Jeremiah 5:30-31
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This verse highlights a spiritual decay so profound and deeply entrenched that it's described as both "appalling" (unsettling, even monstrous) and "horrible" (shockingly wicked). What's easy to miss is that this isn't just about bad actions, but a collective, almost unbelievable corruption that has become the norm in the land.
An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah is reeling from the sheer depth of sin and corruption in Judah, a nation God had chosen. This verse serves as a stunned introduction to the specific offenses that follow: false prophets preach lies, corrupt priests seize power, and worst of all, God's own people love being deceived. This isn't just occasional wrongdoing; it's a pervasive, almost unbelievable state of affairs that fills the land.
Jeremiah doesn't just describe sin; he declares it an 'appalling and horrible thing.' What makes sin so shockingly bad that it defies human understanding?
The prophet Jeremiah uses two powerful words to describe the state of Judah: "appalling" and "horrible."
Beyond Words
The Hebrew words here suggest something so shocking, so monstrous, it's hard to even grasp or describe. It wasn't just a mistake or a minor offense; it was a profound perversion of what was right.
Imagine seeing something so wrong, so twisted, that you're left speechless, struggling to find the right words to convey the sheer awfulness of it. That's the feeling Jeremiah conveys.
A Spiritual Disease
This wasn't just about outward actions, but a deep-seated spiritual sickness. The corruption had reached the core of their society, affecting their leaders and their people.
Jeremiah points to more than just individual sin; he reveals a system where leaders and people are in cahoots. How did this alliance fuel the land's downfall?
This verse isn't a standalone statement; it's the preface to a shocking exposé in the following verses (which we'll touch on).
False Prophets, Ruled by Gain
The 'appalling and horrible thing' was rooted in spiritual deception. False prophets were prophesying lies, and the priests weren't correcting them. Instead, they were benefiting from it.
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The People's Complicity
What's truly devastating is that the people loved it. They preferred the comforting lies of the false prophets over the challenging truth of God's Word. This wasn't forced; it was a willing embrace of deception.
This mutual agreement—leaders feeding lies, people devouring them—created a society so deeply compromised it was beyond repair.
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.
nābîʾ · Hebrew Noun
An individual who speaks under divine inspiration, conveying God's message to His people. While true prophets are empowered by the Holy Spirit, false prophets operate out of their own imagination or for personal gain, leading the people away from God's truth.
nābāʾ šeqer · Hebrew Verb
To communicate a message believed to be from God. Falsely prophesying involves speaking messages that contradict God's revealed will, often to provide comfort or validation to those who refuse to repent.
kōhēn · Hebrew Noun
Those set apart by God for the ministry of the temple, offering sacrifices and teaching the law. Their role is to facilitate the relationship between God and His people, and when they fail, they lead the congregation into spiritual corruption.
rāḏâ · Hebrew Verb
To exercise authority, lead, or govern. In a biblical context, it implies taking responsibility for the spiritual and moral direction of the community, which should be done according to God's standard.
ʾāhaḇ · Hebrew Verb
The act of following or worshiping God, or—in a negative sense—clinging to sin and rebellion. It represents the deepest orientation of the heart, showing where a person finds their ultimate satisfaction.
ʾaḥărîṯ · Hebrew Noun
The culmination or final conclusion of a historical era, a period of judgment, or a specific divine purpose. It signifies the point where the patience of God gives way to divine intervention or historical consequence.
Jeremiah's cry about the 'appalling and horrible thing' wasn't just about general sin, but the specific betrayal of God's covenant by corrupt religious leaders and a people who reveled in their own spiritual blindness, leading directly to the nation's destruction.
c. 627 BC - 586 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry
Jeremiah prophesied during a turbulent period in Judah's history, warning of impending Babylonian invasion and exile due to the people's unfaithfulness.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invades Judah, deporting a group of the elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subservience to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and thousands more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population. This catastrophic event represents the culmination of the judgment Jeremiah had warned about.
This passage echoes Jeremiah's shock, revealing a similar scene of religious corruption and idolatry taking place within the very temple, highlighting the 'appalling thing' as a deep spiritual sickness.
Romans 1:29-32Paul's description of a society given over to all kinds of wickedness mirrors the 'horrible thing' Jeremiah speaks of, showing how nations can descend into practices that are not only sinful but deeply unnatural and appalling.
2 Timothy 4:3-4This passage speaks to the problem Jeremiah identifies: people preferring false teachings over truth. It shows how the desire for comfortable lies, rather than challenging truth, is a recurring and 'horrible thing' throughout history.
Matthew 7:15Jesus warns against false prophets, a core part of the 'horrible thing' in Jeremiah's day. This connects the ancient prophet's message to Jesus' own concern about deception within the religious community.
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.
This verse highlights a spiritual decay so profound and deeply entrenched that it's described as both "appalling" (unsettling, even monstrous) and "horrible" (shockingly wicked). What's easy to miss is that this isn't just about bad actions, but a collective, almost unbelievable corruption that has become the norm in the land.
The prophet Jeremiah is reeling from the sheer depth of sin and corruption in Judah, a nation God had chosen. This verse serves as a stunned introduction to the specific offenses that follow: false prophets preach lies, corrupt priests seize power, and worst of all, God's own people love being deceived. This isn't just occasional wrongdoing; it's a pervasive, almost unbelievable state of affairs that fills the land.
The prophet Jeremiah is reeling from the sheer depth of sin and corruption in Judah, a nation God had chosen. This verse serves as a stunned introduction to the specific offenses that follow: false prophets preach lies, corrupt priests seize power, and worst of all, God's own people love being deceived. This isn't just occasional wrongdoing; it's a pervasive, almost unbelievable state of affairs that fills the land.
"An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?" — This verse highlights a spiritual decay so profound and deeply entrenched that it's described as both "appalling" (unsettling, even monstrous) and "horrible" (shockingly wicked). What's easy to miss…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
