling and horrible thing'.
Romans 1:29-31Paul lists a series of moral failings that are 'futile in their thinking' and 'futile in their understanding,' much like the spiritual blindness and corruption described in Jeremiah 5 that constitutes this 'horrible thing'.
2 Timothy 4:3-4This passage warns of a future time when people will 'not endure sound teaching' but will 'heap up for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,' echoing the sentiment in Jeremiah 5:31 where God's people 'loved to have it so'.
calvinJeremiah 5:30-31: "A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;"
- Stupor (vel, res stupenda) et foeditas in terra (vel, res pudenda; sr, unde nomen deductum est, significat proprie cogitare vel reputare; sed videtur per antiphrasin Deus hoc loco, ut aliis quibusdam, notare rem prodigiosam, quae non cadit sub sensum humanum, quasi diceret hoc non posse concipi neque apprehendi hominis mente; scio hoc posse videri novum, sed tamen subest optima ratio, ut mihi videtur. Postea addit.…
ellicottJeremiah 5:30: "A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;"
(30) Wonderful. —Better, terrible. Is committed.—Better, has come to pass.
The verse doesn't just state that a "horrible thing" happened; it says an "appalling and horrible thing" has occurred. This doubling emphasizes the sheer shock and incomprehensibility of the sin so deeply embedded in the land that it's beyond normal human conception or description. It's a sin so profound that it borders on the unbelievable.
The prophet Jeremiah is reeling from the depth of sin and corruption in Judah, declaring an appalling and horrible situation has taken root. This isn't just about individual sins, but a systemic betrayal where false prophets preach lies, corrupt priests rule by their manipulation, and the people willingly embrace this deception. Jeremiah's shock underscores the profound disconnect between God's faithfulness and the nation's chosen path of wickedness.
The prophet Jeremiah is reeling from the depth of sin and corruption in Judah, declaring an appalling and horrible situation has taken root. This isn't just about individual sins, but a systemic betrayal where false prophets preach lies, corrupt priests rule by their manipulation, and the people willingly embrace this deception. Jeremiah's shock underscores the profound disconnect between God's faithfulness and the nation's chosen path of wickedness.
"An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land:" — The verse doesn't just state that a "horrible thing" happened; it says an "appalling and horrible thing" has occurred. This doubling emphasizes the sheer shock and incomprehensibility of the sin so d…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026